THE GROWTH OP THE YANGTZE DELTA 27 



W^1 U aTd a L area ' but the r f ultant motio » is distinctly 

 foruard and on an average at the rate mentioned. 



,u\JLT't\*Z t0 i i° mho ^ OT disapprove these cal- 



xS si tlto f 6 delta "g rowth w ^ are based on most 



lit data for some years, but of course the assump- 



Iw!k T aDd are V f de P° sit are ™J conjectural 

 and contestable I arranged for a number of facts and data 

 to be investigated from the point of view of the geology 

 general history, topography and hydrography of the district 

 which seem m more or less degree to bear out the river- 

 engineering conclusions arrived at. 



General Geological Facts. 



Mr. V. K. Ting, the Geologist, in his 1919 report, states 

 iliai the whole eastern coast has been sinking, the fiord- 

 like aims of the sea from, southern Chekiang to Ewangtung 

 being drowned valley, and the isolated hills in the delta 

 <i alluvium are nothing but buried mountains. 



Though it is uncertain whether this subsidence is still 



going on, there can be very little doubt that, geologically 



taking, it lias been subsiding until quite recently, as many 



physiographicaJ features which can only be directly due to 



this movement have not sensibly modified by subsequent 



ion. 



This Binking process in recent years, if existing, must 

 have been extremely slow as the rate of deposition of the 

 5 Dgtse Bill was more than enough to counter-balance the 



•t of sinking. 



I have also arranged for borings at various places in 

 the Yangtze Helta. 



The borings at Chosan, a hill about 150 feet high, a 



mile north oi Chinshan were made from the base of the hill. 



southward, at 500 feet intervals. At the base of the hill 



borings became very difficult at -65 feet W.H.Z when 



Je Btones and fragments of shells were taken out. The 



5i nd boring was practically the same. At the third and 



fourth boring these difficulties were not encountered until 



feet -127 feet respectively were reached. 



Plate 5. 



\t Eouse Island a depth of -148 feet was reached; at 

 Woosung K^rts -135 feet; a't Pootung Point -184 feet; at 

 Jhan -138 feet; at Soochow -267 feet and Quinsan -237 

 V\ II. Z. 



