io6 IMPRO VED FISHER Y HARBO UR A CCOMMODA TION 



should therefore find a progressive increase in the low- 

 water sectional area, proportional to the amount of tidal 

 water, as we approach the sea, because the tidal capacity 

 of the river is always increasing, while the land freshes in 

 most rivers remain nearly the same." 



" The importance of preserving intact the capacity of the 

 upper portions of rivers ought never to be a matter of any 

 doubt, for although it be perfectly true that contraction 

 benefits the navigation at the place where it exists, the 

 effect cannot be otherwise than detrimental to those lower 

 parts of the estuary, including the bar if there be one, 

 which are in every respect the most important." 



"It has been often proposed that large tracts of land 

 should be reclaimed on the upper portions of rivers, and it 

 has been argued that the channel so contracted will of 

 course become deeper than before." 



Owing to the disastrous consequences which have 

 resulted from large proportionate enclosures from estuaries, 

 a Bill was brought into Parliament to the effect that no such 

 work should be commenced without authority from the 

 Admiralty, who must first be convinced that no prospective 

 damage to the navigation might be apprehended. 



Unfortunately, for ages past large areas of the estuaries 

 of bar harbours have been enclosed, from which cause the 

 bars at the entrances rose higher and higher, the depths on 

 some bars were much reduced, and on others so much so 

 that, as harbours, these estuaries became almost extin- 

 guished. The Bill was brought into Parliament by 

 the late Mr. Joseph Hume, and from it may be said to have 

 resulted the Tidal Harbours Commission, by which, under 

 the conduct of Admiral (then Captain) Washington and 

 others, a large amount of valuable and interesting evidence 

 was collected and embodied in its reports. " From calcula- 



