That he may more largely Treat of the Decays of our Harbours, Havens and Ports, and touching their Preservation, than is shewn in his late Petition for that Service; or in the Bill for the same, now depending before this Honourable House.

THe many Petitions to this Honourable House for Bills, to deepen and cleanse Harbours and Havens, seems to prove Decay in the same: And I apprehend the Sands that cause such Decay, are brought by Land-flouds and Tides: And left on our Barrs. Because the Sea doth Ebb before our Harbours and Channels; and by such abatement in depth, of that wide Expansion without the Harbours Mouth, the Ebbs are kept to good Motion in the Harbours, and Channels, and often have greater Motion there than in the Sea, (viz.) when the Winds are Low; but especially in Calms at Low-water: For then the Sea has no Motion, but a small swell against the Shore and back again.

If the lower-end of the Channel or Harbour, be originally so wide, that the Influx and Efflux cannot scower the same; or hath been worn so wide by Storms: Then Sands may be brought from the better propor­tion'd Parts of a Channel, to such lower-end, and may there settle and remain. But how well soever a whole Channel is proportion'd to the strength of Influx and Efflux; Yet the strength of Efflux must wholly cease where it falls into the Sea: Because the same is much wider than any Channel.

Then whatever quantities of fresh and Salt Waters, may Descend or Ebb from great Wasts or Channels; yet the same, when Issued out of the Channel, can have but such Motion, as then and there attends the Sea. Wherefore I conclude, all Waters that are quiet, or have little Motion, do drop Sand; either within their Channel, or just without it. And that [Page] [...] [Page 2] strength of Influx and Efflux, that cannot keep Sand from settling, while the same is in small Motion, can never raise that Sand again, and carry it away after 'tis settled.

The Influx and Efflux, in quiet Weather, seem therefore to disperse no Sand from Barrs that lye without our Out-falls; But on the contrary, such Barrs then grow higher, and are only taken down by Storms. For Ex­ample: Some Sand Banks that lye under Land Shelter remain dry, ex­cept some few Tides in a Stream; yet other Banks that lye more Expos'd to Storms, are Drown'd every Tide; and in this Example it matters not whether Sands lye quiet by means of land Shelter, or from calm Weather.

Whence the Efflux that's most serviceable to out-fall Barrs, only carries all Sand beyond the out-fall; yet there makes an unpassible Barr of the same, if Storms help not; So the service such out lying Barrs have from Efflux, is by laying all Sand in reach of Storms. And those out-lying Barrs that are most Expos'd to Storms, will always be found lowest, in Seas of the same depth. But a strong Efflux doth carry out Sand from a Chan­nel Barr, and Deepen, and Cleanse Channels and Harbours, even in calm Wea­ther. Which Efflux together with Tides, and such Storms as can blow in those Parts, seem the only means to remove those Evils, and make a lasting depth there: Because the Tendency of Winds and Water, doth effect the same.

Therefore any Works that lessen or obstruct Influx, Efflux and Winds, in Channels and Harbours; do seem to cause those Evils there. And al­so cause Sand to remain and increase on an out-lying Barr; Where greater Efflux would lay such Barr more in reach of Storms. Whence it seems fit we should leave fighting against those strong Elements, by any new Works; especially where good Navigations and Land-Drains may be otherwise ob­tain'd, and at far less Charge.

The greatest Influx and Efflux we ever had, did widen our respective Channels and out-falls to the breadth such Waters wanted; which breadth generally remains where our Barrs lie. Therefore the Imbankment of salt Wasts do abate the strength of Influx and Efflux, and disable them to scower those wide Passages, and maintain such depth there as greater Wa­ters did.

To shew what Imbankments are so prejudicial, and where Imbankments may be made: I say the salt Wasts in a Channel do deepen any Bar or shallow part of a Harbour; when such Wasts are drown'd, before, 'tis high Water over that Barr, or shallow Part. For then those Wasts draw a constant Influx and Efflux over the same: Therefore the Imbankment of such Wasts do seem to loose Water on those Barrs and shallow Parts. But the ends of a Sand Barr that lye dry at Ebb, may be raised to the height of marsh Land; and the same, or any high Salts found there, may be Im­banked of with benefit to Navigation. For then the salt Wasts or Bason within, will the better scower and deepen the remainder, or middle part of that Barr. And the ends of a Barr may be so raised by stopping of bottom Water, yet more than two Inches at a time needs not to be stopp'd, nor will the Charge thereof be considerable; when hereafter this Ho­nourable House shall see fit to mend Navigations by such Works.

Such benefit by Imbankments on Barrs seems certain; For all side Im­bankments [Page] [...] [Page 3] do deepen the Channel wherever the same are made, and force the Tides higher up in the Country, and mend the depth there; and so the Navigation receives benefit by all side Imbankments. But if such Imbank­ments Inn Wasts that lye within a Barr, and that would be drown'd before 'tis high Water thereon; then the Imbankment lessens Influx and Efflux, and so looses Water on the Barr, and thereby does much more Damage, than benefit to Navigation.

That side Imbankments should gain depth of Water in one Place, and loose it in another, is a very different Operation from the same Work, and seems not discover'd in former times; because such Imbankments were then recommended as generally beneficial to Navigation. From whence the Government did incourage or permit Imbankments, without ascertaining where the same might be made. Which mistake in the Go­vernment, with the Interest of Imbankers, have damnified many Har­bours, and wholly lost some. Yet if any should doubt whether the De­cays of our Navigations come from such Imbankments, The same seems also proved by Fact: For our Imbankments and Complaints of Decay have both been greater of late Years than formerly; and Rye Harbour did Decay gradually as Imbankments were made, and that Corporation did prove the same to the Committee of this Honourable House, to whom their Petition touching their Harbour was referr'd.

Offensive Imbankments on Channel sides, seem by Permission of the Government, and from an Expectation of publick Benefit. And though the Government might mistake as before shewn: Yet the Gentlemen pos­sess'd of those Imbanked Lands, have been at great Risque and Charge for the same.

The Imbankment of all remaining Sea Wasts, may be Prohibited by Act of Parliament, when such Wasts are drown'd before 'tis high Water in the Har­bour, and on the Barr without or below such Wasts. And so our Harbours, Havens, Ports and Barrs may be kept from growing worse, by any Im­bankments to be made; and that without Charge, or doubt of Success. For I propose no Works for this Benefit; but hope to obtain the same, on­ly by such Prohibition of this Honourable House as above.

Since the said offensive Imbankments on Channel sides, and also other Imbankments made by Stops cross the Channels, have been made by advice of Gentlemen, whose Judgments were best esteemed in their time, and my self unknown. I did therefore formerly pray the worthy Sir Henry Shere, to give his thoughts of these observations by Certificate: which Certifi­cate he permits me to Print at the end of this Proposal. And have further to Inform, That three of his Majesty's Surveyors (after view of our Coast) agree with me touching the said Imbankments; but in regard their Report (being long on other occasions) is now before the Committee for Rye Har­bour, I therefore pray leave to referr to the same.

If the Gentlemen who advis'd the said Imbankments, could now see their ill Consequences; I am Confident they would also readily agree with me. And if the proposed Bill pass not into an Act this Sessions, I appre­hend five hundred Acres more of Sea Wasts will be Imbank'd out of the Indraught of Rye Harbour, before this Honourable House shall meet next. And 'tis probable many other Harbours may be so damnified.

[Page 4]Our strength at Sea, conduces much to our security against any Neigh­bouring Nation, that may out-number us in Land Forces; and will re­main a security while we are Masters there. And Sea Men are for the use of our Navy, yet by the loss of mean Harbours, and impair of better, we lessen our Breed of those Men; and many more are Drown'd by loss of Wa­ter on our Barrs and Flats, at the Mouths of our better Channels.

If any other Nation use Indeavours to increase it's Naval Force, to be­come our Superiour at Sea; Then the offensive Imbankers seem to assist them therein; (yet with no ill intent) for without good Ports, our Island and Shipping are a feeble Defence. It shall suffice me to mention but this one Publick Evil attending those offensive Imbankments; yet many more might be enumerated.

Till the Obstructions are remov'd out of the main Channel of Rye Harbour, that Harbour cannot be improv'd; nor can Three Fathom of Water at low Ebb be gain'd on a new out-fall Barr in those Parts; as by my Petiti­on to this Honourable House (and now before the Committee for Rye Harbour) is propos'd. But if a Bill shall hereafter be brought in, and open that Channel, the same may probably make five Fathoms of Water at low Ebb in Rye Harbour; and if so, I will then hope to shew that Tides and Storms will be enough on my side, to make three Fathom at Ebb, on such Barr as will settle without my new out-fall. And I the rather expect such depth, because Rye Corporation prove three Fathom of Water now in their Harbour at low Ebb, and that seven Fathom hath been there former­ly; as by their Proofs before the said Committee may appear.

I presume this Honourable House had rather preserve our Navigations from growing worse without Charge, than at present expend Publick Mo­ny on their Improvements. Therefore I will say no more now touching these Services,

AT the desire of Mr. Colepepyr, I do hereby Certifie whom it may concern; That I have perus'd several of his Papers and Proposals, Printed and others, on the Subject of his Memorials, touching the remedies of those many Evils the Nation suffers, through the loss of Water, on our Coast and in Rivers; wherein there seems to me to be contain'd many rational and well grounded Observations a­bout the Decay and Impediments of the Navigation of this Kingdom, by the loss of Water in our Rivers, and the growing of Barrs, Banks and Shelves in our Havens, in sundry places on the Coast, to the great prejudice of the general Com­merce and Water Carriage of the Nation. By which Papers and Proposals, and my frequent Conversation with him on those Subjects, I observe him (according to my poor abilities to Judge,) to be a Person both well instructed in the Theory, and grounded in the Practice and Experience of such Works: Discoursing rightly a­bout the Causes of the said Evils to our Navigation, and Practicably of the Re­medies. Which useful Qualities of the said Mr. Colepepyr, may, I humbly con­ceive, intitle him to Publick Incouragement.