IMPROVEMENT OF RYE HARBOUR. 24? 



That part of Romney Marfh too, which lies contiguous, Other adv-m- 

 and was threatened by every boifterous tide with a total over- ta S es * 

 flow, is now in fafety, and the drainage of the levels is 

 rendered complete. 



I beg leave now to offer to your attention a fliort defcrip- Very eafy and 

 tion or the Dam, the, form and materials of which may be met hod fcon. 

 uted with fuccefs in fimilar fttuations, whether in places ftru&ing the 

 adjacent to the fea, or in gentlemen's nth-ponds, or rivers in dam * 

 the country, where weirs may be neceiTary for the prefervation a double roof or 

 of the banks. The dam was merely formed of hay, ft raw, covering of hay, 

 and faggots, pinned down to a foundation of /and or filt by ^ n W *! ^" ncd 

 fhbrt piles. I formed it as in the chart, of the fiiape of a foundation of 

 doubfe-roofed houfe, firft putting down ftraw, and then over fand » &? « 

 it hazel faggots, from 12 to 14 feet in length, and afterwards 

 pinning down the whole with piles. I next filled the (pace The interface 

 between the two roofs with gravel or fea-beach, and fecured J^J^n* 

 this alio with faggots pinned down upon it, over which re- covered with 

 iiftance being precluded from its peculiar form, the influx *j a §? ots f ecure4 

 and reflux of the tides glided lb gently, that consequently 

 every probability, not to fay poflibility, was annihilated of its 

 being ever undermined or blown up. 



It was alfo necefiary that this dam fhould be put down in Difficulty that 

 one tide, and that the mouth of the cut fhould be opened in £^ J^bL 

 the fame time; for it was evident to me, that it was impoffible an< i t h e new one 

 ever to cut to fea in an\ other way. For unlefs the dam had °P ened m onC 

 been ready to turn the water through the cut as foon as opened, ing 

 and the cut, on the other hand, ready to receive the current, 

 the moment the dam began to acl, the whole work muft have 

 been entirely and unavoidably deftroyed by the infltix and 

 reflux of the enfuing tide. AH ibis I clearly forefaw : and by 

 procuring a fuificient number of men, nearly three hundred, 

 the bufinels was completely finimed, juft as the tide touched 

 the foot of the dam ; and when it was full fea, the ftraw of 

 courfe acled as a receiver and retainer U> the jilt brought in by Succe f s f u j 

 the tide; which being repealed by" each returning tide, the rcfult* 

 dam foon became entirely fixed, beyond a poflibility of ever 

 being deftroyed ; and it is now fo entirely covered, that if the 

 pier is kept in lepair, the dam muft ever remain unimpaired 

 by time, and proof again ft the molt violent floods of waters. 



For this work, the Commiilioners voted me fifty guineas The author's 

 Jhaif of which I gave to my aftiftant) and alledged tfi£, on ^S^Jj*^ 



account 



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