OCCURRENCE OF A SUBMERGED FOREST. 159 
He states in a later publication!:—“ If instead of an island, as in 
the diagram, the shore of a continent fringed by a reef were to 
subside, a great barrier-reef like that on the north-east coast of 
Australia, would be the necessary result; and it would be separated 
from the main land by a deep-water channel, broad in proportion 
to the amount of subsidence, and to the less or greater inclination 
of the bed of the sea.” 
Prof. J. D. Dana and Commodore Charles Wilkes, U.S.N., 
were also of opinion that the Barrier Reef of Australia was 
evidence of subsidence. They state®:—‘‘The coral reefs indicate 
an extensive subsidence along the east and north-east coasts of 
New Holland.” On the following page they estimate the sub- 
sidence as not less than five hundred feet. On the same page is 
also adduced some evidence of elevation—“ On the eastern coast 
there are occasional elevated beaches or deposits of shell and some 
appearances of terraces.” Prof Dana dwells specially on evidence 
of a raised beach on the Illawarra Coast of N. 8. Wales, between 
Bulli and Wollongong, about ten feet above sea-level. The fact, 
however, should here be mentioned, that subsequent researches 
show that this ridge is rather a storm-beach with midden remains 
than a true raised beach. Professor Dana in a later publication® 
repeated his statement, that the existence of barrier reefs on a 
Coast is evidence of subsidence. 
The Rev. W. B. Clarke was of opinion that a subsidence had 
taken place along the east coast of Australia, as proved by the 
following statement*:—« Whilst marine deposits of Tertiary age 
are found along the west coast of Australia, and along the southern 
coast from Cape Leeuwin to Cape Howe, there are no known marine 
Tertiaries in any part of the coast of New South Wales and 
Queensland up to the Cape York Peninsula ; and the reason of 
* Structure and Distribution of Coral Reefs, 2nd Edit. 1874, p. 135. 
+ 0.8. Exploring Expedition, 1838 — 42, Vol. x., Geology, 1849, p. 533. 
* Corals and Coral Islands.—J. D. Dana, 1872, p. 319. 
* Remarks on the Sedimentary Formations of New South Wales. By — 
ms eats W. B. Clarke, p. 7, 4th edit. By Authority, Sydney, 1878. 
