SVNNI BRIGHTON. 59 



There is a scheme on foot for planking over the 

 ocean, beginning at the bottom of West Street. An 

 immense central pier is proposed, which would occupy 

 the only available site for beaching the smacks. If 

 carried out, the whole fishing industry must leave 

 Brighton, to the fishermen the injury would be be- 

 yond compensation, and the aspect of Brighton itself 

 would be destroyed. Brighton ought to rise in revolt 

 against it. 



All Brighton chimney-pots are put on with giant 

 cement, in order to bear the strain of the tremendous 

 winds rushing up from the sea. Heavy as the gales 

 are, they seldom do much mischief to the roofs, such 

 as are recorded inland. On the King's Koad a plate- 

 glass window is now and then blown in, so that on 

 hurricane days the shutters are generally half shut. 

 It is said that the wind gets between the iron shutters 

 and the plate glass and shakes the windows loose. 

 The heaviest waves roll in by the West Pier, and at 

 the bottom of East Street. Both sides of the West 

 Pier are washed by larger waves than can be seen all 

 along the coast from the Quarter Deck. Great rollers 

 come in at the concrete groyne at the foot of East 

 Street. Exposed as the coast is, the waves do not 

 convey so intense an idea of wildness, confusion, and 

 power as they do at Dover. To see waves in their 

 full vigour go to the Admiralty Pier and watch the seas 

 broken by the granite wall. Windy Brighton has not 

 an inch of shelter anywhere in a gale, and the salt 

 rain driven by the wind penetrates the thickest coat. 

 The windiest spot is at the corner of Second Avenue, 

 Hove ; the wind just there is almost enough to choke 



