CHAP, X. PLYMOUTH BREAKWATER. 257 



sisting of one hundred and forty wooden towers, with 

 stones sunk between them in a double line. Five years' 

 controversy thus passed, and numerous designs were 

 prepared, submitted, and considered, all of which were 

 referred to Mr. Rennie, who still remained as firmly 

 satisfied as ever of the expediency of his design, and 

 vindicated its superiority to all others which had been 

 proposed. At length the Lords of the Admiralty were 

 won over to his views, as well as Earl St. Vincent, Lord 

 Keith, and many other leading naval officers. Lord 

 Melville was then at the head of the Admiralty, and when 

 he had become fully persuaded as to the merits of Mr. 

 Rennie's plan, and ascertained that there was a growing 

 unanimity of opinion in its favour, he exerted himself 

 strenuously to have it carried into effect. 



The result was, that an Order of Council was issued 

 on the 22nd June, 1811, by which the requisite powers 

 were given to proceed with the works. Mr. Rennie 

 was appointed engineer in chief, and Mr. Whidbey resi- 

 dent engineer, with Mr. William Stewart as assistant. 

 It was very difficult to find contractors willing to under- 

 take the execution of a work of so novel and extensive 

 a character, except at prices which the engineer could 

 not sanction ; and it was therefore determined only to 

 contract for the labour of the several operations in detail, 

 so that there might be an opportunity for revising the 

 scale of prices from time to time, 1 the Government under- 

 taking to find the requisite plant and materials. A 

 piece of ground was purchased from the Duke of Bed- 

 ford at Oreston, up the Catwater, containing twenty-five 

 acres of limestone, well adapted for the purposes of the 

 work ; and steps were taken to open out the quarry, 



1 The propriety of this arrangement 

 was proved by the fact, that whereas 

 the price paid in 1812 for taking and 

 depositing rubble in the Breakwater 



reduced to Is. per ton, as the con- 

 tractors and workmen became better 

 acquainted with the nature of the 

 work. 



was 2s. Qd. per ton, it was afterwards 



VOL. IT. S 



