SELBORNIANA 
43 
of the natural beauty of the gorge of the Avon, below Bristol — 
or what is left of it — that we cannot refrain from quoting some 
of the leading paragraphs of the article in question. 
The one remarkable feature of a somewhat grimy city is the gorge (the 
word conveys no exaggeration) through which the Avon forces its way, but a 
short distance below the wharves and quays of trading Bristol. A turn of the 
river, a mile or so of the flowing tide, and all the associations of a town are left 
Irehind, and the stream glides lietween high cliffs- -on the one side precipitous 
walls of bare limestone, on the other steep slopes covered, almost to the water’s 
edge, with banging woods ; but, alas ! to be accurate one should speak in the 
past tense. There are ugly gaps now in the bosky masses of the Leigh woods as 
they face the white walls of Clifton. The quarries, which some time since 
opened on to wooded banks, have lately been worked with such vigour that over 
large areas all natural growth has been killed, all verdure obliterated, and trees 
and undergrowth have given place to scarred and riven rocks. 
• * * * • 
To a large extent this description held good last autumn. But it was then 
anticipated that the Corporation, notwithstanding its past record of indifference, 
would be roused to action, and that the Board of Trade would lend its aid to 
protect the river-bank. For these bodies undoubtedly had it in their power to 
stop the quarrying, or to impose such reasonable conditions on its continuance as 
would preserve the cliff face. The quarries would be of no value were it not for 
the Avon itself, which bears away the stone and supplies the cheapest form of 
carriage. And the owner of the quarries cannot reach the Avon except across 
foreshore which belongs to the Crown, and cannot construct a single pier or 
jetty without the consent of the Board of Trade, the body administering the 
property of the Crown. The Corporation of Bristol, again, is the port authority, 
and the Board of Trade would not take any action affecting the approach to 
Bristol without the concurrence of the Corporation. These bodies, therefore, 
acting together, are masters of the situation. Not only so, but a course which 
would inflict no injury on the quarry-owner has been pointed out, and was 
understood to have found favour with the Corporation. It is a very obvious 
course — that of carrying the quarrying operations to the rear of the cliff, leaving a 
wooded screen against the river. It will hardly be believed, but it appears to be 
the fact, that in these circumstances the Board of Trade has, with the concurrence 
of the Corporation, agreed to grant to the quarry owner new leases for a long 
period of the jetties from which the stone is embarked, and this without even an 
attempt to impose conditions. 
* « * « 
But it has some excuse in the extraordinary conduct of the Corporation. 
That body, which had appointed a committee to consider how the quarrying 
could be put under control and rendered harmless, and was (it is said) actually in 
negotiation with the owner, nevertheless, on being consulted by the Board of 
Trade, saw no objection to the grant of the new leases ! The case is even worse 
than this. The largest quarry is leased to the Corporation, and the stone is used 
for the repair of the Bristol roads. It is not first-rate road metal. Stone that 
would last longer could be obtained at a slight additional expense ; but not only 
does the Corporation, in order to obtain a cheap, inferior stone, blast and hack 
the cliff which it professes to be anxious to preserve, but it has during the last six 
months quickened the pace at which its ravages are perpetrated ; the tonnage of 
stone taken has largely increased. 
Thus at one and ihe same moment the Corporation spends the ratepayers’ 
money in making a show of solicitude for its beautiful waterway, concurs in action 
which goes very far to deprive it of all power in the matter, and proceeds as 
rapidly as possible to do as much harm as it can. Such action is better fitted for 
the stage of a comic opera than for real life. 
* • * • * 
The only drawback to this amusing comedy is that the public of Bristol, the 
public of the West of England, and the public of the whole kingdom will lose 
irrevocably a rare and very beautiful example of river scenery. 
