4.24 Geological Survey of the Yorkshire Coast. 
History of Whitby and its Vicinity, take credit to themselves for the patient 
and persevering investigation which they have pursued in their more ex- 
tended survey of the whole coast, from the Humber to the Tees. 
To render this work more perspicuous, it is arranged into three parts. 
The first purports to be a description of all the strata exposed along this 
line of coast, illustrated by a map and section. The second part is devoted 
to an enumeration and description of the petrifactions, their formations or 
strata, and their localities. This portion is illustrated by seventeen coarsely 
executed lithographic plates. The third, and least useful part, contains 
sundry observations, hints, and conjectures on the phenomena presented ; 
and the authors’ speculations on the structure of the earth, and on the 
subsequent destructive operations which are traced on its surface. 
In justice to the compilers of this volume, it ought to be stated, that the 
first edition appeared at a time when the science was somewhat less matured 
than at present ; when the structure ef this country, and the nomenclature 
and arrangement of the strata, were not so extensively determined as now. 
Enquirers were inclined to receive with thankfulness every contribution to 
a science daily becoming more popular ; and the critic was less disposed, at 
that period, to question the attamments of the author or the skill of the 
artist. Certainly, we might avow ourselves to be amongst those who 
entertain doubts on both these points ; but it forms no part of the plan of 
the Magazine of Natural History to treat with unnecessary severity the 
productions of any advocate of philosophical enquiry, or to decry the 
labours of our fellow-students. 
Holderness, the southern portion of this district, is covered by a great 
irregular thickness of what is termed “ alluvium.” This covering appears 
to bear a close resemblance to that great deposit which is distributed over 
the greater part of the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk ; and, like it, con- 
tains interspersed and rounded fragments of almost every known rock. The 
description of the Holderness range of cliffs would almost equally apply to 
that which extends from near Harwich, in Essex, to the west of Cromer, in 
Norfolk ; except that, in the former, postdiluvian deposits are more extensive. 
We looked for some more ample account than we have hitherto possessed 
of “the submarine forest,’ which has been frequently described by other 
writers as stretching extensively along this coast, and even far into the inte- 
rior, and which has derived its appellation from the circumstance that beds 
of peat containing trees occur, in many instances, below the level of the sea 
at low water. But we find that the authors of the Geological Survey are of 
opinion that this woody stratum is not universally continuous, but that it 
occurs only in certain spots or patches, the greater part of the coast being 
free from these vegetable remains. “ The largest of the patches occur where 
the cliff is very low, or where there can scarcely be said to be any cliff at all ; 
and those small patches which occur where the cliff is lofty, as between 
Sandley Mere and Hornsea, are not found at the foot of the cliff, or within 
reach of the tide, but always a few feet below the surface.’ From certain 
facts which are enumerated, it is concluded that “ these supposed remains 
of submarine forests are only the bottoms of fresh-water lakes, or meres, 
which the sea has broken into, and drained.” The accuracy of this conclu- 
sion can only be ascertained by a careful examination of the coast.* This 
cannot be pursued with the ordinary rapidity of a geological survey. Ina 
range of cliffs, composed of loose materials, incessantly slipping, attached by 
* It is only since the above paragraph was written that Mr. Phillips’s 
section and description of the Yorkshire coast has reached us. He bears 
testimony to the accuracy of the views of his predecessors; and we acknow- 
ledge that he has perfectly established the case as to lacustrine deposits in 
Holderness, 
