North Sea Formation. 9 



mid- Europe northwards a precursor of the modern Rhine. 

 Towards its embouchure it received a western tributary, namely, 

 what may be regarded as an ancient Thames. This latter took 

 a sharp N.E. bend (where now is the estuary) before joining its 

 waters with the more voluminous continental river. Thus it 

 coursed somewhat in the direction of the present Black Deep or 

 the Swin, and quite possibly formed a sort of delta among the 

 then low-lying marshy land there. It is interesting, therefore, 

 to note that this ancient Thames river's sweep foreshadowed the 

 present main or north channel of the later-formed Thames 

 Estuary. 



As geological time rolled on there was a gradual subsidence 

 of the "North -Sea- Land," a pouring in of the North Atlantic, 

 and, consequently, steady formation of the present North Sea. 

 At the period in question there was another great sea inlet, 

 entering, however, from the west an equivalent of the existing 

 English Channel ; but its eastern end probably did not reach 

 further than where the Ridge and Varne shoals are now situate. 

 Whether, in consequence of the gradual land depression, as 

 aforesaid, or erosion of the chalk barrier most probably by a 

 combination of these forces the northern and western arms of 

 these seas met, forming what constitutes the Straits of Dover. 

 At all events, from this sea-junction dates the physical con- 

 figuration and concomitant phenomena belonging to the present 

 area of our Fisheries District. (See diagrammatic chart.) 



Captain Tizard (loc. cit.) has assumed that the sands are 

 upwards of 60 feet thick ; indeed, he states that borings have 

 proved the Goodwins to be 80 feet in vertical depth. He points 

 out that with the exception of deposits of shingle off Whit- 

 stable and Garrison Point, the banks are mainly composed of 

 sand intermixed with shells. When dry the banks are firm ; but 

 partake of the nature of quicksands on other occasions, as some 

 members of our Committee can substantiate from personal ex- 

 perience. 



Thus, though the sands undoubtedly constitute the ex- 

 pansive groundwork of the estuarine area, yet the occurrence of 



