202 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



the extent of the area of Ireland, is being sloAvly reduced. It is evident, 

 therefore, that unless a new and special survey of the entire coast of 

 Ireland be undertaken with a vieAV of accurately determining ite 

 present outline, and of thus leaving a basis of observation to which 

 future changes of outline and further losses of ground may be referred, 

 and thus become capable of precise measurement, this very important 

 question must remain in aperfectly undetermined state, andina condition 

 most unsatisfactory, not only from a scientific point of view, but also 

 from the larger and more important one, that of the administration of 

 the country. With the facilities afforded by photography at the 

 present time, it should be possible to so represent pictorially the 

 present outline and state of the coast as to render easy of definite de- 

 termination the future encroachments of the sea, and thus allow of 

 continuous and accurate observations being systematically carried out 

 all round the island. 



It would therefore be worthy of the Eoyal Irish Academy to pro- 

 mote by its action and influence the undertaking of such a survey, 

 and to bring to bear the services of the Ordnance Survey in conjunc- 

 tion with those of the Geological Survey officers, so as to allow of the 

 attainment of that important object, giving at the same time the 

 fullest importance to all local traditions or personal observations 

 bearing on the subject, as also to all the details to be gathered from 

 the public records now being so carefully examined and published by 

 Goyemment, and by many public bodies and learned societies. 



