South Coast Harbours 1698 report by Edmund Dummer and Thomas Wiltshaw
	Summary and Conclusion:
	images: click to enlarge
	transcript
Observations upon ye fore recited Ports & Rivers	These short Notes upon the Eighteen Places before Named wee humbly think may be taken for their Just Characters, and distinctions respectiveley, at least they seem so to us, and craving leave to add a Short review of the whole shall submit to better Judgement.
Of Rye Pemsey Cookmere Newhaven Shoreham & Arundell Generall reasons of decay and improbability of repair	It may be observed that the Havens and Rivers of Rye, Pemsey, Cookmere, Newhaven, Shoreham & Arundell are now (whatever they have been) no proper Subjects for improvement for the Navy, For want of that benefitt all usefull Ports have Namely a sufficient indraught of the Sea suitable to the rise of Tydes upon the same Coast that there (on Springs are) Observ'd to be 19 & 20 ft. upright, For industry by enclosing Wast on the One hand, and Nature on the Other, By the plenty of Sullage the Sea Washes from the higher Shoares and carrys about in Motion to Lodge again in Places more confin'd and quiet, have by Degrees not only filled Vast spaces once doubtless possessed by the Sea wth: firme Ground But have likewise Choaked up almost ye very passages of the Land Fresh which Naturally tend to it soe that in these as in the decays of Naturall things in Generall the Conduits and Channells of their being are destroyed with themselves and Wee doubt without hopes of reviving
Difference of the Harbours about the Isle of Wight from those of Sussex	The Ports of and about Portsmouth under ye. Shelter of the Isle of Wight are Observ'd to abound in all ye Accomodations those others are found to want, and altho' these Harbours or recesses of Water doe fall short almost a third of the hight of the Tydes Nature and their Scituation affords the former, it Ordinarily flowing here but 14 ft. the highest which Abates their force and Weight in Proportion, nevertheless these Channells are open, deep, and profitable for all Commerce tho' at the same time also they have less of the Country Freshes to help them.
Of X Church Pool Weymouth & Exmouth their Originall imperfections and incapacity for Shipping	Christ Church, Pool, Weymouth, and Exmouth appear to have Other but more Originall imperfections than are found in those of Sussex, those may have been great indraughts in former times, But these seem never to have been Capable of it, The Soile of the adjacent Land lyes in another Nature, and the Tydes at highest seem to be not above 8 foot, and those Both as remiss and uncertain as the Winds on which their Motion mightily depends, so that their Agitation is in no wise Capable of that force and virtue which the Service of great Shipping call for, besides their Exits are Scituate in great Bayes which render approaches to them more difficult.
Of Dartmouth Fowey Falmouth & Helford how & what circumstances they differ from all ye rest and our opinion of them.	Dartmouth, Fowey, Falmouth & Helford are places of resort upon some occasions, And there are some particulars at Dartmouth improveable for the Services of the Navy, But in other Circumstances all these seem much more Subject to Hazards for the intercourse of Shipping than those Places do that are already in Use upon this Coast of England to which our Order Confines us, wherefore upon the whole wee see little good Grounds to recom~end or advise any Expences or disbursements at any of the Places wee have mentioned and Surveyed from Dover to the Lands-end, for their being made usefull for the Navy - and Remain
Dated ye 19th. Novbr. 1698	Gentn.    Yor. most humble Servts.      Edmd. Dummer. Thos. Wiltshaw      Jams. Conaway. Willm. Cruft.
	South Coast Harbours 1698 report by Edmund Dummer and Thomas Wiltshaw