152 OLDHAM: SANDHILLS OF CLIFTON NEAR KARACHI. 



land has formed on account of the stoppage of the tidal scour through 

 and out of this inlet, and there can be no doubt that the re-opening of 

 the Chinna creek would scon lead to a re-es'ablishment of the old 

 shore line, and the stoppage, or at any rate great restriction, of the 

 supply of sand which goes to form the inland sandhills. While afford- 

 ing relief to Clifton, ,1 dcubt if this would have any great permanent 

 effect on the main harbour of Karachi, though it would doubtless 

 cause a temporary deterioration as all previous interference with 

 existing conditions has done. As already explained, this part of the 

 harbour has to be maintained at a greater depth than that which 

 natural scour would give, and the cutting off of that portion of the 

 scour due to the closing of the Chinna creek would have very little 

 permanent influence. 



But if the diminution of the tidal scour would have little per- 

 manent effect on the main harbour, it would have great effect on 

 the entrance channel, on that part of the harbour above the main 

 harbour or Keamari anchorage, which is known as the upper harbour, 

 and on the channel leading up to the native jetty. In these parts of 

 the harbour every bit of tidal water is of importance, and the interests 

 of the harbour so far outweigh those of the watering place that there 

 is no chance of the Chinna creek being re-opened. 



Apart from this, a certain relief will result from the practice, now 

 adopted, of carrying the dredgings well out to sea before dropping 

 them ; but, as has been explained, the dredgings only account for a 

 part of the Clifton sands, and the further growth of the fore-shore and 

 sandhills will not be stopped, though it may be retarded. 



As it is impossible to attack the sand at its source, the alternative 

 remains of dealing with it on land, and this again divides itself into 

 two branches, firstly, the fixing of the sanddunes already formed and 

 preventing them from advancing over the road to Clifton, and secondly, 

 the stoppage of the inland drift of sand which results in their growth 

 in size and number. 



The management of sanddunes has been a pressing question 

 along a large part of the western coast of Europe, where the experience 

 of centuries has resulted in a very perfect knowledge of the way to 



( 20 ) 



