Journal . is also,whether we should allow the sea to encroach more and moreupon the land, allow the sugar and rice industries to be ruined,and watch with equanimity until Georgetown (taken in flank)has to retire to the sandhills, and the river estates are left (andonly for a short time as they now realise), the last survivorsof an industry built up with brains and millions of dollars bya different type of man. An idea of the enormous amount of money spent in attemptsto combat erosion may be gained from the fact that in 1915,the annual maintenance expenditure was $276,381. In thespring of 1916,
Journal . is also,whether we should allow the sea to encroach more and moreupon the land, allow the sugar and rice industries to be ruined,and watch with equanimity until Georgetown (taken in flank)has to retire to the sandhills, and the river estates are left (andonly for a short time as they now realise), the last survivorsof an industry built up with brains and millions of dollars bya different type of man. An idea of the enormous amount of money spent in attemptsto combat erosion may be gained from the fact that in 1915,the annual maintenance expenditure was $276,381. In thespring of 1916, it was agreed as a result of the CommissionsReport, that expert advice should be obtained on the bestmeans of permanently defending the foreshore against erosionby the sea, and the author was engaged by the Government tomake a report and prepare a comprehensive scheme of protectionworks. The reclamation of large areas of tidal marsh and forestlands in British Guiana was originally accomplished by building. Fig. 1. Tidal Marsh and Tidal Forest. At High Tide theMarsh is Covered by the Sea. WINNING OF TIDAL LANDS IN BRITISH GUIANA. 181 earth dams a short distance behind the seaward edge of themarsh or tidal forest, the construction of dams at right anglesto the sea dam up to the high land behind, or to an inner damparallel to the sea dam. Sluices were constructed in thesea dam to discharge the drainage water at low tide (Fig. 3).When erosion took place and the sea dam was first attackedit was generally protected with fascine work (Figs. 4 and 5), and insome cases by groynes, wave-screens, and vertical piling(Figs. 6, 7 & 8). When the work of protection became tooexpensive for the proprietor to bear, the dam was abandonedand retirement inland was resorted to. - \ i Iff ? p XbJsW^ -:^u isflr r • .-vv»v *V - .•:;*/-i„<^r*fc:: ate? BHHMBsHRfSI SSPn^*-1* ?ms ? ^lQ-^1 r^TlWiTiW| Fig. 2. Mangrove Trees Growing on Foreshore. The erosion which has taken place in the past has not
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade186, bookpublisherlondon, bookyear1861
