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II.—On the Interglacial Gravel Beds of the Isle of Wight and South of England, and the Conditions of their Formation1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 May 2009

Edward Hull
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Extract

Previous Authorities.—The most important work dealing with my subject is that by Mr. Thomas Codrington “On the Superficial Deposits of the South of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight”. In this elaborate essay, which includes all the area with which I propose to deal, the author describes the gravel terraces on both sides of the Solent, including the New Forest, showing how they were originally distributed over surfaces gradually sloping downwards on both sides towards the margin of the sea-coast from a height of about 420 feet on either hand. In the author's view, the plateau gravel beds were spread as sheets over sloping surfaces, themselves intersected by river-valleys which were widened and deepened at a subsequent period after the deposition of the beds of gravel, so as to leave abrupt faces and cliffs exposing sections of the strata. The paper, which is illustrated by sections, leaves nothing to be desired for completeness; but in order to account for the deposition of the gravel-beds he propounds a theory which I am unable to accept.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Geological Magazine , Volume 9 , Issue 3 , March 1912 , pp. 100 - 105
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1912

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Footnotes

1

Communicated to the Geological Society of London, November 8, 1911.

References

page 100 note 2 Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc, vol. xxvi, 528, 1870.Google Scholar

page 102 note 1 Geol. Isle of Wight, 2nd ed. The correct level of the upper surface of St. George's Down, as given in the Ordnance Map, is 365 feet. Probably that of the cliff at Alum Bay is somewhat lower.

page 103 note 1 In Lancashire these Interglacial sand-beds with marine shells are overlain by an Upper Boulder-clay of marine origin, as shown by the shells it contains (Turritella, Fusus, Purpura), and a fine section showing this superposition of the Upper Boulder-clay on the Interglacial sands is laid open on the banks of the Ribble above Preston. I have given an account of these Pleistocene deposits in Contributions to the Physical History of the British Isles, 1882, chap. xiii.Google Scholar The sands and gravel are probably the representatives of the “Middle Glacial beds” of Messrs. Wood and Harmer, of Norfolk.

page 103 note 2 In his communication to the Geological Society entitled “Valley of the English Channel”: Q.J.G.S., vol. vi, 1850.Google Scholar

page 104 note 1 British Association Report, Bristol.

page 104 note 2 Ibid.

page 104 note 3 The margin of the platform nearly coincides with the meridian 9° 5’, W., and its position at the edge of the steep descent has been recorded by Godwin-Austen from soundings by himself (1850). “Valley of the English Channel”: Q.J.G.S., vol. vi, p. 76.Google Scholar

page 104 note 4 Ibid., p. 85.

page 104 note 5 Ibid., vol. vii, p. 130.

page 105 note 1 The author has in preparation a monograph on the “Sub-oceanic Physiography” of the Atlantic Ocean, showing by charts the position of the submerged terraces and river-channels which descend to depths of 6,000 or 7,000 feet, and are continuous with the existing rivers of Europe.