The Sea Defences of British Guiana. 225 



The whole question of defending the land from the sea lies in the 

 value of the la id protected. And this really is tti3 cause of so many- 

 estates being abandoned. The sea-dams were too costly to keep up, 

 even with the puerile and frivolous systems employed. It has been said, 

 too, that often sums were booked to sea defences which, properly 

 speaking, should have been charged to buildings or plantiug. But that 

 is no concern for the colony in general. 



If the colonists do not wish their alluvial lands to be ultimately 

 swamped they should take the matter in hand while there is still time. 

 An Ordinance by which all the sea defences of the colony would be taken 

 in hand by the Government would not be such a grievous affair. With 

 a long pull and strong pull and a pull altogether, the whole thing could 

 be made thoroughly efficient. 



It would not be such a stupendous affair after all. Ureal stretches of 

 coastline would require little expense. For instance, the Demerara East 

 Coast. The further the Sugar and Dauntless Banks on the Essequebo 

 extend the less the wash will be on the mainland coast. The Best and 

 Windsor and neighbouring estates are in a worse plight, as the waves 

 there, coming through the Demerara channel, run up higher there 

 than further to the west But if a leading dam be built from the East 

 Best groyne toward the Demerara bar these estates will then be under the 

 lee of such a dam and it would be worth while to reclaim them then. 

 Such a leading dam is the only efficient remedy to the continual shallow- 

 ing of the Demerara bar and channel, caused by the deposit from the 

 Essequebo East channel sweeping right across the fairway to the Dein- 

 rara Kiver. 



The whole matter should now be taken in hand thoroughly. For 

 the last forty years all sorts and conditions of men have been consulted 

 — amateurs from the highlands of Scotland and Wiles, sugar planters, 

 worthy sea captains, mechanical engineers, and others with an axe to 

 grind. Some of their advice may be useful ; the proposed nostrums of 

 others are remarkable, to say the least of them. There ought now to be 

 information enough to act upon. 



If you want to keep an enemy out of the country you must spend 

 money on soldiers, sailors and guns. If you want to keep the sea out 

 you must spend it on proper sea defences. If not the sea will encroach 

 more and more till Georgetown will perhaps remain an island surrounded 

 with mudflats, with here and there a piece of old wall or a crushing mill 

 sticking out. Perhaps also Georgetown will go like Nickerie, and people 

 will have to go to the Sand Hills. The climate there is salubrious and 

 residence pleasant, as is proved by the remains of country houses and 

 gardens of old. Life will be quite worth living there for people who can 

 find something to eat. But whether this delightful spot will be easily 

 reached from the sea with the Demerara channel no longer navigable is 

 another question that will have to be considered when the time comes. 



