FOR GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. 43 



Proceeding up the harbour from St. Petrock's Point, the 

 shores diverge greatly from each other, and offer an increased 

 area to the undulation, which accordingly expands itself, 

 curving round with decreasing force towards the shores, 

 right and left, beyond a line which may be drawn north from 

 Kettle Point, which would be parallel with a long line of 

 greatest exposure from the south. 



At Warfleet Cove the area of this portion of the harbour 

 is again increased by a considerable indentation of the shore, 

 which the undulation at once seeks out, and expands into, 

 after passing the first point of the Cove. 



A straight line drawn from the seaward point of Warfleet 

 Cove parallel to the line of maximum exposure, i.e. from the 

 south, would cut the shore at Dartmouth, leaving the whole 

 space westward of it considerably out of the line of greatest 

 exposure, and under the shelter of the St. Petrock's land ; the 

 undulation has therefore been very much broken by this 

 protection, beyond which it diminishes but little until 

 meeting with the resistance of Kingswear Point, which 

 opposes a most effectual obstacle to the force of the waves, 

 partially weakened by the preceding points, and from which, 

 the undulation remaining, diffuses itself over the area of the 

 reach of the river above the point, and opposi* the upper 

 part of the town of Dartmouth, which positior f s perfectly 

 land-locked from the fury of the line of greatest exposure 

 from the south. 



The writer of this essay might adduce other harbours in 

 illustration of the principles of the natural system of shelter 

 offered to our observation on other positions of our coast- 

 line, but refrains from so doing, considering one to be suffi- 

 cient for our purpose ; for if we can only thoroughly analyse 

 the system of shelter in a good natural harbour, and com- 

 prehend the principles by which this shelter is obtained, we 



