Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-01
COAST LINE OF BRITAIN
ENCRoACHMENTs OF THE SEA ON
ALBIoN,s SHORES.
Waves Beating and Tearing Away
Land on the Eastern Side Of
England.
FROM the London Express.

from the LONDON Express.
That the almost despairing cry of the un-
fortunate owners of land on the east coast
of England falls on sympathetic ears goes
without saying. The condition of affairs
especially where towns such as Lowestoft
are threatened-is simply appalling, and IL
the general ruin and devastating advance of
the sea could be stayed by state aid, or any
other aid, it might be well to agitate for
immediate grants of money.
But the question of the greatest moment
is this: Do we at present know enough of
the conditions to justify vast expenditure?
The theory has recently been advanced by
an expert that in situations where the ma
terial is of soft and easily eroded nature
for a considerable depth below low-water
level, and where also the seas advance is
noticed to be steady and continuous. no
protective measures executed on the visible
shore between high and low water marks
will necessarily afford permanent protection,
water level causes a continual undermining
of the works erected and a persistent adj
vance of deep water.
That the deep water does so advance is
strongly indicated by the facts that ma
terial Is removed from the sea bottom in
many fathoms of water during storms. and
that five fathomS of water may now be
sounded beneath the ancient sites of towns
We know for fact that the glacial drift
overlies the chalk for a great depth on the
east coast, and that this drift is composed
Of sand. laminated clay, boulders, clay and
other easily eroded material. and We know
also for fact that there are two sets of
erosionS-the one which we can see ard
which is proved to our senses by the tGm-
bling cliffs and wasting beach. and the
other which we cannot see, but which is
nevertheless going just as steadily and
surely in the deeper water.
The Unseen Enemy
This latter influence is the invisible and
inaccessible foe working below low-water
level, and often at consider able distances
from the shore. and beyond the reach of
our walls and groynes.
In these circumstances, and having due
regard to the magnitude of the interests in
volved. we may do well to consider care
fully the propriety of further scientific in
vestigations before pledging ourselves to
particular expenditure, which might were
it sanctioned involve an enormous waste
of money
For example, we know that sea walls
erected on soft material in the neghbor-
hood of high-water level are constantly I'M
dermined until after involving heavy main
tenance outlay. they are ultimately demol-
ished by the advance of deep water inland.
If We cannot protect the foundations
toe of the visible shore at low-water mark
we cannot save the wall.
What we most lack in this country is sys-
ternatic and scientific investigation. such as
we see encouraged by our plodding neigh
bors. the Germans. One can In a way sym
pathize with the British government OFF,
cial and his dislike to be disturbed by trou-
blesome considerations of scientific investi-
cations, which always involve increased
work and worry; but we must not lose sight
of the fact that when important issues are
at stake investigation should be encouraged
by every possible means.
Prof Engels, working in his FluSShan
Laboratorium, in Dresden, is finding out
most valuable particulars relative to the
changes in all the big rivers of Germany.
One would imagine that the integrity OF
the coast of this country should be as inn
portant to us Englishmen as the flow of
currents etc, in the Elbe or the Rhine is
to the Germans.
The German Method
As long ago as 1899 line of action was
pointed out by which our government might
really advance matters by establishing
branch of department which would be en-
trusted with the task of increasing our
store of scientific knowledge on coast-line
work and thus effect saving of much I'M
profitable expenditure. The suggestion.
though not exactly laughed at by the de-
partments before which it was brought
why should it be considered impracticable
to watch the coast line in a thorough and
scientific manner?
Surely we are not incapable of doing what
the Germans can do!
An extremely feeble attempt was made In
1899 to get at some information and. with
the laudable intention well to the fore, the
British Association appointed committee,
which should. with the kind assistance OF
the admiralty. find out all about the
changes taking place along the coast.
The coastguards were to be called in to
help, and after three years the report WAS
more or less prepared and presented to the
association al the Southport meeting. Since
the ceastguards are not fitted either by
training equipment to make the neces-
sary observations, it was not to be expected
that much scientific light would be thrown
on the subject, though it might perhaps
have been hoped that accuracy in matters
of fact would have been observed.
AS far as my information goes, this report
is both misleading and sketchy, and really
leaves us worse off than we were before 1t
was put in and made public. If you want to
learn or get at certain facts you must go to
the source from which reliable information
is to be obtained. The coastguardman
though absolutely intelligent and reliable
in his own line, is not the man to go to.
His business is to sweep the horizon for
and wrecks; he cannot give the
requisite attention to the coastline changes
which are often extremely difficult to ac
1t is particularly unfortunate that a re-
port of this character should appear at a
time when there is such a cry out for pro-
lection from the seas ravages.
Just now not only the foreshore owners
but the government also. are all on the
alert for reliable information, but at present
mo mans land" as represented by the
neglected strip between us and Father Nep-
tune, is unrepresented. and no reliable in
formation is Forthcoming. Those who try
to avoid unpleasant facts by pretending not
to see them are not likely to help much.
Two favorite methods of burking scien-
tific effort obtain considerable support in
certain quarters. One is to pooh-pooh any
idea or theory which is scientific and at all
difficult to understand, and which also bears
the impress of novelty. by merely saying 1t
is .prep0sterous, has never been heard of
before, and will not bear investigation"
Conscience Fund.
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