REGULATIONS FOR THE HARBOR AND PORT OF SAN FRANCISCO.
Art. 1st. On the arrival of Merchant vessels at the port of San Francisco, a proper berth will be pointed out to the masters thereof, by the Harbor Master, when he boards them; and no master of a Merchant vessel shall shift his berth without permission from the Harbor Master, unless in case of extreme emergency, when he must report his having done so as early as possible at the office of the Harbor Master.
Art. 2d. Should it be the intention of a master of a vessel to discharge or receive on board any considerable quantity of merchandise, a berth will be pointed out to him as close to the landing places as the safety of the vessel and other circumstances will permit.
Art. 3d. After a proper berth has been pointed out, the master will then moor his vessel with two bower anchors across the tide, with thirty-five fathoms chain cable, with buoys attached in summer months, and fifty fathoms from the hawserhole in winter. December, January, February and March to be considered the winter months.
Art. 4th. If any vessel properly moored in the harbor shall have her anchors or cables over-laid by any other vessel in anchoring or mooring, the master or person having the care or direction of such last mentioned vessel, shall immediately, or as soon as may be after application made to him by the party aggrieved, cause the said anchor or cable so overlaying to be taken up and cleared.
Art. 5th. When any Merchant vessel may be lying in a berth convenient for discharging, and she shall have completed her unlading or lading, such vessel shall, at the request of the Harbor Master, remove to a place designated, should her berth be required by any other vessel which may desire to load or discharge.
Art. 6th. Merchant vessels arriving with powder on board, must on arrival, report the same to the Harbor Master, in order that a secure berth may be pointed out.
Art. 7th. No ballast will be allowed to be thrown overboard. Any ballast which may be wanted to discharge, by application to the Harbor Master, a place of discharge will be designated, and any vessel requiring ballast, instructions will be furnished on application.
Art. 8th. All difficulties arising between ships relative to the foregoing rules, shall be settled before the Harbor Master.
Art. 9th. Disobedience to the orders of the Harbor Master, in the discharge of his duty will subject the offender to a fine of fifty dollars, to go towards the Hospital Fund, of the town of San Francisco.
Art. 10th. After mooring, ships must rig in jib and flying jib-booms.
Art. 11th. Forty-eight hours notice to be given at the Custom House before clearing.
Art. 12th. No fire arms to be discharged in the Harbor under penalty of Article 9th.
Approved:—
THOS. AP C. JONES, Comdr. U. S. N.
Edw. A. King, Harbor Master.
Next to the port of San Francisco, in maritime importance, we must put the Bay of Monterey, with its two ancient towns of Monterey and Santa Cruz lying on the opposite shores of the bay. At present the mining operations being confined to the north of the Bay of San Francisco, the whole commerce is concentrated in that port; but ere long they will go farther south, and then the town of Monterey will be likewise benefitted by the trade with the mines, as its facility of communicating by land with all the points south of San Francisco promises it.
Monterey was, and is, as yet, the capital of the country, contains about two thousand inhabitants, principally natives and old established families of foreigners, who have not neglected to improve opportunities of making themselves rich. The soil in the neighborhood is good—the climate a hundred per cent. better than that of San Francisco. The situation of the town is very picturesque.
On the North side of the Bay lie the Mission and town of Santa Cruz, with a rich soil abounding in water and timber, as in its neighborhood, in the mountains, there are six saw-mills in operation. Building timber is easily and cheaply obtained here; land for building lots can be also procured at moderate prices. It is an excellent spot for mechanics to settle upon, as the sea offers them facilities for sending the produce of their hands into any portion of the country, while at the same time living is cheap, for everything in the way of provisions can be produced in the town.
Pueblo de San Jose is another old settlement, and has more than a thousand inhabitants within its jurisdiction, and is growing rapidly. By its position, in a magnificent valley, seventy miles in length at the head of the Bay of San Francisco, approachable by water to vessels as large as brigs, being a thoroughfare between the North and South of the country, possessing a rich soil, a mild and salubrious climate, beautiful landscape, and every facility for cheap and comfortable living, it cannot but grow rapidly; and we have no doubt that in a few years, when California shall be a little more settled and organized, it will become the seat of the State Government, being a more central and accessible point from all parts of the country than Monterey.
The town of South San Francisco, about three miles South of the city of San Francisco, possesses the same advantages of the harbor as the latter, for all classes of vessels, with the superiority of being more sheltered from the prevailing winds and of having an abundant supply of water, not only for the use of its inhabitants, but for the shipping. The same depth of water extends along the shore from one town to the other. The country is picturesque, the site of the town is more regular than that of San Francisco; it commands a quarry of stone suitable for buildings, and it lies on the road from San Francisco to Pueblo de San Jose. Had the original settlers of San Francisco exercised their judgment before settling on that windy spot, they would have put their houses on the site of South San Francisco.—We have no doubt but it will soon have its share in the commerce of the Bay.
Benicia is a town situated on the north side of the strait of Carquinez, with great depth of water; ships can discharge there close to the shore without the aid of wharves. It met with the approbation of naval and military officers as a good spot for a naval and military depot; and we understand that it has been recommended by the same to the government for the erection of government buildings, upon its site. It has a ferry boat which plies across the strait, and thus keeps the two portions of the country in constant communication, benefitting the public while it remunerates the efforts of the enterprising owners of the town.
Martinez is a projected town on the opposite side to Benicia, and of which we have already spoken above.
Suisun is a town just springing up into existence on the north side of the bay of Suisun and right bank of the Sacramento; it is very advantageously situated for both commercial and agricultural purposes. It is eighty-five miles distant from San Francisco and fifty from Benicia; it has a rich soil and is well wooded; it possesses good water in abundance, and building stone is found in the neighborhood. The depth of water is sufficient to admit barks to lie close to the shore. Its importance soon will be felt when the beautiful neighborhood of the Clear Lake shall be settled by enterprising farmers and miners. Its climate is mild and healthy.
Sacramento City, once the exclusive property of the well known and remembered by every stranger who appreciates hospitality, Capt. J. A. Sutter, is situated on the east bank of the Sacramento river; vessels of seven hundred tons are lying close to the shore in the stream. To show its growth and importance we need only state that on the first of May last it contained about fifteen houses and tents, the whole business with the mines being done at the Fort, which is about two miles distant from the city, and on the first of August it had more than a hundred houses and numerous tents, probably comprising about five thousand souls.
The town of Boston is situated in the fork made by the Sacramento and the American rivers in their junction, and its site extends along the shores of both of them. Its situation is a little elevated and free from inundation; the land is rich and well wooded; the same class of vessels that comes up to Sacramento City, can lie here with equal ease, being but a mile above the latter; the road that crosses the American river and leads to the Feather river, the Bear Creek and the Yuba goes through the town. It is laid out on the old site of an Indian Rancheria, a portion of which they still occupy.
The town of Washington is very beautifully situated on the same bank with Sacramento City, from which it is only nine miles distant up the river. The spot is well selected for an inland town where agriculture and trade with the mines must flourish; it is well provided with timber and a brook runs through it. The river craft and a steamboat run up to it.
Springfield is a town in project, close to the town of Vernon.—Vernon is at the junction of the Feather river with the Sacramento. It is in the vicinity of many “diggings,” with which it carries on a lively trade. At any season of the year there is four feet of water in the river, but for eight months the depth of water is eight feet.—River craft and a steamboat are constantly plying up to this place. Its vicinity is a rich and well wooded agricultural country.
The town of Sutter, situated two miles below, and on the same bank with Sacramento City, possesses the same advantages of the river and soil as the latter. It has already several houses put up.
New York of the Pacific, at the mouth of the San Joaquin, has been already spoken of above.
Stockton is a spot happily selected for an inland town of great importance, and already its present augurs well for the future.—Situated high up on the San Joaquin, accessible to river craft at all seasons of the year, cut through in different directions by four channels communicating with the river, and admitting close to the shore vessels of the class of barks and brigs, of which thirteen are moored there at this very moment, surrounded by rich soil and extensive wood land, contiguous to numerous rich “diggings,” Stockton offers great advantages to a new settler, and many have already availed themselves of them. Its proprietor, Mr. Chas. M. Weber, by his liberal provisions for the public wants of the town, cannot fail to accelerate its prosperity.
The town of San Joaquin, situated on the river of the same name, at the highest point to which river steamers can come up at all seasons of the year, in the neighborhood of the rich mines of the Merced and Mariposa, to which a good waggon road can be easily made, offers superior advantages to settlers; its situation is picturesque, as it is on a rising ground; it is abundantly supplied with good water and grass all the year through, and its climate is salubrious. Its geographical position to the surrounding mining district guarantees it the command as a trading post, to at least one third of the gold region.
END.