ENGLAND’S CHANGING SHORES

Hokitika Guardian, 10 November 1924, Page 4

ENGLAND’S CHANGING SHORES

LOSING A SQUARE -MILE ANNUALLY. England is losing more land by coast erosion than she is gaining through tlie receding of the ocean, hut Scotland, true to tradition, is adding toiler territory ill the process. The largest hell of coast erosion iii England stretches from Whitby, Yorkshire, to Lyme Regis, Dorset and the worst localities are around Cromer and the North and South Forelands. Erosion has also taken place on some parts west coast, for along the north shore of the Bristol Channel there used to be a great forest, which is now under the sea. At Trenby parts of the tree stumps can still be seen at low tide. In the 12th century history relates that there was a great flood in Wales, and land which is now at the bottom of the sea in Cardigan Ray was lost at that time. Of recent years Scotland has been steadily gaining land in the Solway Firth, and Gretna is built on land delivered up by the sea in the course of years.

“The process of Nature cannot be stopped, but only held up in one place at the expense of another,’’ a geologist said: “If in one particular spot the progress is barred by breakwaters the sea will eat up the amount it has been thwarted of at the nearest convenient spot:” The atmosphere is just as deadly a foe for soft dill's as is water. By looking at a cliff's angle to the sea it is possible to see whether air or water is the worst enemy. Should the elifi lean backwards from the sea, then the atmosphere is eating it away (piieker than the water. On the other hand, should it overhang the sea, water is doing the work of destruction. The reason the east coast suffers most is that it contains largely of chalk and elav soil, while the west coast is mainly hard rock. England's average yearly loss of area is given by one authority as a square mile.—“ Daily .Mail.”