2 OUR HERITAGE THE SEA 



beneficent aspect of the ocean's work for man. This 

 is not in any way altered in value by the fact of the 

 ocean bearing the aspect which has been dealt with 

 elsewhere. But it is an aspect of the ocean's work 

 that is almost altogether lost sight of even to-day, 

 unless we consider the great rush to the seashore of 

 our island populations as in some measure a recognition 

 thereof. 



That recognition is, however, of the very faintest 

 and most unreasonable kind because almost entirely 

 individualistic. The man who can afford to get away 

 from his stuffy workshop or office down to the sea-coast 

 cannot but feel the benefit of the ozone-laden air, 

 whether he bathes his stiffened limbs in the brine or 

 not ; but the cases are rare indeed where such an one 

 on returning to his place of work, realizes that the 

 benefits conferred upon him and his kind by the sea 

 do not cease when they have retreated far inland. 

 Even those who in populous city pent are never able 

 to get away to the sea or the open country are in- 

 debted to the sea for the modicum of health that they 

 enjoy, an all-pervading benefit that, like the rain, 

 falls upon the just and unjust alike, and cannot be 

 cornered and sold by even the most American of 

 Trusts with all their power and greed. 



No benefit that the sons of men enjoy receives less 

 recognition than this. The fresh air, the sunshine, 

 rain after drought all these occasionally receive a 

 meed of gratitude from even the most ungrateful; 

 but the sea, which modifies and energizes them all, is 

 rarely thought about. And this, while not to be 

 wondered at in the case of continental people, who may 

 hardly ever have heard of the sea even, is almost 



