CHAP. IX. 



PROPOSED MEDWAY IMPROVEMENT. 



251 



this last port that Mr. Eennie constructed his cele- 

 brated Breakwater, of which we next proceed to give 

 an account. 



gates at either end. He also proposed 

 to make another cut from its lower 

 end to join the Medway at Gilling- 

 hain, where there is ample depth of 

 water at all times for ships of the 

 largest burden. Lord Melville was 

 much struck with the simplicity and 

 at the same time the comprehensive 

 character of the plan, and desired to 

 have an estimate of the cost, which 

 Mr. Rennie furnished. The whole 

 amount including land, labour, and 

 materials according to the engineer, 

 would not exceed 685,0007., against 

 which there was to be set the heavy 

 annual cost for moorings in the tide- 

 way (which would be saved) or 

 equal to a capital sum of 200,0007. ; 

 the expense of watching vessels lying 

 at moorings, amounting to about 

 15,000/. a year, or equal to a capital 

 sum of 300,0007. ; and the amount 



realised by the sale of the disused 

 dockyard at Deptford, which of itself 

 would have been almost sufficient to 

 defray the entire cost of this magni- 

 ficent new arsenal, not to mention 

 the saving in the steam and other 

 vessels employed in carrying stores to 

 the men-of-war lying in ordinary along 

 the course of the Medway, and the great 

 despatch and economy which would 

 have been secured in all the opera- 

 tions connected with the building, 

 fitting, and repairs of ships. The 

 plan, however, was too comprehensive 

 for the time, and was not adopted. 

 Patching is still going on at Chatham, 

 at a cost far exceeding that required 

 to carry out Mr. Rennie's design ; but 

 it still remains to be seen whether 

 anything like the same amount of 

 concentration and efficiency will be 

 secured. 



