160 JOURNAL OF THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
John Rennie's Report recommending the construction of the 
Plymouth Breakwater in its present form have been borne out by 
subsequent facts. The Sound, despite extraordinary tales, is not 
silting up at any appreciable rate, this being due solely to the 
strong tidal currents. Sir John, among other proposals made by 
him when reporting on the improvement of Plymouth Sound, 
suggested the construction of a Breakwater from Penlee Point ; 
and it is very greatly to be regretted that no steps were taken to 
bring this matter before the late Select Committee on Harbour 
Accommodation. I do not think that there exist two opinions 
on the desirability of further protection from the south at the 
western entrance, and were a Breakwater projected from Penlee 
Point it would beyond doubt cut off the only dangerous " send " 
which comes into our harbour. I am aware that many gentlemen 
have strong views on this matter, and I hope that in the 
subsequent discussion they will give expression to them. 
Now that we are dealing with ocean-going vessels, I would 
remind you that harbours and harbour accommodation must of 
course be what the vessels afloat require, and the table which I 
have here shows how very quickly the nature of the " mercantile 
navy " has changed. 
Table III. is compiled from the returns of the Board of Trade. 
In the year 1860, without going into the details shown on the 
table, there were afloat five sailing vessels to one steamer, or two 
and a half tons of sailing tonnage to one ton of steam tonnage. 
Similarly, in 1870, there were two and a quarter sailing vessels 
to one steamer, or one sailing ton to one steam ton. Again, in 
1880 there was one sailing vessel to one steamer, and one sailing 
ton to two and three-quarters steam tons. In 1881 these propor- 
tions were still one sailing vessel to one steamer, and one sailing 
ton to three and a quarter tons of steam tonnage. These last show 
how rapidly the size and numbers of our steamers have increased 
of late years. 
Having dealt with the lines of steamers calling at Plymouth, 
and before leaving the consideration of our own port, which of 
course to us is of the first importance, I will draw your attention 
to the commercial business which is done in our commercial 
harbours, and I think the consideration of these is on the whole 
decidedly interesting. Perhaps several present remember with 
