A PROPOSAL, To prevent further Decay in Harbours, etc. without Charge. TO THE HONOURABLE THE COMMONS of England, in Parliament Assembled.  
Your Petitioner Robert Colepepyr, Gentleman, Humbly Prays,  
That he may more largely Treat of the Decays of our Harbours, Havens and Ports, and touching their Preservation, than is shown 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 Harbour's 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 scour the same; or hath been worn so wide by Storms: Then Sands may be brought from the better proportioned Parts of a Channel, to such lower-end, and may there settle and remain. But how well soever a whole Channel is proportioned 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 Wastes 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 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 Wether, seem therefore to disperse no Sand from Barrs that lie without our Outfalls; But on the contrary, such Barrs then grow higher, and are only taken down by Storms. For Example: Some Sand Banks that lie under Land Shelter remain dry, except some few Tides in a Stream; yet other Banks that lie more Exposed to Storms, are Drowned every Tide; and in this Example it matters not whether Sands lie quiet by means of land Shelter, or from calm Wether.  
Whence the Efflux that's most serviceable to out-fall Barrs, only carries all Sand beyond the out-fall; yet there makes an unpassible Bar 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 Exposed 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 Wether. 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 Bar; Where greater Efflux would lay such Bar more in reach of Storms. Whence it seems fit we should leave fight against those strong Elements, by any new Works; especially where good Navigations and Land-Drains may be otherwise obtained, and at far less Charge.  
The greatest Influx and Efflux we ever had, did widen our respective Channels and outfalls to the breadth such Waters wanted; which breadth generally remains where our Barrs lie. Therefore the Imbankment of salt Wastes do abate the strength of Influx and Efflux, and disable them to scour those wide Passages, and maintain such depth there as greater Waters did.  
To show what Imbankments are so prejudicial, and where Imbankments may be made: I say the salt Wastes in a Channel do deepen any Bar or shallow part of a Harbour; when such Wastes are drowned, before, 'tis high Water over that Bar, or shallow Part. For then those Wastes draw a constant Influx and Efflux over the same: Therefore the Imbankment of such Wastes do seem to lose Water on those Barrs and shallow Parts. But the ends of a Sand Barr that lie 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 Wastes or Basin within, will the better scour and deepen the remainder, or middle part of that Barr. And the ends of a Bar may be so raised by stopping of bottom Water, yet more than two Inches at a time needs not to be stopped, 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 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 Wastes that lie within a Bar, and that would be drowned before 'tis high Water thereon; then the Imbankment lessens Influx and Efflux, and so loses Water on the Bar, and thereby does much more Damage, than benefit to Navigation.  
That side Imbankments should gain depth of Water in one Place, and lose it in another, is a very different Operation from the same Work, and seems not discovered in former times; because such Imbankments were then recommended as generally beneficial to Navigation. From whence the Government did encourage 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 referred.  
Offensive Imbankments on Channel sides, seem by Permission of the Government, and from an Expectation of public Benefit. And though the Government might mistake as before shown: Yet the Gentlemen possessed of those Imbanked Lands, have been at great Risque and Charge for the same.  
The Imbankment of all remaining Sea Wastes, may be Prohibited by Act of Parliament, when such Wastes are drowned before 'tis high Water in the Harbour, and on the Bar without or below such Wastes. 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 Judgements were best esteemed in their time, and myself 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 refer to the same.  
If the Gentlemen who advised 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 Wastes will be Imbanked out of the Indraught of Rye Harbour, before this Honourable House shall meet next. And 'tis probable many other Harbours may be so damnified.  
Our strength at Sea, conduces much to our security against any Neighbouring Nation, that may outnumber 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 Drowned by loss of Water on our Barrs and Flats, at the Mouths of our better Channels.  
If any other Nation use Endeavours to increase its Naval Force, to become our Superior 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 Public Evil attending those offensive Imbankments; yet many more might be enumerated.  
Till the Obstructions are removed out of the main Channel of Rye Harbour, that Harbour cannot be improved; nor can Three Fathom of Water at low Ebb be gained on a new out-fall Bar in those Parts; as by my Petition to this Honourable House (and now before the Committee for Rye Harbour) is proposed. 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 show that Tides and Storms will be enough on my side, to make three Fathom at Ebb, on such Bar 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 Public Money on their Improvements. Therefore I will say no more now touching these Services,  
Robert Colepepyr.   

May the 30th 1698.  
AT the desire of Mr. Colepepyr, I do hereby Certify whom it may concern; That I have perused 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 contained 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, entitle him to Public Encouragement.  
Witness my Hand, Henry Shere.