Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-01-12
Geographic News
Bulletins by the
National Geographic Society

ACCOTQllg 10 the QT6aInS OF some
photographers, these old enemies
will remain such until the last
mountain pinnacle has been washed
victorious ocea rolls unbroken
around the world. But whatever
may be the outcome millions of
years in the future, we are now
in an era of give and take. Many
acres-even square miles-of land
are lost annually; but compromising
areas are built UP at other places
Continuing the bulletin quotes as
follows from a communication to
the Society of John Oliver La
Gorce describing the faction" in
portions of the Atlantic sector
where the never-ending conflict
RACES most ~furiously:
Cliffs
Waves Undermine Nantucket's
Looking southwark across the
eastern entrance to Nantucket
Sound, one sights Nantucket island
in the distance. On the south side
of this island the retreat of the
cliffs is often as much as six feet
a year.
further to the west lies Martha
Vineyard, also al outpost of the
land. Here there are rearing ram
parts of rock a hundred feet high,
but even they cannot entirely with
stand the incessant attacks of the
indomitable sea-.
T the southwest Of Marthas
Vineyard lies the desolate island If
No Mans Land which Is well
worthy the name it bears. Gradu-
ally the sea Is tearing away its vitals
and it is predicted that by the end
or the present century it will dis
appear beneath the waves forever.
On the south Ia of Long Is
land We find beaches and shifting
SANDS. Here we get into more
hopeful territory for the land al
ways has an upbuilding Oliver for
every down-tearing Roland the sea
may have to offer. From Shinne-
cock Bay to Fire Island, a rampant
of sand some 40 miles long has
been thrown. forward off the real
shore line, and the sea, pounding
against this in its maddest fury,
encounters q buffer that throws it
back a helpless and exhausted foe
Moreover, the sea is compelled to
surrender captive sands taken up
elsewhere, and these are re-equip-
ped and put into the front trench
es of the islands south-shore de-
lenses
Sandy Hook Victory For Land
Or the Jersey Coast Sandy
Hook stands out as an advance
guard of the forces Of the land,
determined to cut through the line
or communication of the sea in it's
drive into the Raritan Bay salient,
When there is a deeply in
denied coast line, the ocean cur
ents paralleling the shores refuse
to follow the indentation and cut
straight across. Striking deeper
water, they slow up and deliver
from bondage the captive grains
OF sand which momentum has ena-
pled them to carry along.
Eventually these grains grow
INTO high submarine ridge, which
holds up the ~onrushing waves and
forces them to give up a sand toll
as they pass. Having gained cour-
age In its size, the ridge makes a
sally from the surf n becomes a
rul-1edSed spit, or hook.
Sandy Hook is a splendid exam
pie of this method of the land IN
invading the dominions Of the sea.
1t very frequently happens that the
p / marches on until it reaches
across the bay area and captures
the entire water army within the
salient. Then science d~ecorates It
W1th a croix de guerre and gives
II a new name-it becomes a bar,
Sand Barriers a Protection
THE Jersey coast is full of clas-
SIC examples of the war between
the land and the sea. Here are no
towering ramparts, with frownins
walls, that seem to defy all tae
armies with which General Nep-
tune can attack them. Nay, rather
mere h land forces have camou-
mayed their strength, and nave en-
trenched themselves behind bar
rfers of sand.
A Long Branch one NAV watch
the shifting fortunes of the battle
Here, in spite of the most elab-
crate system OF breakwaters man
mas erected the shore-Iine is be-
ing led captive inch by inch. But
the prisoner sand does not remain
IN captivity. AS it is being es-
corted back of the line it makes ..
successful dash for liberty and re-
JOINS other land units north and
south or Long Branch and aids in
q Couhter-attack in those neigh
borhoods.
III the vicinity of Atlantic CITY
the sea is ever striving to gain =
1oothold; but at present the best
1t can do is to force a shifting of
land reserves from one side OF a
salient to another. In a few years II
LOOK Off some 76 acres of ground
from the neighborhood of Mai ,e
avenue and forced most of 1t around
TO the lee of the point at Ohio and
New Jersey avenues.
II h sea in its warfare asainst
the land sometimes ruins a haven
or refuge, at other times 1t IL cow
PEELED by the land to create snch
a haven. Off the Maryland-Vjr-
g1nta shore lies the long, barrier
Ike island of Assateague, Once
the seward southern point of this
island was only a bare lip. Grad
ually however, the land began tn
force h sea to give it sand. ana
with this it has built a fine hook
behind which many a mariner seeks
safety from the fierce n~or-easters
that sweep these coasts.
Wind Changes Sides
"When one M to the Vir-
| ginia capes and studies conditions
there. it is found that in times past
the sea had another ally of which
no mention has yet been made
Susquehanna, the Potomac and the
James rivers rolled in stately
grandeur to the sea.
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