268 REPORT— 1903. 



fi'om 1857 states considerable encroachments of the sea from the date 

 mentioned to 1899. It is reported, in addition, that the groynes laid down 

 as far as Clynde Arch have no apparent eflfect on the beach, but removal 

 of the shingle, formerly allowed, is now discontinued. 



Loss of the cliff is reported from Birling Gap on the western side of 

 Beachy Head, and at Crowlink the cliff is slowly but constantly crumbling. 

 A slight encroachment is noted at Cuckmere owing to groynes having 

 been constructed at Seaford, 3 miles to the westward, and the mouth of 

 Cuckmere Haven, recently closed, is now again open owing to the con- 

 tinual shifting of the beach. Very little material is removed. From 

 the west end of Seaford Parade for three quarters of a mile westward 

 the estimated loss is 4 feet per annum, but a slight gain occurs from 400 

 yards west of the Buckle Inn to Newhaven Harbour. At Newhaven 

 itself falls of cliff are frequent, and the large breakwater on the western 

 side of the entrance to the harbour stops the shingle travelling eastward. 



Passing on to Brighton, it is noteworthy that the groynes along the 

 sea front retard the shingle from working east, and by this means the 

 cliflf from the Aquarium eastwards to Roedean is laid bare. This clifl 

 constantly crumbles away with high winds and spring tides. Two wooden 

 groynes at the eastern end of Rottingdean Gap prevent the shingle working 

 eastwards with south-westerly gales. Wooden and stone groynes have 

 been constructed at Hove and Southwick. 



The loss at Goring is suggested to be owing to defective groynes, and 

 in the winter a few years ago about 70 yards of a field adjoining the coast 

 were washed away during high spring tides. In this parish no beach 

 material is removed. 



Other Coast-]}rotections. — The northern coast of Kent is, on the whole, 

 well protected with groynes, and locally by sea-walls. In the Isles of 

 Grain and Sheppey five stations out of seven are protected by groynes or 

 a sea-wall, or by both. From Whitstable Bay to Margate every station 

 is more or less protected, although losses are mentioned in almost every 

 report. At Westgate, since 1899, a slipway has been built and a groyne 

 run out to protect the new promenade ; also the five groynes in St. Mil- 

 dred's Bay are now completed. The cliff around Foreness Point and the 

 North Foreland is unprotected by groynes, while those existing at the back 

 of the harbour at Broadstairs and at St. Margaret's Bay are said to have 

 no effect on the shingle or sand. It is noteworthy, however, that flints 

 and sand are taken away from the beach for building purposes. The 

 groynes laid down at the northern end of Deal are causing the shingle 

 to shift further north. These groynes (apparently the same), put down 

 north of the pier in 1898, retain the shingle and sand, but are liable to be 

 scoured out by the set of the sea after north-westerly to north-easterly or 

 south-westerly gales. 



From Dover to Littlestone (New Eomney) reports from eight stations 

 have been received covering the entire stretch of coast. In each case 

 protection by groynes, faggots, or piers has been afforded, and in six out 

 of the eight instances these are effective in accumulating shingle. The 

 alterations in the harbour works at Dover render any precise determination 

 difficult in that locality, while the groynes at St. Mary's have been already 

 mentioned. From Littlestone round Dungeness Point, as far as the 

 eastern side of Rye Harbour, five stations out of seven are protected. 

 Of the remaining two the one situated immediately north of Dungeness 

 Point shows a gain, the other to the south and west a loss. This loss, 



