858 KEroRT— 1886. 



13. In general terms it may be stated that there are no removals of stone, sand, or 

 shingle from our coast. These when wanted are obtained from inland quarries, 

 for roads, buildings, &c. 



1ft. No doubt the coast is being worn back, but at a very slow rate indeed. That it 

 has been much worn is certain by the rugged outline. 



It seems as though the outline of the rocky coasts will be for centuries as 

 they are now, they having arrived at the maximum resistance and being well 

 able to hold their own. The same cannot be so confidently stated with respect 

 to the coal and shingle shores. 



a. Newgale and Amroth. — It is said that when the tide is very low, and there 

 happens to be then a storm that washes the sand away, there have appeared 

 at both these places stumps and roots of ancient trees, and in the case of 

 Newgale Sands there have been exposed stone pavements and walls which were 

 witnessed by reliable men in the last century (see Fenton's 'Pembrokeshire '). 

 Traditions are told in the county of forests occupying these two bays. It is 

 obvious that the sea has not finished its advances at these parts of the coast. 

 to. Where there are cliffs there is no perceptible erosion. 



c. Its rate is very slow, and maj' be said to be imperceptible. 



d. Not known. 



15. Not applicable to Pembrokeshire. 



a. iShingle not abstracted. 



b. No groynes. 



16. No reclamations of land. 



17. There are very considerable dunes of blown sand. 



a. They are locally known as the ' Burrows ' ; most likely by that name 

 because rabbits burrow in them and live in them in great numbers. 



I>. Mean height about 40 feet ; greatest about 60 feet from their own base. 



c. Not connected at all with river-mouths, nor with areas of shingle ; in aU 

 instances they appear to have been blown up from the sand on the sea-shore ; 

 the grains are very fine and regular. It is remarkable that some of these hills 

 of blown sand are af^ a great distance from the shore, sometimes a mile, and 

 the base of the sand-liill 200 feet above sea-level ; and yet there is no doubt 

 that they came from the sea. 



d. They are probably increasing, but not in an observable degree. 



e. They do not blow over the land, but retain their mound-like shape 

 always. As suggested in the question, they are much prevented from blowing 

 away by the presence of vegetable growth, of which there is a good covering 

 and a great variety, comprising Juncus acuttis (great sharp sea-rush) ; its roots 

 form a matted mass that aid much in consolidation ; Carcx arenaria (sea- 

 sedge), abundant on the sand, where it is of great service in preventing the 

 shifting ; Cunvolvidus Soldanella (sea bind-weed), very common on the sand- 

 hills ; Eryngium. viaritiiiium (se&-\io\\y). A dwarf wild rose, resembling the 

 Scotch rose, is also common on the sand. The purple sea-rocket, stork"s bill, 

 sea-milkwort, the yellow horned poppy, and such like flowers, with wire-haired 

 grasses in great variety. Another reason why the sand does not blow away 

 is that most of the high winds are accompanied by rain, except the east wind, 

 so that little would blow away when wet ; and the east wind would only have 

 the effect in blowing the top dry grains to the westward, which would only 

 be a superficial action, and not go below the roots of the herbage. 



19. There are pebbles at Freshwater West Baj^ about the size of those at Newgale, 

 but not anything like the extent or variety of stones ; when the waves are very 

 high these are rolled violently against one another, and produce a deafening 

 noise that is lost in the general roaring of the storm; but it happens sometimes 

 that huge waves, locally called the ' ground swell,' come in and break on the 

 shore, wlicn there is no wind. They are the effect of storms that have blown 

 themselves out at sea, and the waves rolling in break on the coast, .sometimes 

 with great violence, when there is no wind. These agitate the pebbles, so that 

 they can be heard distinctly in Pembroke and Pembroke Dock, a distance of 

 eight or nine miles. The attrition thus caused must wear the pebbles con- 

 siderably. It is probable, however, that new loose stones are being washed in 

 to repair this loss. In this way in low places on this coast the sea has before 

 it the well-assigned duty of washing up and piling up a barrier against itself. 



