New-York tribune., 1886-06-03
CHA RLEs7ON HAhEoR INPEOyEMENTS

GENERAL @. 4. GILMORE IN HrrLY TO PnoFEsscl
UAUPT's CEIrfCisMs.
TO the Editor Of The Trib bmne.
SIN: The professional statements of an eugi-ecl
should rest upon a solid basis OF truth with any
Other foundation than this the superstructnre II
not worthy Of trust. This maxim appears to have
been overlooked in roIarkab manner by Pro-
fessor l.. NJ. Haupt, civil engineer IN n paper en-
titled Harbor >tudics," read before tho Engineer
Club of Philadelphia on the 10th Of last January.
Considerable newspaper discussion has been in-
dulged IN from time to time. with respect ia
the works for the Improvement Of the entrance 20
Charleston Harbor. now in process Of construction
und the expensive methods enforced by Con-
gress and Professor Iaupt directs his attention in
part to that locality.
The plan Of Improvement consists essentially in
building two jettics or training walls starting
spectivey from Sullivan's Island on the north side
and Morris Island the scnth side of the entrance,
and copverginc toward each other on curved lines
in such manner as 70 cross the bar on parallel lines
with clear distance Of half mile between them
The Board OF Enginoors a9Dointcd in 1873 TO con-
slider and report upon this plan expressed this
opinion:
The channel over the bar can be improved to q
probable low water depth Of twenty-one feet by
the Use OF jetties submerged In whole or IN part
~
progress. which will admit of such nod ION, IN
tho lengths and heights OF the jetties As experience
she e pre wbh may be- aGoPsd 30 the eo S
from ~, 100000 to S3,00O,0O0
The larger project is the one under execution ~
stated in tho annual reports. and the lengths Of tie
jctIes have been. and the heights will be. adapted
to it. Professor IIaupt. after making the foregoing
quotation from tho report. adds And at the
completion OF tho work we ind from the reports
and maps of 1854 that the present shcalest
soundings along the channel at mean low water are
twelve feet" and that "instead of feet,
the figures are reversed and half foot Of water
has been lost" Tho foregoing IT must he reme,n-
bered is stated to b, the condition of things " at
the completion Of the work. Now the facts
briefly as follows:
l. The works as originally designed were only
about onc-thlrd done, aud trlfle more than one
third OF their estimated cost OF S3,OOOO 600 had
been expended upon them at the time mentioned
by the Professor. 10 be more exact the sum eX-
peuded amounted to 81 ,039 769.
2.-No portion of either jetty had yet reached
the height contemplated III the project, the aver
age deficiency amounting to many feet and on one
section OF the south jety to moro than 20 feet The
average height attained by the north ettywas only
10 S-fO feet, leaving $40 feet yet to be added.
The south jetty had reached an average height of
only 3 10 feet, while height OF IL feet is re-
quiIed by the original pian. Its crest therefore
had vet to be raised 6-1O feet The work done
previous to The time selected for the Professors
criticism was III fact never considered to be much
more than u foundation course.
g. The contraction OF waterway necessary TO be
secured by the jettes had reached only about Que
third tho degree OF contraction which the plan
concmplates. in order TO develop the securing cur
renrs required TO maintain the new channel.
There are other points III the Professors paper
to which grave exceptions might well be taken, but
thoy will not be discussed here now, rs the sole
object of this letteris to prevent mischief and con-
fusion of opinions at tins time. wnen the improve
ment of important harbors demands the nm
biased attention OF our National Legislature. he
views Of Professor HaHpt. who is graduate of
West Point. and is at the head of the depart
ment of civil engineering in a university, neces-
sarly carry some weight. which ought not to be
thrown on the wrong side through a misatatement
or suppression Of facts. q. A. GILMORE.
Nnr- YOrk, June 2. SsG.