2ndly. Wherever land-springs abound, an egress for the fresh water would ensue, without causing shoots of land to take place, where the former exist beyond or rather above the reach of the stakes recommended, which might retard the formation of the legitimate beach.
3rdly.—It will be decidedly applicable, where dunes or hills of blown sand from their irregularity, produced from the north-east winds, are reduced to an extent liable to admit an irruption of the sea, observable at Eccles, Palling, &c.
And lastly. The application of a plough in a locality where such fissures exist, upon the plan recommended in the ensuing chapter; and due attention to the transplanting the marram [67] from time to time as required, will accomplish the rest without directly interfering with the land belonging to private individuals on the inner side of those banks.
CHAPTER X.
THE AUTHOR’S PLAN FOR EVENTUALLY COUNTERACTING THE INJURIOUS EFFECTS OF THE GERMAN OCEAN ALONG THE EASTERN COAST OF NORFOLK, COMPRISED WITHIN A DISTANCE OF THIRTY MILES, EXTENDING FROM WINTERTON-NESS TO OR A LITTLE BEYOND CROMER.—A PLAN FOR THE ERECTION OF JETTIES SUBMITTED, &C.
The knowledge gained upon this interesting subject, the instances adverted to in the former chapter, prove almost beyond a doubt, that the question—Whether art can arrest the progress of the German Ocean along the Norfolk coast? may be answered in the affirmative.
The first and greatest desideratum necessary to be obtained is a bold shore, formed by a legitimate beach, a term applied by the eminent engineer, previously alluded to, who stated its ascent should be three inches and a half in the yard, which would realize seventeen feet and a half in two hundred and ten yards; a height which no sea upon this coast could ever reach.
From there being plenty of materials in the offing, the ascent could be more gradual, which would be preferable, for a two-fold object must be kept in view; the one, for the preservation of the lands in the interior; the other, for the safety of mariners, should misfortune attend and compel them to run their vessel ashore. Besides the more abruptly a body presents itself, whether natural or artificial, to the almost irresistible force of the tidal wave, when called into excessive action, the less it is likely to remain stable and compact. It will therefore be necessary to ascertain the extent of the shoals existing in the offing, and the elevation likely to be realized may easily be calculated.
A single row of piles driven into the beach at right angles to the shore, wherever a shallow exists, will be sufficient, with plank fastened to them, to encourage the materials, brought by the tidal wave and current, to be retained and lodged against them. The length of the piles necessary, must depend upon the supposed elevation required, taking into consideration, not only the depth of the sand lying at the bottom of the shallow, but also the strata beneath. In a very short time, by gradually adding the plank, the shallow will become filled up, and the tidal wave will pass over without disturbing its surface, the same plan must be adopted wherever a shallow exists at low water mark, but possibly the difficulty of applying the plank in that situation cannot be so easily accomplished; consequently a greater number of piles will be required, as they must be inserted near to each other.
After a shallow has been filled to the level of the beach then existing, and the upper part of the pile still projecting, let plank, if necessary, be gradually added about one or two feet in breadth at a time, as the deposition accumulates.