442 REPORT—1885. 
20. Chatham and Sheerness. 
By J. CHISHOLM GOODEN, 33 Tavistock Square, London. 
1. Have known the estuary of the Medway, between Chatham and Sheerness, and 
reported on it to the hydrographer of the Admiralty, Sir F. Beaufort, who 
ordered its resurvey by Captain Bullock, R.N. This resurvey confirmed my 
conclusion that a frightful waste of land existed there by erosion. 
2. Alluvial soil. 
7. (1) Chatham Dock. In 1840, Captain Bullock, R.N. a. 17 feet 3 inches. 
b. 10 feet 6 inches. In 1868, resurvey by Commander Calver. a. 18 feet. 
b. 14 feet 6 inches. 
14. Medway estuary. Captain Bullock, R.N., reported to me May 28, 1880: 
a. Waste at Ockam Ness, 157 feet in fourteen years. Personally stated to me 
that the waste at Sharpness on the opposite bank of this river was 11 feet per 
annum during the same interval. Bishop’s Marsh, 5 or 6 feet on all sides, and 
therefore the double. Hoo Marshes and St. Mary’s Marsh, 3 or 4 feet. Upper 
Marshes, 2 or 3 feet. All this waste must have been intensified and increased 
greatly by the greater action of the waves derivable from greater water surface 
and the greater power of wind on the water. d. There are no data present to 
illustrate this; Admiralty appear to have stereotyped the configuration of 
the land here. There is an early map in the British Museum, circa Queen 
Elizabeth. There is Steele’s map of 1802. Some of the soundings there were 
repeated by people I questioned, before Captain Bullock’s second survey. es 
There was scarcely any hard ground in my time, exceptin Upnor Reach. Some 
was said to be in existence in Wollopstone ooze, but I failed to find it by ex- 
periment of a disagreeable character. The creeks and inlets show remarkable 
shoalings. 
15. Honestly think and say No, unless tidal oozes are land. 
18. There was a correspondence on Rochester Bridge and the River Medway in 
1812, and a blue book ensued from it, with observations by Rennie, C.E. The 
report of the City Corporation Commission, 1853, deals with evidence from 
Captain Bullock, R.N. I have written in the ‘Times,’ ‘Atheneum,’ and 
‘Household Words’ on this matter. 
19. My belief is, from the excessive waste of land, long continued, and _ necessarily 
increased, that the oozes must be rising; and there was evidence, after 
Captain Bullock’s second report, that at Bishop’s Spit the ooze had spread at 
the foot. My impression is that here, by natural action, we are slowly realising 
what the artificial works of the abbots of St. Augustine’s and the Great Church 
of Canterbury did towards the loss of Sandwich Haven. They ‘inned’ the 
oozes and converted them to useful purposes; we do not; but we have con- 
siderable national properties at Chatham and Sheerness. We have the most 
imperfect data as to oozes; the charts do not give the depths thereon. 
Chronological List of Works on the Coast-Changes and Shore-Deposits 
of England and Wales. 
By W. WHITAKER, B.A., F.G.S., Assoc.Inst.C.E. 
Having made many lists of geological works on various parts of England, 
from a topographical point of view, it occurred to me, some time ago, that 
there might be some advantage in having such lists arranged by subjects. 
The following is a first attempt in this line, and it may perhaps be of 
service to the Committee, and to those local observers working with it. 
It is confined to the subject-matter of the Committee’s inquiry, 
namely, changes within the historic period; and therefore, whilst it in- 
eludes the titles of papers that refer to these recent changes and to the 
beds which are formed along our shores, including the so-called Sub- 
