SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



43 



formation in the excavations, and thence to the 

 rocks on the common. The party then assembled 

 at King Charles" Church to join Professor Seeley's 

 Field Class, and view the cuttings in the new 

 athletic ground, which were the subject of one of 

 the papers. Returning for tea at Messrs. Parker's, 

 of The Pantiles, a drive was made to the High 

 Rocks, returning via Rusthall Common, where the 



Toad Rock was inspected. The excursion was 

 enjoyed by a numerous party, and concluded a 

 most enjoyable congress. 



Professor Boulger, F.L.S., F.G.S., was invited 

 to become President for next year, and accepted 

 the office. An invitation was received to hold the 

 next annual Congress at Croydon, which was 

 accepted. J. T. C. 



THANET SANDS. 



By George Barham. 



FIND to-day, on looking through the index 

 supplied with the May number of Science- 

 Gossip, that an ample apology is due from me 

 not only to its Editor, but also to Mr. E. A. 

 Martin, of Thornton Heath. Should any new 

 readers fail to comprehend my meaning, I would 

 refer them to Science-Gossip, N.S., Vol. iii., 

 p. 54, in the volume just completed. There, will 

 be found a communication by the gentleman 

 mentioned above. To this I replied with notes, to 

 be found on p. 129, I find that in the next 

 month's number, p. 149, Mr. Martin has made 

 a courteous, but somewhat debatable answer 

 to me. I have been very busy, and also have 

 changed my residence, and with fear and trembling 

 I admit that several of my copies of Science- 

 Gossip are lying unopened and unread. Amongst 

 these I find the number containing my friend's 

 remarks. 



The main issue seems to turn, in Mr. Martin"s 

 mind, upon Bishopstone Dell. In my idea it does 

 not, but applies to the whole north-east Kent coast, 

 from Faversham to Reculvers. I claim that this 

 stretch of land is, and has been, since pleistocene 

 times, gradually sinking. Mr. Martin suggests 

 rising. Here I would say that it is evident 

 the land there has risen since its original deposi- 

 tion, but that is not the point. What has it been 

 doing since the Bishopstone Dell " stream " 

 carved out its alleged mighty channel ? In other 

 words, every land, or portion of land, has been 

 tee-sawing up and down since its deposit. The 

 question is as to the last direction of this move- 

 ment. 



Speaking of this neighbourhood, I said, "It is 



(airly proved thai the land hereabouts has been 



eaten by the sea " Mr. Martin asks (p. 149), 



" Where is this proof - I am a little surprised at 



>/gist asking this question in face of the 



cliffs which confront him on the very place in 



There are the cliffs, crumbling at every 



storm. Giant masses of Thanci 



on the beach Onl at tea are bank'; of sand— 



• Mer, Spaniard, etc , and 1 am 



asked for a proof as to the land being eaten. Or 

 take it from the point of view of antiquarian 

 research. The Church of St. Mary — Reculver 

 Towers, as it is generally called — stood in Roman 

 times some three or more miles from the sea- 

 To-day it is protected from the fury of the waves 

 by a stone embankment, built, I believe, by the 

 authorities of Trinity House. Bishopstone Dell is 

 about three miles along the coast, towards Heme 

 Bay. This watering-place presents the same 

 features of crumbling cliffs, this time of more 

 tenacious London clay. Hampton, further on, 

 shows the same bold outline : Swalecliffe has to be 

 protected by rows of faggots, driven at the base of 

 its cliffs. The "Priest and Sons" is the name 

 given to-day to a part of Tankerton cliffs near 

 where once a public-house of that name stood. 

 To-day it is at the bottom of the ocean. Tankerton 

 cliffs, just opposite the " Street," show the same 

 signs, but since the " Street " came, the beach has 

 filled up here, and these cliffs are now protected. 

 Once they were eaten away as fast as those have 

 been at Reculvers. At the end of the " Street " 

 stood a Roman pottery works. I will here admit 

 that many claim that a Roman vessel bearing pottery 

 as a cargo was wrecked there. I do not mind 

 much which theory is adopted, although I consider 

 the first more feasible. If the pottery stood then 

 the land has gone, as Tankerton cliffs tells us. 

 If the vessel was wrecked in a place where there is 

 ample water to-day, then the land has sunk. Fcr 

 these "pots," which have been recovered by the 

 thousand, are whole, beautifully glazed, and with 

 even the delicate lips and bandies intact. So many 

 have been found that the sea-bottom there is still 

 called the " Pudding Pan." Hence they have been 

 subject to no tossing or grinding action by the sea. 

 If a vessel was wrecked nothing but the gently 

 running aground could have destroyed her without 

 breaking up her fragile cargo. But the potter; 

 idea is, as I have said, most feasible. The place 

 where 1 found ia more than four miles out at 



'.ci ii '.hould be admitted by anyone thai the land 

 . . therefore been destroyed 



