286 JOURNAL OF THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
tending from West Hoe Terrace, or Rusty Anchor, to Jennicliff 
Bay, and if carefully followed an indentation outwards may be seen 
over the deep channel or trough; but whether this is the result of 
the ebb from the Cattewater or of a deep under-current following 
the trough, it would be difficult to determine. 
This combined stream, after absorbing the Cattewater discharge 
and impinging on Jennicliff Bay, is deflected towards the Break- 
water, which it meets obliquely all along its western half, and, 
deflected again by the Breakwater, is shot out beyond the western 
end in the direction of its length, soon to be again deflected by 
the main ebb current through the western channel.. 
The eastern opening is fed from the spreading out of the currents 
between Jennicliff Bay and the Breakwater, through which a 
steady stream flows south at a velocity of one and a quarter to two 
knots per hour. 
The late violent storm (14th October, 1877), from the south and 
south-west, has again reminded us of the dangers of the deep. The 
immense value of the Breakwater to the Sound cannot be over- 
estimated. Previous to its erection during a south-west gale the 
Sound must have been a desperate place ; for owing to its formation 
the heavy seas from the open Channel would dash with augmented 
fury against its rocky coasts. Lord Howe declared that Plymouth 
Sound would some day be the ‘‘ grave of the British fleet.”” This 
prediction was made before the Breakwater was seriously contem- 
plated, and when therefore there was some considerable reason for 
holding such an opinion. In 18138 the Breakwater first made its 
appearance above low-water, in 1846 the last stone was laid; and 
how successfully its object has been accomplished we all know. 
There is one point however I will refer to, on which considerable 
difference of opinion exists, and that is, Is the Breakwater high 
enough? Many seamen affirm that it is not. These opinions are 
based on the fact that the maximum run or disturbance occurs 
when the sea clears the Breakwater. At Millbay this observation 
is forced on the gate-men there, who never attempt to close the 
gates as long as the sea is running over the Breakwater. I do not 
think that this disturbance is caused by the volume of water thrown 
over, but that it so happens the maximum wash coincides with 
high-water in the Sound. At low-water, or even at half-tide, there 
is very much more opposition to a heavy swell coming up than at 
high-water, when the waves are not reduced by friction on the 
