68 RAMSGATE HARBOUR. PART VI. 



of accommodation for shipping. On this decision becom- 

 ing known, the shipping interest memorialised Parlia- 

 ment on the subject, in 1755, and an inspection of the 

 works was ordered, during which they were entirely sus- 

 pended, and remained in that state during the next six 

 years. Differences arose between the officers appointed 

 by the Government and the Harbour Trustees as to the 

 plan most proper to be carried out. At length the 

 trustees gave way, and that part of the works which 

 had been executed with a view to the contraction of 

 the harbour was taken up, and the piers proceeded in 

 the direction originally intended. It was, however, a 

 matter of great vexation to observe that even while 

 the construction of the piers was in progress, and espe- 

 cially when they were carried out so far as to bend 

 towards each other, with the object of affording the 

 requisite protection to the shipping within them, large 

 quantities of sand and silt began to collect in the har- 

 bour, threatening to choke it up altogether. This accu- 

 mulation of silt went on notwithstanding every effort 

 made to remove it. 



At this juncture, in 1774, Mr. Smeaton was called 

 upon to advise the Harbour Board as to the steps most 

 proper to be taken in the matter. After a careful 

 examination, he ascertained that no less than 268,700 

 cubic yards of sand and mud had already silted up, 

 every tide bringing in a fresh quantity and depositing 

 it in the still water of the harbour, which was without 

 any natural scour to carry it away. He accordingly 

 recommended a plan for accomplishing this object by 

 means of sluices, supplied by an artificial backwater. 

 He pointed out that Ramsgate Harbour, having a sound 

 bottom of chalk, was well adapted for the execution of 

 this scheme, and that provided the silt could be thus 

 scoured out, the tide, running cross-ways upon the har- 

 bour's mouth, would easily carry it away. Mr. Smeaton 

 accordingly accompanied his report with a plan showing 



