480 Correspondence — A. 8trahan. 



In view of his statement that the earlier paper gave his views in 

 more detail, I have turned to it with some interest in the hope of 

 finding further evidence of the changes he describes in the river- 

 system of England and Wales. The paper gives a clear history 

 of the development of a river on a slope composed of rocks of 

 different hardness and porosity, a classification of the breaches 

 which occur in many escarpments, and an exposition of the principles 

 of river-cajDture, illustrated by examples drawn from different parts 

 of the country. So far the account is excellent, but already an 

 uneasy feeling arises that more evidence for the cases of river-capture 

 quoted as examples would be desirable. 



The uneasiness is far from being allayed by what follows. After 

 briefly relating a quarrel between the Thames and the Kennet, as 

 a result of which the former is credited with having appropriated 

 all the Cotteswold streams, the author continues : " The Evenlode 

 was a very large river, draining by one branch the north Welsh 

 mountains, by the other the west side of the Pennine range. 

 East of it was a south - easterly extension of the Dove. The 

 Evenlode soon captured this by sending out the Cherwell as 

 a subsequent stream ; and on the other side it captured all the 

 Cotteswold streams. The Kennet was the other important river. 

 It originally drained Mid and some of South Wales." 



On the map accompanying these statements the Derbyshire Wye, 

 the Dove, Trent, Mersey, Weaver, Upper Dee, Upper Severn, Teme, 

 Lug, Wye, Usk, Rhymney, and Taff rivers are shown as tributaries 

 of the Thames. Parts of these rivers, it is true, flow in the direction 

 of the Thames, but much of this imaginary river-system crosses 

 the existing lines of drainage at right angles, while such features 

 as the British Channel are got rid of by stating that they did not 

 yet exist. The evidence for the existence of this river-system is 

 of the slightest description ; we are told that the rivers must have 

 run thus, and that they must have occupied certain gaps in the 

 Oolitic escarpment. Its restoration seems to have been effected 

 by piecing together such portions of river-valleys as happened to 

 fall into a suitable position on the map. 



The Severn is credited with effecting the change to the system. 

 now existing. Beginning as a small stream, it captured the Taff, 

 Rhymney, Usk, Wye, and a number of others, its remarkable career 

 being briefly related as a statement of fact. " The further develop- 

 ment," the author naively remarks, " may be shortly told." The 

 Severn " started or strengthened two subsequent branches — one 

 northwards, which captured the Shropshire and Welsh drainage, 

 the other north-eastward — the present Warwick Avon which cut 

 off the head-waters of the Thames tributaries from the north." 



In his concluding remarks Mr. Buckman is frank. " Many of 

 the statements in this paper may be termed mere speculation. It is 

 fully admitted." I give these brief extracts in justification of my 

 footnote. A. Strahan. 



Streatley, Reading. 

 August 18, 1902. 



