CHAP. VII. IMPROVEMENT OF THE CLYDE. 205 



extent of 120 miles of rock-bound coast. In his 

 masterly report he boldly proposed to abandon the old 

 system of jetties, and to make an entirely new harbour 

 beyond the bar ; thus at once getting rid of this great 

 and dangerous obstacle to improvement, securing at the 

 same time greater depth of water, better shelter, and 

 the means of easier access and departure for vessels of 

 all burdens. In order to accommodate the trade of 

 Wick, he recommended that a canal should be made 

 from the new harbour, having a basin at its termina- 

 tion in the town, where vessels would be enabled to 

 float, and to load and unload at all times. He also 

 proposed an effective plan of sluicing, with the view 

 of scouring the outer harbour when necessary. It 

 is much to be regretted that this plan was not carried 

 out, and that so important a national work has been 

 postponed almost until our own day ; nor does the 

 plan since adopted, though exceedingly costly, seem 

 calculated to secure the objects which would have been 

 obtained by executing Mr. Eennie's more comprehensive 

 yet much more economical design. He was consulted 

 about the same time respecting the improvement of the 

 harbour of Aberdeen ; but though want of means then 

 prevented his recommendations from being acted on, his 

 report ] produced a salutary effect in pointing out the 

 true mode of dealing with a difficult subject, and most 

 of his suggestions have since been carried out by other 

 engineers. 



Of still greater importance was his report on the 

 improvement of the navigation of the river Clyde, for 

 the accommodation of the rapidly increasing trade of 

 Glasgow. Perhaps in no river Jbave the alterations 

 executed after well-devised plane been more extraor- 

 dinary than in this. Less than a century ago, the Clyde 

 at Glasgow was accessible only to herring-boats, whereas 



See Sir John Eennie's ' British and Foreign Harbours ;' Art. Aberdeen. 



