The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-06-18
Encroachmants Of thu Sea.

In recent erticlei in the local columns Of
the MORNING NEWS attention was called 70
| the fact that there has been noticeable gain
of land along the beach at Tybee during
the last fifteen years, and the prediction
was made by the reporters informant that.
at the rate the ocean was reed
ing, Tybee would be a much
larger place in the courseo of another decade.
In contrast to this is the statement that
the sea is gradually encroaching on the
land in other places, particularly along the
New Jersey coast, where its inroads have
been so destructive that no means have ever
proved sufficient to Withstand its advance
The encroachment of the sea is the
subject Of an article by Prof J. W. MCGEE
in the June Forum. The encroachment has
been alarming, but the professor refrains
from comment and prophecy. He confines
himself to the plain statement of his ex-
haustive researches, which plainly re-
veal the future exigencies dwellsrs
along the ocean beach in New Jer-
sey will have to provide against.
And TIE worst of it is that oceans power
is too great for puny man to oppose sue
cessfully; he can only provide against, and
slowly retreat before, the invasion" The
estimate of the rate at which the New Jer-
sey coast is sinking, made by the official
geologist of that state, is two feet per cen
fury, so that, according to Prof. McGes, each
century's sinking would give a third
OF mile, and each year rod, of lowland
to the ocean. The cause is attributed to
the sinking of the land The evidence of
geographic coniguration of drowned river s,
half-hooded islands, and outlying keys is
given as proof that the land is either re-
Gently submerged or now sinking.
'The evidence of geomorphology, of
the forms of hills and the
features of plains is eminently Apostle,
clear and conclusive" says the professor.
ut applies not only to the coast, but to the
entire coastal plain, and it might be made
to give rude measures of the rate and
amount of earth movement But, however
the several lines be weighted, the evidence
is consistent and cumulative, and permits
no escape from the conclusion that certain
portions of our coast are yielding to al
vancing seas"
IL may Do concluded from CnlS Cnat JDe
formation of the land at Tybee lie different
and not subject to the same destructive
causes as the coastal plain Of New Jersey.
Recent invasions of the sea there have
warned builders that they are building for
the present only, and not for posterity.
Children of the present generation may be
able to enjoy the pleasures of a
surf bath on the spot where
their homes now stand, at the rate the land
is disappearing. Prof. MCGEE says that on
reviewing the evidence by areas it is
found to prove encroachment of the
sea all along the Atlantic coast from Sandy
Hook to Cape Henry, and along the Gulf
coast between the mouth of the Mississippi
and Mobile bay, and to suggest like con-
dition all the way from Cape Cod to Cape
Fear, but the encroachment has been almost
imperceptible between the two last named
capes, and does not attract so much atten-
ton as in New jersey where a considerable
part of the population are beach dwellers.