Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-06-08
THE MARCH OF THE SEA.

Professor w. J. MCGEE contributes an
article to the Forum, in which he shows
by abundant and undeniable proofs that
on our own continent, as well as on some
others, the sea is steadily encroaching-
swallowing up the dry land. From Sandy
Hook to Cape Henry, and running inland
to the line of the Metropolis; along the
low sandy lands washed by Mississippi
sound, the eating away process is going on
Each average year the water-mark ad.
vances a rod. The seaside cottage with 9
lawn In front has an expectation of life O.
decade, or generation, as the case may
be; but the cottage at the verge of a ses
cliff may so in a year, and must 60 in &
lustrum unless human devices interpose.
All this is not pleasant to seaside pro.
prietors. But it certainly appears to be
irresistible truth. That the eastern and
southern sea coast is slowly, surely sink.
ing is, indeed, no longer questioned. Blu,
the process is very slow, and the present
generation may comfort itself that neither
its children nor its great grandchildren
will be driven to retreat more than few
score feet at most, and the first class not
perhaps score of inches. Readers OF
our continental history remember that
thirty-four years ago ''Last Island" once
famous suburban resort of New Orleans,
was swallowed by the sea. Since then
many villages and land Enclosures in and
near the Mississippi delta have sunk into
the embrace of the gulf. Within two
years dry dock on the Chesapeake, sup
posed to be above all danger, was tide
flooded and ship in the dock was
swalnped. 1t is less than FIVE years since
teams of locomotives were employed to
haul great hotel at famous seaside re-
sort backward from the grasp of the ocean.
The United States Coast survey maps
show that from Long Branch to Barnegat
inlet, twelve miles south, the march of the
resistless waters has swallowed up $50 feet
In thirty-one years. In Cape May county
the retreat of the shore in the century up
to 1866 was three-quarters of a mile.
Here and there the land has advanced, but
all along the Atlantic coast the general
march has been landward. Among the
Carolinas and in the Gulf States lines of
submerged groves are found-trees that
are not brine-loving, but native to high.
dry shores. Meadows are now found by
biologists far under tide water, with the
print of the foot of the OK and the horse
still in their tough soil. At several points
on the New Jersey coast an important and
singular industry is prosecuted-literally
subaqueous mining for timber, since be-
meath the waters OF the surf they find great
trees of white cedar, magnolia logs and
liquidambar. Many of the trees are forest
giants. In Mississippi Sound Pascagoula
City has been partly undermined by the
tides, despite the devices of jetties, fascines,
barriers and heavy interlaced piling. At
that place the waves now thunder over
aboriginal habitations marked only by
heaps of shells.
In all these changes, however, we should
recognize only processes that conserve the
good Of man and the building of the CONT
nents after the fashion of a great natural
plan. Professor MCGEE does not look at
the matter so cheerfully, however, and re-
CARDS himself as prophet of i'll. He
fears, in the destruction of the deltas of
rivers, the continued falling of the chan
mel bottoms to tide levels and the general
sinking of the Atlantic shores, encroach-
ment that in not so very long time will
change the con6guration of coast lines to a
degree that will compel man in no distant
time. though occupying boosted works Of
permanency, to retreat and abandon them.