The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-10-06
ENCLAND'S SEA PERIL
Crumbling Of Her Shores Now
a Real Danger.
MANY THOUSANDS OF ACRES GONE

wise Way to Stop Ravaxes of the
ocean-Towns Once Far Inland Now
Tapped by Incoming Tides-A Fort
Captured by the Hungry waves.
So serious has the gradual but sure
disappearance of England's coast line
become that royal commission has
been appointed to study the matter and
devise some means to stop the ravages
OF the greedy sea. says a London cable
dispatch TO the New York American
and Journal. 1t is known that places
that were beaches few years ago now
lie beneath the surface OF the ocean
and that towns that once were far in
land are now Tapped by the incoming
tide
Cases OF erosion or encroachment by
the sea have long been known in prac-
tically all portions of the English coast
line, but the facts that the progress of
the land destroying ocean is going
steadily on and that the island Is being
gradually eaten away by the hungry
waves are now considered seriously
1t has been found that between 1867
and 1900 no less than Isl. 900 acres that
once We're English territory have been
claimed by the ocean as its bed More
over. the amount of annual loss is in
creasing from year to year. and unless
something Is done to stop the encroach-
ment of waters upon the land IL can be
almost calculated when England shall
have ceasedrto exist. except as a little
group Of rocky islets.
Startling as this may seem. IL Is far
from being a mere scientific specula-
ton or the alarming cry Of some the
orist, but Is rather the unpleasant and
serious fact that will soon, IL Is be-
lieved. make the saving OF England
from the ocean national problem.
That England might really disappear
from the map of the world can be per
haps appreciated when ii Is realized
that all the space that IL now occupied
by the North sea and the English chan
mel was once dry land.
Great glaciers that slid down on this
immense territory destroyed the land
before them and dug a place for the
sea. They divided the lands and
made England, but their melting and
processes Of deposit gave her a soft
and insecure coat. The cliffs that seem
impregnable fortresses are as play
things to the incessant tapping of the
waves.
Each tide, indeed, takes q bit Of Eng
land away with it. Some Of the worst
effects Of this erosion are to be seen
In Sussex, where Langney fort, just
beyond Eastbourne. Is actually falling
into the seq. The waves have eaten
into the brick foundation OF the forti-
fications to such an extent that this
once valuable piece Of coast defense
has been recently abandoned.
1t was not many years ago that the
map of the Suffolk coast showed little
bays and jutting points Of land. Now
for miles IT is straight almost as II
cut with knife. The site of Dunwich.
that once was a prosperous market
town, is now far out under fathoms of
water. and Easton Bevent. the most
easterly point in England. is far out
beyond the general coast line.
/ In the southeastern portion OF York
shire the greed Of the sea seems now
to be at it's worst, for there the ellis
almost crumble as the waves lash
them. What is to be the solution of
the subject Is not known at this time.
The commission has hardly entered
into Its work, but the members are de-
termined to end the losses of-territory
that England is yearly sustaining in
this way Redemption Of land will be
undertaken as WE'LL and much Of the
destruction OF recent years will be
made up for.