Lin. LYME REGIS. The William Wood- code, 33 feet by 8 feet, 10 oars.

SITUATED in a valley between two hills, on the extreme western seaboard of Dor- setshire, Lyme Regis has been a place of some importance, not only in history, but also on account of the attention it has received from eminent geologists in con- nection with the great landslip which oc- curred in-December 1839, at Dowlands, in the parish of Axmouth, about 8 miles west of the town. Many thousands of | people have been attracted to the neigh- bourhood in consequence, and no doubt a good many more have heard of, and a good deal has been written on, this wonderful slip, which has proved such an attraction, and made this fascinating little watering place so well known.

The scenery too, on this part of the coast is charming, and well repays visitors any fatigue they have experienced from the journey- Four hours rail from Waterloo will I bring the traveller to Axminster, a town once famous for the manufacture of car- I pets, but this industry, like others, is now j a thing of the past. Here a well-horsed coach is in readiness at the Station to convey passengers by road to Lyme Regis, a distance of 5 miles. The drive com- mences with a hill 2 miles in length, at the summit of which a magnificent pano- rama of the surrounding county, or rather counties, fully repays one for the slowness of locomotion; for although the horses are in capital condition, rather more than an hour is occupied with this final stage of the journey.

The population of Lyme is about 2,000, and is decreasing, owing to the want of railway communication with the outer world, which is only accessible by the above-mentioned drive to Axminster, or by way of Charmouth to Bridport, a distance of 10 miles through exquisite scenery.

A good many political railways have j been projected, but from various causes none have been commenced, though in one case the preliminaries were sufficiently advanced to warrant the first sod being turned. On that occasion the town re- joiced greatly, but here again circum- stances intervened which prevented any farther progress being made.

Lyme was fortunate enough to attract the attention of Edward the First, who, in the free and easy fashion prevalent in those days, appropriated to himself the title of Lord of the Manor, and presented the little town to his wife Eleanor. The addition of Regis was then first added, and from that time it has been styled Lyme Regis, or King's Lyme.

The connection thus established was a source of great advantage to the town, to* which privileges were granted denied to less fortunate localities. In addition it enjoyed the benefit of a harbour, and a large trade was thus attracted from all parts of the world.

The local name for this harbour is the " Cobb/* which is in shape very much like a sickle, the convex form of the curve being presented to the S.W. It is shel- tered on the N.E. side by a breakwater of stone, and the entrance to the harbour is effected between it and the end of the "Cobb." The origin of the name " Cobb " is quite unknown and is peculiar to the place, and no record exists of its first construc- tion or of the name of the man who de- signed it. A violent storm caused great damage to the structure in the year 1824, every vessel being swept out of the har- bour. It was restored, however, at a cost of above 17,0001, a grant of 13,000?. being made by the House of Commons, and the remainder was raised by the Cor- poration. No other harbour of refuge exists between Torbay on the west and Portland to the eastward.

Although Lyme Regis is protected in great measure from the swell of the ocean, being situated in the great bay between Start Point and Portland, the sea is never- the less dangerous, a statement not to be denied with the example before us of the destruction of the Cobb in 1824, and vessels when driven out of their course in thick weather by strong winds are liable to become embayed, and to work out again clear of the land is sometimes a matter of difficulty. The dangers of this part of the coast are, in fact, so well known, that a wide berth is given to it by passing vessels. One of the well- known Channel landmarks is situated between Lyme and Bridport, namely the "Golden Cap;" so that as soon as land can be seen a vessel immediately realises her danger.

A sea-wall protects that part of the town between the Cobb and the Assembly- rooms, and constitutes the Marine Parade or "Walk," as it is termed. This pro- menade is quite sheltered by the cliffs from the keen N. and N.E. winds, and in the depth of winter, in fine weather, the old men may be seen seated on the benches placed at intervals along the walk, basking in the sun and enjoying the lovely view of the bay.

The east side of the town is unfortu- nately quite unprotected, and the church cliffs are gradually crumbling into the sea. A portion of the churchyard has already disappeared, and unless something is soon done for its security, the remainder is bound to follow.

The parish church, dedicated to St. Michael, was rebuilt in the sixteenth century. The following extract is taken from a " Summer Day's Ramble on the Cliffs," and is well worthy of notice:— "On the south side of the capital of one of the pillars are the initials W. D. in a shield. These are the initials of William Daye, who was Mayor of Lyme in 1491, in the reign of Henry VII. But more valuable than this is the doctrine in stones which is found near the Corpora- tion pew, and on the capital facing south, there is seen a beautifully - executed symbol, known as St. Jerome's esoteric symbol of the Holy Trinity. The follow- ing is an outline of the ancient symbol:— Thus, while minister and congregation have throughout these many ages been reciting in this church their belief in the all-important doctrine of 'God in Three Persons, Blessed Trinity,' this sculptured pillar has ever been attesting by its silent symbol the. same great truth, that the Father is God; the Son, God; the Holy Ghost, God. The Father is not the Son; the Son is not the Holy Ghost; the Holy Ghost is not the Father." The principal trade of Lyme Regis is the blue lias stone which is found in seams in the cliff-side, and is considered, when used under water for such purposes as dock-making, to be equal to the best Portland cement. Large quantities are sent to Hull, where it is much used in the construction of the Hull and Barnsley Dock. The houses are built principally of this stone, and some of them present a strange appearance due to their fronts and sides being protected with slate to keep the damp out. The loss of land from the slipping of the cliffs is principally due to the agency of water, and has, no doubt, been materially assisted by the excavation of limestone at the base of the cliffs.

The top-soil is composed of chalk and a green, porous sand, and rests on a solid seam of the lias clay, which has a natural incline or slope towards the sea. The water draining through, until it reaches the impervious lias seam, is thrown out in large quantities. The top soil is by this means considerably affected, and that nearest the lias becomes impregnated with water, so that, aided by the dip of the lias seam, all the requisite material is furnished for a slip of the slimy mass along the inclined and slippery surface of the clay to a lower level.

In the year 1852 the attention of the Life-boat Institution, then termed the " National Shipwreck Institution,'' was called by Captain Willoughby, command- ing the Coastguard, to the want of a Life- boat at Lyme Regis. A boat, designed by Mr. Peake on the self-righting principle, was accordingly ordered to be built, and the year following was sent to its destina- tion. Her first wreck service was accom- plished in January 1854, under very trying circumstances, when she was in- strumental in saving a crew of five men.

This boat was superseded by another boat in 1866, and has saved 26 lives and rescued two vessels from destruction.

It was in this bay that the late Mr. Walter Powell, M.P., in the Government balloon " Saladin," was blown out to sea and was never heard of again. It may be in the recollection of our readers, that on the 10th December, 1881, the Government balloon "Saladin," in charge of Captain Templar, B.E., who was accompanied by Mr. W. Powell and Mr. Gardner, left Bath, and passing over Somerset, proceeded in the direction of the Dorsetshire coast.

Finding the balloon was rapidly drifting seaward, they attempted to descend in the neighbourhood of Bridport. The violence with which she came to the ground was so great that Captain Templar and Mr. Gardner were thrown out, and escaped with slight injuries. Their less fortunate companion succeeded in retaining his seat, and the balloon, released from the weight of two of the occupants of the car, in- stantly rose to a great altitude, and passed rapidly out to sea. A telegram was imme- diately sent by Lloyd's agent at Bridport, to Mr. Mahoney, commanding the coast- guard at Lyme Regis, stating what had occurred, and requesting that the Life- boat might be sent in search. The boat was at once launched and remained out all night, but finding no vestige of the balloon, returned to her station in the morning.

A new house is now being built for the Life-boat on a different site, which will permit of easier access to the har- bour. The Station is under the super- vision of a Local Committee, composed of resident gentlemen, who by their personal influence maintain local interest and at the same time keep a careful watch over the Life-boat establishment committed to their charge.