RATE OF EROSION OF THE SEA-COASTS OF ENGLAND AND WALES. 405 
are well known; but even here there are probably local peculiarities not 
recorded in published works. Of the west coasts much less is known. 
_It has therefore been thought desirable to ask for information upon many 
elementary points which, at first sight, do not appear necessary for the 
inquiry with which this Committee is intrusted. 
A shingle-beach is the natural protection of a coast; the erosion of 
a sea-cliff which has a bank of shingle in front of it is a very slow pro- 
cess. But if the shingle be removed the erosion goes on rapidly. This 
removal may take place in various ways. Changes in the natural distri- 
bution of the shingle may take place, the reasons for which are not 
always at present understood ; upon this point we hope to obtain much 
information, More often, however, the removal is directly due to arti- 
ficial causes. 
As a rule, the shingle travels along the shore in definite directions. 
If by any means the shingle is arrested at any one spot, the coast-line 
beyond that is left more or less bare of shingle. In the majority of cases 
“such arresting of shingle is caused by building out ‘groynes,’ or by the 
construction of piers and harbour-mouths, which act as large groynes. 
Ordinary groynes are built for the purpose of stopping the travelling of 
the shingle at certain places, with the object of preventing the loss of 
land by coast-erosion at those places. They are often built with a reck- 
less disregard of the consequences which must necessarily follow to the 
coast thus robbed of its natural supply of shingle. Sometimes, however, 
the groynes fail in the purpose for which they are intended—by collecting 
an insufficient amount of shingle, by collecting it inthe wrong places, or 
from other causes. These, again, are points upon which much valuable 
nformation may be obtained. 
Sometimes the decrease of shingle is due to a quantity being taken 
away from the beach for ballast, building, road-making, or other purposes. 
Solid rocks, or numerous large boulders, occurring between tide-marks, 
are also important protectors of the coast-line. In some cases these have 
been removed, and the waves have thus obtained a greater power over 
‘the land.! 
The Committee has during the past year received several Returns re- 
lating to the south and east coasts of England. Those relating to the coast 
south of the Thames are here printed, with the exception of one by Mr. 
K. McAlpin on Pembrokeshire.? As the amount of change on the rocky 
coast here described is small, and as the Return is accompanied by several 
pbhotographs—without which illustrations its value would be much de- 
sreased—the publication of this is deferred. 
__ The other Returns in hand are :—J. Bateman, Estuary of the Colne?; 
PB. S. Bruff, R. Deben to near R. Colne*; Maj. A. G: Clayton, Great 
Yarmouth’; W. Teasdell, Aldeburgh to Cromer?; A. C. Savin, Wey- 
‘bourne to Happisburgh*; Clement Reid, Weybourne and Palling*; C. 
a cnereys, Scarborough ‘; Lieut.-Colonel Melville, Northumber- 
and coast. 
', The thanks of the Committee are especially due to Major-General Sir 
A. Clarke, who has instructed the Officers of the Royal Engineers 
* The foregoing paragraphs, giving a general statement of the objects of this 
Committee, are reprinted from the preliminary Report of last year. 
* Supplied through Sir A. Clarke. $ Supplied through Mr. J. B. Redman. 
* Supplied through Mr. W. Topley. 
