Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-03
DISAPPEARING ENGLAND.
Erosion of the Coasts of Great Britain
Matter of Great Moment.

From the Scientific American.
While the question of coast erosion and
reclamation is one of comparative insig-
nficance in this country, the subject has,
of late years. aroused considerable discus
sion in England, because of the undoubted
ravages of the sea at many points of the
littoral of the island The shores of Eng
land are composed largely of clay chalk or
frable rock, which is easily eaten away
by the waves of the ocean the strong
currents and tides along the coast In con-
sequence great stretches of the shore have
been worn away and are constantly crum-
bling further inland with each succeeding
year. This gradual destruction has caused
great damages to many towns situated on
the seashore and has destroyed thousands
of acres of valuable farming land AT GER
tain locations even within the memory of
men still living, the sites of prosperous viii
lagos Of former times today covered
by many fathomS of water, sometimes sew
eral miles from the present shore line.
Coast erosion following severe storms
within recent years has been so marked at
| many points on the English coast that after
extended press discussion parliamentary
commission has been appointed thoroughly
to investigate the subject, and, If possible,
| to devise means for the abatement of the
injury. While there is little danger that
the tight little island will completely
disappear within the next few generations.
causing serious loss of land at many points,
particularly the south and east coasts.
Notwithstanding that the areas gained arti-
ficially at other points almost compensate
for 1t. It has been estimated that in the
thousand years from 900 to 1900 area of
nearly $50 square miles has been worn
away by the erosive action Of the waves
and ocean currents. That the changes in
the lttoral outline of England due al
most purely to this action is the opinion of
the biologists who have investigated the
question, and it Is not believed that the
subsistence and upheaval of the earths
crust are in any way responsible therefor.
The material which is carried away after
being eroded from the shore is either i'm
mediately borne to the deep sea in suspen-
sion, or Is washed along the coast in the
form of lfttoral drift. 1t is hardly possible
to estimate the respective proportions Of
the material which are thus disposed of,
but these proportions may vary from 20 to
30 per cent of the whole, though it is hard
ly likely that the proportion carried out to
deep water often approaches the latter
figure.
The question of coast protection is diff
cult one. and the method in use at present,
comprising the construction of walls and
groynes along certain areas, results of ne
cessty in the depriving Of the foreshore of
the material which might otherwise gather
there. Thus while a uniform system of
protective walls and grOynes running from
the walls out into the sea will, tor the
time being, largely prevent the erosion of
the coast, 1t will, nevertheless, by abating
or largely decreasing the littoral drift,
bring about the depletion of the foreshore.
and will ultimately cause the destruction
of both protective walls and groynes. The
question of coast protection and reclama-
ton presents engineering difficulties of no
mean magnitude, and the overcoming Of
these difficulties will constitute an interest
ing phase Of future engineering history,
for we feel certain that English technical
men and linen of science will find successful
means for combating the destructive power
of the sea.