140 HAUPT — REACTION BREAKWATER AT ARANSAS PASS. [Oct. 6, 



however, shows a channel having a least depth of nine and one- 

 quarter to nine and one-half feet across the bar, which is believed to 

 be a greater depth than had ever existed on the bar in this its most 

 unfavorable position. The Report, moreover, states : 



'* The works built and partially built for the purpose of deepening 

 the channel across this bar have produced no greater depths than 

 were found before these works were constructed." ^ 



And again : 



''There does not seem any probability that the jetty (meaning 

 breakwater), as now constructed, will of itself secure and main- 

 tain any considerable increase of depth in a navigable channel of 

 proper width." ^ 



It may seem phenomenal, therefore, that where the eight and one- 

 half feet depth was shown in the chart of November, 1897, there 

 were over twenty-two feet in January, 1899, or an increase of 

 thirteen and one-half feet in a period of as many months, a result 

 which is unprecedented in the annals of harbor improvements, 

 and this without dredging or other assistance, save that derived 

 from the half-completed breakwater reacting upon the partially 

 controlled currents escaping through the breach in the old jetty. 



On the other hand, the Report states (page 14) : 



'' Since the building of the jetty the position of the channel 

 seems to have become more constant, and, as shown in the follow- 

 ing table, the width across the bar to have lessened." 



The table referred to shows that between February, 1S95, ^^ prior 

 to the beginning of the breakwater, and November, 1897, after work 

 was suspended, the bar had been reduced in width as follows : At the 

 twelve-foot contours the distance across from inside to outside was re- 

 duced 550 feet, at the fifteen-foot contours 900 feet, and at the twenty- 

 foot contours by 1600 feet. It is added that '' the outside slope has 

 changed but little ; . . . . the change has been in the advance of the 

 inner contours." Thus showing that the bar had not advanced sea- 

 ward, but was eroded on its inner scarp, which is a great desideratum 

 in this class of work. Now, the twelve-foot contours are cut through 

 and but a few hundred feet separate the fifteen-foot contours, if indeed 

 they have not disappeared altogether since the last survey, while 

 there were depths on the bar, under the control of the breakwater^ 



^ Vidiy p. 16, supra. 

 ' Vide^ P- ^5» supra. 



