Chapter IV: The Waters

Land Artificially Won from the Waters--Great Works of Material Improvement--Draining of Lincolnshire Fens--Incursions of the Sea in the Netherlands--Origin of Sea-dikes--Gain and Loss of Land in the Netherlands--Marine Deposits on the Coast of Netherlands--Draining of Lake of Haarlem--Draining of the Zuiderzee--Geographical Effects of--Improvements in the Netherlands--Ancient Hydraulic Works--Draining of Lake Celano by Prince Torlonia--Incidental Consequences of Draining Lakes--Draining of Marshes--Agricultural Draining--Meteorological Effects of Draining--Geographical Effects of Draining--Geographical Effects of Aqueducts and Canals--Antiquity of Irrigation--Irrigation in Palestine, India, and Egypt--Irrigation in Europe--Meteorological Effects of Irrigation--Water withdrawn from Rivers for Irrigation--Injurious Effects of Rice-culture--Salts Deposited by Water of Irrigation--Subterranean Waters--Artesian Wells--Artificial Springs--Economizing Precipitation--Inundations in France--Basins of Reception--Diversion of Rivers--Glacier Lakes--River Embankments--Other Remedies against Inundations--Dikes of the Nile--Deposits of Tuscan Rivers--Improvements in Tuscan Maremma--Improvements in Val di Chiana--Coast of the Netherlands

CHAPTER V.

THE SANDS.

Origin of Sand--Sand now Carried to the Sea--Beach Sands of Northern Africa--Sands of Egypt--Sand Dunes and Sand Plains--Coast Dunes--Sand Banks--Character of Dune Sand--Interior Structure of Dunes--Geological Importance of Dunes--Dunes on American Coasts--Dunes of Western Europe--Age, Character, and Permanence of Dunes--Dunes as a Barrier against the Sea--Encroachments of the Sea--Liimfjord--Coasts of Schleswig-Holstein, Netherlands, and France--Movement of Dunes--Control of Dunes by Man--Inland Dunes--Inland Sand Plains

CHAPTER VI.

GREAT PROJECTS OF PHYSICAL CHANGE ACCOMPLISHED OR PROPOSED BY MAN.

Cutting of Isthmuses--Canal of Suez--Maritime Canals in Greece--Canals to Dead Sea--Canals to Libyan Desert--Maritime Canals in Europe--Cape Cod Canal--Changes in Caspian--Diversion of the Nile--Diversion of the Rhine--Improvements in North American Hydrography--Soil below Rock--Covering Rock with Earth--Desert Valleys--Effects of Mining--Duponchel's Plans of Improvement--Action of Man on the Weather--Resistance to Great Natural Forces--Incidental Effects of Human Action--Nothing Small In Nature

THE EARTH AS MODIFIED BY HUMAN ACTION.