88 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



River phosphates. As the shells are very fragile and easily 

 comminuted, he thinks that this solid material, accumulating, 

 has been agglomerated by some force into the nodules which 

 are so peculiar to the formation in question. 5 Z>, 1870,571. 



ENCROACHMENTS OF THE SEA IN YORKSHIRE. 



In a paper upon " The Encroachments of the Sea" on the 

 east coast of Yorkshire, by Rev. T. O. Morris, read before the 

 last meeting of the British Association, it was stated that on 

 the average there had been a loss of "land of from two to 

 three yards every year probably about two. and a half to 

 two and three quarter yards per annum. If looked at in 

 round numbers, the waste of land, at three yards in. each 

 year, would amount to nearly thirty-nine acres between Spurn 

 Point and Flamborough Head alone ; or in a hundred years 

 to 3900 acres, which, at the value of 30 or 50 per acre, 

 would represent a serious money loss of grain or other crops; 

 or, taking the waste, as had been calculated, at one mile since 

 the date of the Conquest (1066), the money value in that in- 

 terval, at. 30 per acre, would be equal to 691,200; or, at 

 50 per acre, no less than 1,152,000. In conclusion, Mr. 

 Morris recommended that a sea-wall of roughly hewn, or 

 even unhewn, stone be laid at an angle of thirty-five degrees, 

 which he thought would be a permanent protection' from en- 

 croachments. 18 A, August 25, 562. 



HYDRO-GEOLOGY. 



The Abbe Richard, it is said, claims to be so successful in 

 indicating places where water can be found that he is called 

 " the prophet of water." During the meeting just held of the 

 British Association, the abbe presented himself before that 

 bocly, and gave a long list of places where, under his direc- 

 tion, water had been obtained, and stated that the knowledge 

 he possessed of this law, by which he was enabled to make 

 these discoveries, was his own property. He would not re- 

 veal this before he had seen as many countries and soils as 

 possible, in order to support his theory on the greatest possi- 

 ble number of facts. He asserted that it is possible, by the 

 inspection of the soil, to recognize the existence of hidden 

 springs; and not only water springs, but that every thing 

 liquid comes under the same law, and that, consequently, 



