There are a number of islands and harbors within San Francisco and connecting bays, of considerable importance.

Alcatraz island, near the entrance of the Golden Gate, is about 1,600 feet in length by 450 feet in width, containing about thirty-five Its highest point is 135 feet above the waters of the bay. It is the key to the fortifications of the harbor.

acres.

Angel island is the largest in San Francisco bay. It contains upwards of eight hundred acres of good land, with an abundant supply of fresh water. It was formerly well timbered with oak, when it formed an interesting object in the landscape, as seen from the city of San Francisco, four miles distant. It contains few trees now, but produces good crops of wheat and barley. There are upon it quarries of excellent building stone. Most of the rock used in constructing the fortifications on Alcatraz, and at Fort Point, was obtained at these quarries; the stone used in the erection of the Bank of California, one of the handsomest structures on the coast, was also obtained here.

Yerba Buena, or Goat island, lies directly opposite San Francisco. It is much smaller than Angel island.

Molate island, or Red Rock, about four miles north of Angel island, is a barren rock, of some little importance, as it contains a vein of manganese ore, of which several shipments have been made to England.

Bird Rock, and the Two Sisters, are unimportant but picturesque rocks, near the northern end of San Francisco bay.

There are several other rocks and islands around the shores of this bay, which are not of sufficient importance to be noticed in this place.

At the head of San Pablo bay stands Napa or Mare island, on which the United States navy-yard is located, forming one side of the straits and bay of Napa, which connects with Napa creek, a stream from the Suscol mountains.

Vallejo-a rapidly improving town, once the capital of the Stateis located on the east side of Napa Bay, and opposite the navy-yard on Mare island. There is good anchorage and shelter, and plenty of water for the largest vessels in this bay. The Vallejo and Sacramento railroad, connecting with the Central Pacific, the Folsom and Placerville, and the Northern or Marysville railroads, has its terminus here, bringing the Pacific railroad within thirty miles of San Francisco. At the eastern entrance of the Straits of Carquinez, which have a length of seven miles, are situated the towns of Benicia and Martinez. They >ccupy sites opposite each other-the straits here being about four

miles wide. A steam ferry boat runs between them. The various towns and harbors further inland are referred to elsewhere.

With such facilities for foreign and domestic trade, as the harbor of San Francisco affords to that city, there is nothing remarkable in the fact that three-fourths of the capital, and nearly one-fourth of the population of the State, are concentrated there.

Tidal Influences.—The tidal influences on the rivers emptying into the bay of San Francisco, extend to the head of navigation in the interior. The maximum rise of full tide at San Francisco, is 8 feet two inches; at Benicia, 7 feet 6 inches; at Sacramento, 2 feet 6 inches; at Stockton, 2 feet 1 inch. At Crescent city, on the north, the maximum rise of tide is 9 feet; at San Diego, on the south, 7 feet.

SAN DIEGO HARBOR.

San Diego harbor is on the extreme southern portion of the coast line within the boundary of California, in San Diego county, latitude 32°41′, four hundred and fifty-six miles south of San Francisco. It is next in importance to San Francisco bay, both in security and geographical position. It was the principal harbor of Upper California until 1830. It is well sheltered from all winds by surrounding hills, but has few of the advantages for inland traffic possessed in such an eminent degree by San Francisco. The harbor is in the form of a broad curve, about twelve miles in length, and from one to two miles wide. For about five miles from its entrance there is a channel half a mile wide, in which there is never less than thirty feet of water, with excellent anchorage, on a sandy clay bottom.

Being several hundred miles more directly in the track of the China and Sandwich islands steamers than San Francisco, it might become a formidable rival to that port in the important trade with those countries were it connected with a railroad across the continent; but the resources of the country are being so slowly developed that it is not probable such a railroad will be built in the immediate future. The California, Mexico, and Oregon Steam Navigation Company contemplate erecting a wharf here, which would be a great benefit to the trade of the place, and aid in developing the wealth of the country. The trade is at present confined to shipping wine, wool, and other products.

SAN PEDRO BAY.

This bay is in Los Angeles county, three hundred and seventy-three miles south of San Francisco. This harbor is formed by a spur from Point St. Vincent, which trends to the south about eight miles, and

Deadman's Island, which lies across its end, while the mainland on this portion of the coast, trending to the southeast, forms a capacious bay, sheltered from all except the southerly winds-the most dangerous along that coast during the fall and winter. The. water for several miles from the mainland, is very shallow, vessels being compelled to anchor about two miles off shore, but there is plenty of water and good anchorage near the island. All the freight and passengers, by steamers and sailing vessels, are placed on board and landed by means of lighters. The port of San Pedro lost much of its importance in 1858, when the town of Wilmington was established, at the head of what is now called Wilmington bay, about four miles further inland, and nearer to the city of Los Angeles, but there is considerable trade there now. It is the port for the fishermen of Santa Catalina and Santa Barbara islands, and a large portion of the produce of Los Angeles and Santa Barbara counties is shipped and supplies landed here. It has been proposed to erect a breakwater at San Pedro, from Deadman's island to Rattlesnake island, about one and a quarter miles in length, running north and south, and from Fisherman's point, near the old San Pedro wharf, about half a mile in length, running east and west. Were these walls built, San Pedro would be the safest and most commodious harbor on the southern coast. As this is the most convenient point for shipping the valuable produce of Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties, a safe and capacious harbor becomes a matter of importance connected with the development of the resources of that section of the State. The necessity for using lighters in shipping or landing freight does not conform to modern American ideas of commerce. As there is no remedy for the present condition of matters in this vicinity, except the construction of a breakwater, it is almost certain that one will soon be built.

Anaheim landing, the center of the wine trade of Los Angeles, is located on the northern bank of the Santa Ana river, about ten miles south from Wilmington. Here, also, the water is so shallow that vessels are compelled to anchor three miles from the shore, all goods and passengers being landed in lighters or boats. The Anaheim Lighter Company does an extensive business in loading produce and landing supplies for the wine and fruit growers, farmers and stock raisers in the district.

THE SANTA BARBARA CHANNEL.

This roadstead is formed by the islands of San Miguel, Santa Rosa, and Santa Cruz, which are about twenty miles from and parallel with

the mainland, south of Point Concepcion, where the coast line trends almost due east for about sixty miles. This channel affords shelter on the north and south, but is exposed from the east and west. There is plenty of water and good holding ground in the middle of the channel, but the whole coast, nearly as far down as San Diego, is shallow for several miles from the shore.

There is a good wharf at the town of Santa Barbara, which runs out nearly one thousand feet, and enables vessels drawing twelve feet of water to load and unload alongside. This section of the State, being chiefly devoted to cattle and sheep raising, the shipping business is not very extensive. Wool and hides form leading items in the exports.

The extensive deposits of asphaltum which exist on this section of the coast give employment to several vessels in supplying the demand for the San Francisco market, where it is largely used for paving and other purposes. The vessels engaged in this business load from the beach, where they collect the material. The following plan for loading asphaltum will explain the nature of the coast in this vicinity, and be interesting as an illustration of Yankee inventiveness. The proprietor of a large deposit of this mineral found it impossible to get it on board vessels to send to a market. The breakers, which curl with great fury for miles along the coast, stove all the boats he used, and the shore was so hard and rocky that piles could not be driven to make a wharf, and the vessels were compelled to lay too far out to make a connection with the shore. As a last resource, he hit upon an expedient. Having a number of yoke of well trained oxen, they are made to haul a large cart containing three or four tons of asphaltum through the surf beyond the breakers, where boats from the vessel are in waiting to receive it, the oxen standing up to their ears in the salt water while the boats are being loaded. About twenty tons a day are loaded in this

manner.

At San Buenaventura, about twenty-five miles southeast from Santa Barbara, there is a landing at which it is contemplated to build a wharf to connect with a road from this place to Owens' valley, via Havilah, Kern county. Should this project be carried out, it would greatly increase the importance of Santa Barbara as a shipping port.

SAN LUIS OBISPO BAY.

San Luis Obispo bay is a small, open indentation on the coast-line, with good anchorage and plenty of water, south of Point San Luis, a spur of Mount Buchon, which projects five or six miles to the westward, affording shelter from northerly gales. It is in San Luis Obispo

county, about two hundred miles south of San Francisco, but is of little importance as a harbor.

About ten miles further north is Estero bay, formed by a bold headland terminating the Santa Lucia mountains, which projects to the north-west, and thus affords a much better shelter than San Luis bay. A deep lagoon runs inland three or four miles behind Estero point, in which there is excellent anchorage and good conveniences for a road and landing. This lagoon is sheltered from all points, except the south. The California, Oregon and Mexico Steamship Company have had this place surveyed, with a view of making it a refuge for their vessels during the prevalence of northerly and westerly gales; such a place of safety being very much required on this portion of the coast.

There are a number of other places between Estero point and San Pedro, which are well adapted for coasting harbors, but they afford little shelter from the most dangerous winds that blow along that part of the coast.

MONTEREY BAY.

Monterey bay is ninety-two miles south of San Francisco. It is a broad, open bay, about thirty miles wide, circular in form, Point Pinos forming its southern, and Point New Year its northern headlands. Santa Cruz harbor is near the latter, and Carmelo bay near the former. These afford shelter to vessels, from certain quarters, but the bay of Monterey is exposed to all except easterly winds. There are a number of points around this bay, where coasting vessels carry on an extensive business. There are wharves erected for their accommodation, at Watsonville, Soquel, Miller's landing, Pajaro, (at the mouth of the Pajaro river, the port of the rich valley of that name,) and Millard's point. The wharf at Aptos creek is eleven hundred feet in length, from low-tide water. Considerable improvements have been made at Monterey wharf, which is now carried out to deep water. Before this improvement, passengers and freight were landed, from little boats, on the rocks along the shore.

The wharves at the mouth of the Salinas river have also been greatly improved. The dimensions of this river increase so greatly during the winter season, as to make it a risky business to build expensive wharves along its shores. Its usual width, at the entrance of the bay, is about four hundred and fifty feet. In 1862, during the wet season, it exceeded a mile.

The bay is safest and most sheltered in front of the town of Monterey, under the lee of Point Pinos, but the trade is not in that direction. Carmelo bay, on the other side of this point, is also tolerably