Reviews — AppacKs Julius CcBsars Landing in Britain. 127 



Britain. With this end in view, the author enters more fully than 

 historians are wont to do into the question of possible changes of 

 coast-line since Eoman times. In the following remarks we will 

 take the liberty of passing over Mr. Appach's historical disquisitions, 

 and will confine ourselves solely to the Geological poiats involved. 

 That Geology has much to say upon this question, no one who has 

 studied our south-eastern coasts can doubt. Most writers upon this 

 subject hitherto have too much neglected the Geological arguments, 

 from an assumption that any changes which may have occurred 

 during the last 2,000 years are quite insignificant. In Mr. Appach's 

 opinion they are of great importance. 



Eomney Marsh, as it at present exists, is a great spread of 

 alluvium, bordered in many places on the sea-side by shingle; 

 particularly so at the south-eastern extremity (Dungeness), where 

 the point is yearly extending further seawards from the accumula- 

 tion of beach. This shingle border is slightly raised above high- 

 water-mark, and forms a protection to the Marsh which, where not 

 thus preserved, is artificially embanked to keep out the sea. The 

 alluvium is almost wholly below high-water-mark. Its highest 

 point is near New Eomney, from whence it falls away to the north 

 and west. The lowest points are just below the old line of cliff's, 

 where the Military Canal now runs. The river Eother flows 

 through the western part of the Marsh into the sea at Eye. 



The general opinion hitherto has been that the Marsh in Eoman 

 times had to a large extent been formed, and that the Eother 

 (Limen) flowed past Appledore, eastwards, nearly along the 

 present line of the Military Canal, and emptied itself into the sea at 

 Lympne (Portus Lemanis) ; that subsequently, at an unknown 

 date, its course was altered, and that it flowed east and south-east to 

 Eomney. Still later, in the middle of the 13th century, during 

 violent storms, the channel was once more altered. The river then 

 ceased to run out at Eomney, and opened for itself a shorter cut to 

 Eye, its present outlet. 



Mr. Appach's first argument to prove that Eomney Marsh, in its 

 present state, had no existence in Eoman times, is the absence, with 

 one exception (Appledore Do wis), of Celtic names, and the presence 

 of only two or three of Latin origin, all others being Saxon. 

 " These facts are significant. They suggest the conclusion that the 

 marshes were not in existence in the time of the Celts, but that the 

 sea then ran inland as far as Eobertsbridge, and formed the Bay of 

 Apuldore ; that the Eomans were settled at Lydd and Eomney and 

 were the builders of the Ehee Wall ; and that it was not until the 

 Saxon period that the interior of the marshes was inhabited." 

 (p, 13.) 



After describing somewhat minutely the present form of the 

 marshes, and the shingle, sand, silt, etc., of which they are com- 

 posed, the author goes on to give his explanation of their origin, 

 which, as it differs somewhat from that usually accepted, we will 

 notice more at length. Assuming that the slightly elevated land in 

 the neighbourhood of Eomney formed an island in Eoman times, 



