CHAP. X. PLYMOUTH BREAKWATER, 261 



of service by forcing the stones together and con- 

 solidating the work more firmly. His recommendation 

 as to the necessity of increasing the seaward slope having 

 been so singularly confirmed by the action of the waves, 

 he now advised that it should be allowed to remain as 

 left by the storm of the 1 7th, and that the rest of that 

 face of the Breakwater should be made uniform with 

 it. It would, however, appear that Mr. Whidbey, the 

 resident engineer, contrived to finish most of the ex- 

 terior face at a slope of only 3 to 1, as before ; and 

 thus it stood without any material interruption until 

 several years after Mr. Eennie's death. By that time 

 nearly the whole of the intended rubble, amounting 

 to 2,381,321 tons, had been deposited, and the main 

 arm, with 200 yards of the west arm, making 1241 

 yards in length, had been raised to the required level. 

 The work had arrived at that stage when it had to 

 experience the full force of another terrific storm, 

 which took place on the 23rd of November, 1824. It 

 blew at first from the south-south-east, and then veered 

 round to the south-west ; and the effect of this concur- 

 rence of winds was to heap together the waters of the 

 Channel between Bolt Head and Lizard Point, and drive 

 them with terrible force into the narrow inlet of Ply- 

 mouth Sound. This storm was not only greatly more 

 violent, but of much longer duration, than that of 1817. 

 When the Breakwater could be examined, it was found 

 that, out of the 1241 yards of the upper part which had 

 been completed with a slope of 3 to 1, 796 yards had 

 been altered as in the previous storm, and the immense 

 blocks of stone which formed the sea face of the work 

 had by the force of the waves been rolled over to the 

 landward side, thus reducing the sea slope as before to 

 about 5 to 1. The accuracy of Mr. Rennie's view as to 

 the proper slope which was indicated by the action of 

 the sea itself was thus a second time confirmed ; and 

 the same view having been taken by the eminent engi- 



