Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-09
ATLANTIC SEABOARD STABLE,
AND is NOT SINKING INTO SEA
Supposed Subsistence May Indicate Nothing More
Than Variation of Sea Level
Due to Currents.

Contrary to a theory long held, the
Atlantic Seaboard Is not sinking into
the sea. Recent Investigations, the
outcome of research at Columbia Uni
versity, prove the stability of the coast,
according to q statement made public
at Columbia.
"As early as 1849 the eminent British
geologiSt Sir Charles Leyell published
evidence he had collected In America
indicating that our Atlantic coast was
slowly sinking" the statement says.
This theory was strongly supported
by the director of the Geological Sur
yey of New Jersey, DR.. George H. Cook,
and other biologists have concluded
that the Massachusetts coast is sinking
at the rate of / foot = century, the
New Jersey coast at the rate OF ?
feet century and other portions of
the continent at similar rates.
Conclusions Doubted.
more recent Investigations have
thrown doubt OH the conclusions Of
earlier students Of the question, but
the matter is still debated. Hence any
new studies of sea level and its rela-
ton to the coast are of unusual
interest.
Several years ago the division of
Research Council initiated a project of
sea level studies in New York waters
which has recently been completed.
The success of the undertaking must
be credited to several agencies which
generously co-operated with the Ma
tional Research Council to make the
study possible, particularly the United
States Coast and Geodetic Survey, the
Department of Docks and the Depart
ment Of Plant and Structures of New
York City.
1.-THE investigation was the outgrowth
Of researches on coastal problems which
have been carried on at Columbia Uni
versity with the aid of grants from the
univerSity'S special research fund, and
was designed to test the theory that
along an irregular coast mean sea level
Is not an absolutely level plane, but is
irregularly distorted, and varies In alti-
tude with changes in the form OF the
shore.
Apparent Changes Deceptive.
"For this reason 1t is believed that APP
parent changes in the relative levels OF
land and sea are often deceptive. Thus
a supposed subsistence of the coast may
really indicate nothing more than a
local variation In sea level due to some
change in the form Of the coast caused
by waves and currents"
The following facts, the statement
continues, are taken from a report on
the investigation recently prepared for
the National Research Council by Prof.
Douglas johnson Of Columbia Univer-
sity, the report including a discussion OF
tidal studies submitted by Paul SEIZURE
man Of the Coast Survey:
Jamaica Bay was selected Tor the
mean sea level studies because 1t Of
fered moderate rather than extreme
conditions favorable to variations In the
height of mean sea level. From the
physiography of Jamaica Bay and its
surroundings 1t was predicted that the
differences found would be very small
at most q very few inches and possibly
only fractions Of an inch 1t was thus
considered quite possible that the maxi
mum values might not amount To all
inch.
Changes Larger Than Expected.
"Tidal studies at three stations in the
bay prove that actually the difference
at one station amounted to 2.O4 inches.
at the other two stations TO 10 and "a
inches respectively, as compared with
mean sea level at Fort Hamilton.
In the light Of these results it is be-
lieved that much greater distortions of
the mean sea level plane must exist at
many points along our coast, where
conditions are much more favorable to
such distortions than in Jamaica Bay.
Changes In the form Of the coast would
necessarily cause the distorted areas to
rise or fall, giving fictitious indications
of changes in land level.
Special interest attaches to long
series of tidal observations at Fort
Hamilton. These cover period Of So
wears 1899 to 1927 When the data were
tabulated for this locality 1t was found
that such apparent variations Of sea
level as we're observable were all within
the limits of local fluctuations easily
produced by weather conditions. changes
in shores and channels and other purely
local causes.
Difference Of Only col Foot.
"The average position of mean sea
level for the first five years of the 80
year period 189e-l927 differed from
that Of the last five years by only 0.0l