Notices of Memoirs — The British Association. 567 



stopping the travelling of the shingle at certain places, with the 

 object of preventing the loss of land hj coast-erosion at those places. 

 Tliey are often built with a reckless disregard of the consequences 

 which must necessarily follow to the coast thus robbed of its natural 

 supply of shingle. Sometimes, however, the groynes fail in the 

 purpose for which they are intended — by collecting an insufficient 

 amount of shingle, by collecting it in the wrong places, or from 

 other causes. These, again, are points upon which much valuable 

 information may be obtained. 



Sometimes the decrease of shingle is due to a quantity being 

 taken away from the beach for ballast, building, road-making, or 

 other purposes. 



Solid rocks, or numerous large boulders, occurring between tide- 

 marks, are also important protectors of the coast-line. In some 

 cases these have been removed, and the waves have thus obtained, a 

 greater power over the land. 



To investigate these various points is the main object of the 

 Committee. 



A large amount of information is already in hand, much of which 

 has been supplied by Mr. J. B. Kedman, who for many years has 

 devoted special attention to this subject. Mr. R. B, Grantham has 

 also made important contributions respecting parts of the south- 

 eastern coasts. 



But this information necessarily consists largely of local details, 

 and it has been thought better to defer the publication of this for 

 another year. Meanwhile the information referring to special 

 districts will be made more complete, and general deductions may 

 be more safely made. 



As far as possible the information obtained will be recorded upon 

 the six-inch maps of the Ordnance Survey. These give with great 

 accuracy the condition of the coast, and the position of every groyne, 

 at the time when the survey was made. 



Appended is a copy of the questions circulated. The Committee will he glad of 

 assistance, from those whose local knowledge enables them to answer the questions, 

 respecting any part of the coast-line of England and Wales. 



Copies of the forms for answering the questions can be had on application to the 

 Secretaries. 



Appendix — Copy of Questions. 



1. What part of the English or Welsh Coast do you know well ? 2 What is the 

 nature of that coast ? («) If cliffy, of what are the cKffs composed ? {b) What are 

 the heights of the cliff above H.W.M. ? greatest; average ; least. 3. What is the 

 direction of the coast-line? 4. What is the prevailing wind? 5. What wind is 

 the most important - {(() In raising high waves ? [b) In piling up shingle ? (c) In 

 the travelling of shingle ? 6. What is the set of the tidal currents ? 7. What is 

 the range of tide ? Vertical in feet ; width in yards between higli and low water. 

 At Spring tide, at Neap tide ? 8. Does the area covered by the tide consist of bare 

 rock, shingle, sand, or mud? 9. If of shingle, state — («) Its mean and greatest 

 breadth, {b) Its distribution with respect to tide-mark, (c) 'I he direction in which 

 it travels, {d) The greatest size of the pebbles. (<•) Whether the shingle forms 

 one continuous slope, or whether there is a " spring full " and " neap full." If the 

 latter, state their heights above the respective tide-marks. 10. Is the shingle accu- 

 mulating or diminishing, and at what rate ? 11. If diminishing, is this due partly 

 or entirely to artificial abstraction ? {See No. 13.) 12. If groynes are employed to 



