136 



various churches and chapels throughout the County for this object. 

 About ;i^ 1, 700 was raised, and, aided by local contributions, the town 

 was protected as far as the Steine. 



During the present century much has been done in the way of 

 groyning, and the coast of Brighton, instead of being washed away, 

 was advancing farther out to sea, and the concrete groyne opposite the 

 Clarendon Hotel appeared to have had a very great share in the work 

 of accumulating the beach to the west of it, which had rendered it 

 possible to widen the King's Road once or twice. The effect of the 

 groynes was somewhat peculiar ; on their western side a great heap 

 of beach was formed, while on their eastern side the beach was from 

 10 to 15 feet lower, and on this side the sea rushed up with great 

 violence. This was specially noticeable in the heavy gale of March 

 I2th, 1876. It might be considered whether this could not be obviated 

 by making the groyne V-shaped or by putting posts or buttresses on 

 the eastern side, which would break the force of the waves. 



At the present time there seemed to be two weak places on the 

 coast, viz., at Lancing and beyond Pevensey. He had an impression 

 that the cause of the special attacks of the sea at these places was 

 very similar to that of the sea on the eastern sides of groynes. The 

 neighbouring promontories of Worthing Point and Beachy Head 

 respectively acted very similarly to the groynes and collected beach on 

 their western sides, while the sea rushed up on their eastern 

 sides. 



One of the most destructive storms during the present century 

 occurred on November 22nd, 1824. A brisk wind sprang up at night 

 from S.W., and increased all night. Towards daylight of 23rd it 

 became extremely calm for a short time but increased with the tide. 

 High water was at one p.m., when the gale was tremendous, and it 

 continued without abatement till midnight. At Brighton the platform 

 of the Chain Pier was washed away and forty houses between Roya^ 

 Crescent and Kemp Town were washed down. The Arun and the Ouse 

 overflowed their banks. At Littlehampton the sea broke over the 

 beach and inundated the fields ; the damage between there and Pag- 

 ham was estimated at ;^i5,ooo. At Pagham and Sidlesham great 

 damage — loss ^30,000. At Bosham the mud wall, which cost ;i^2o,ooo, 

 was washed away, and at Emsworth the tide was three inches higher 

 than was ever known. In conclusion, he must apologise for the 



