The New York herald., 1879-12-20
SANDY HOOK BAR.
WHAT Is THOUGHT OF Mr.. MULLER's BILL For
NEW SHIP CANAL CIVIL ENGINEER KNAPP's

WHAT Is THOUGHT OF Mr.. MULLER's BILL For
NEW SHIP cANAL-CI ENGINEER KNAPP's
SCHEME.
Mr.. Nash. secretary of the Board of Pilot Commits
sioners. was asked yesterday by reporter of the
HERALD to whether any action proposed to be
taken by the Commissioners in reference to the bill
introduced in Congress by Mr.. Muller giving power
to ''create q permanently deep. wide and straight
channel through the Sandy Hook Bar Of the port of
New York for the purpose OF forming An improved
commercial outlet"
'.The Commissioners have not done anything yet"
said Mr.. Nash. ''The matter is not in q shape for
any action being taken by All that VIC know is
that bill has been introduced. It must be sent
before q committee and that committee would
naturally communicate with us when they take II up
for consideration. OF course am not in position
to say what the action of the Board would be. My
present knowledge leads me to tho belief that the
proposal would not be regarded with favor"
'Have the Commissioners considered tho matter
in any way?"
"Not formally. The project is not by any means
a new one 1t has been before the immunity sew
era years, and there has been abundance Of time for
coming TO some conclusion about it. think the
Board would be guided vory much by the opinion of
General Newton. who has had the matter under con-
sderation, and, think. is now in position to ad-
wise the commissioners as to their acti6n.''
''What do you gather rs the judgment of engineers
and pilots regarding the projectr
81 don't profess to be an engineer, and don't de-
sire to be quoted as expressing any opinion. can
only tell you what hear. do know that Mr..
Henry II. Knapp, civil engineer, delivered an ad-
dress this subject before the Produce Exchange
In October. 1875. That address printed in
pamphlet form. The Produce Exchange indorsed it
Ia very qualified and general manner. merely say
ing that the gain of one foot in the Swash Channel
would be an advantage. As u lsyman my idea is
that channel that is to be only 500 feet wide IN not
wide enough for many of tue steamers that 400
feet long to turn round In. MIR. Knapp was unable
to obtain the Endorsement OF the Chamber OF Com
letter to the Pilot Commissioners asking them to
afford him an opportunity of explaining his scheme.
but the Commissioners replied that with their pres
ent knowledge they were not IN position to accept
his proposition.
A POPULAR EXPLANATION.
"Can you give n general idea of tho scheme the
Pilot Commissioners understand it2"
"What understand Mr.. Knapp to propose,
using popular and not scientific language is this:-
To snk the sixty feet curve, outside the harDor.
u submerged wall OF stone. over which thirty
feet of water is to pass. II s claimed that this wall
will keep back the that II will not check the
outflow of the Hudson River. which brings down
with the current the silt from it's own bed. and,
meeting the ocean, deposits this silt In the form of
a bar The salt water being kept back by the wall,
out check. carrying tho silt with IL, and deep,
wide channel will be produced. That think. Is
very much as MIR. Knapp puts it,.
"What said to be the objections to this plauf'
"I don't know that there are any actual objections
Tho Commissioners think that the work Is uuneces.
steamships has the effect OF deepening the chaunels
think all engineers 1T Is very likely that the
advantages described by Mr.. Knapp would be OBJ
tanned ~ first. But. ~ asnsrai Newton says. the