RAISED BEACHES 231 



by well-devised measurements. It is astonishing upon 

 what loose and unreliable evidence the elevation or 

 depression of coast-lines has often been asserted. On 

 shores where proofs of a recent change of level are 

 observable it would not be difficult to establish by 

 accurate observation whether any such movements 

 are taking place now, and, if they are, to determine 

 their rate. The old attempts of this kind along 

 the coasts of Scandinavia might be resumed with far 

 more precision and on a much more extended scale. 

 Methods of instrumental research have been vastly 

 improved since the days of Celsius and Linnaeus. 

 Mere eye-observations would not supply sufficiently 

 accurate results. When the datum-line has been deter- 

 mined with rigorous accuracy, the minutest changes 

 of level, such as would be wholly inappreciable to 

 the senses, might be detected and recorded. If such 

 a system of watch were maintained along coasts where 

 there is reason to believe that some change in the 

 relative level of sea and land is taking place, it would 

 be possible to follow the progress of the movement 

 and to determine its rate. 



But I must not dwell longer on examples of the 

 advantages which geology would gain from a far more 

 general and systematic adoption of methods of experi- 

 ment and measurement in elucidation of the problems 

 of the science. I have referred to a few of those which 

 have a more special bearing on the question of geo- 

 logical time, but it is obvious that the same methods 

 might be extended into almost every branch of geo- 

 logical dynamics. While we gladly and gratefully 

 recognise the large amount of admirable work that 



