xlii. POOLE HARBOUR. 



SECOND SUMMER MEETING. 



POOLE HARBOUR. 

 Friday, July 22nd. 



Nearly 100 Members assembled at Poole Station, among 

 those present being the President, Lord Eustace Cecil (past 

 President) and Lady Eustace, the Hon. Secretary, and the 

 Hon. Treasurer. Alderman Mate acted as guide during the 

 day. Pausing for a few minutes to inspect the problematical 

 15th Century building known as the " Town Cellars," the 

 party proceeded to the Fish Shambles and embarked in 

 capacious seine boats, in tow of two tugs. Passing up Ware- 

 ham Channel, the flotilla brought up at Russel Quay. Here 

 Alderman MATE gave an able address on Poole Harbour, 

 dwelling on its historical and scenic aspects. 



Excluding the islands, the estuary contains about 10,000 acres, and it is 

 estimated that upwards of 36 million tons of water flow into and out of it 

 every spring tide many discussions having been entered into regarding the 

 possibility of harnessing this stupendous force. From Russel Quay great 

 quantities of peat are shipped. Close to the Quay is the ancient Attewell, u 

 famous fresh-water spring from which water used to be fetched in boats to 

 Poole in times of drought. The Mayor of Poole is Admiral of the port. A 

 perambulation of officials in 16 J 9 was quoted, of which the record runs : 

 " Having erected a tilt with the oares and sayles of the boat, we refreshed 

 ourselves with such vichialls as God had provided for that perambulation, 

 and, having seen the young men disporting themselves with their hats in a 

 kind of football, the Mayor and others proceeded to the margin of the ocean 

 and claimed jurisdiction as usual, when ' it pleased Mr. Moses Durell, having 

 Peter Hiley in his one hand and in his other hand John Gigger (unknown to 

 the company till afterwards), for a better and future remembrance of the 

 claymeigne of the admyrall jurisdiction, and liberties abovesaid, to lead these 

 two youths in his hands about knee-deep into the ocean, and then returning 

 back to the tilt again, and having refreshed ourselves with some discourse? 

 concerning the observation of that day's service, and seen the young men 

 again disport themselves with their hats at football, as aforesaid, the tide 

 being come for our departure from thence, we came up to Poole with our 

 several companies in the boats above mentioned, and thence, the women 



