OBSERVATIONS ON CHANGES IN SEA COAST OF UNITED KINGDOM. 275 



Wales. 



The reports sent in are almost entirely confined to the southern 

 half oi the Principality. Out of twenty-four, eight record loss of land. 



At Barry, owing to occasional landslips due to undermining by the 

 sea, this recession of the coast averages a foot per annum. Sand and 

 stones are removed from the beach for building purposes, and pebbles for 

 lime burning. A loss of coast is also taking place at Oxwich, in the 

 Gower Peninsula. Oxwich Marsh is periodically flooded ; while in 

 December [? 1898] a landslip detached some thousands of tons of rock. 

 Owing to this encroachment the practice of removing shingle &c. from 

 the shore has been discontinued. 



Erosion is also taking place between Llan^lly and the Kidwelly River 

 through storms and high spring tides, and is estimated at about feet 

 per annum. Like other parts of Glamorganshire, there are no groynes 

 along the coast. Shingle and sand are removed for industrial purposes. 



At Tenby a very slight gain is recorded from Giltar Point to St. 

 Katherine's Rock. Here sand is blown up by the south-westerly wind, 

 and held in position by marram grass. By these means high sandhills are 

 formed, for there are no groynes. Sand and shingle are removed in small 

 quantities, but not suflSciently to make any change in the form of the 

 beach or to cause damage to surrounding property. 



In St. Bride's Bay at Broadhaven the sea encroaches slightly, part of 

 the front of the town having been washed away in 1899. Broadhaven is 

 protected by a sea-wall, and shingle and sand have at times been removed 

 from the foreshore. 



Stones cfec. are taken from the shore at Good wick, but no changes in 

 the coast-line are given. No groynes are constructed. 



At St. Dogmells in Northern Pembrokeshire an encroachment is recorded 

 through gradual rotting of the slate, but at Aberporth the sea is stated 

 to be gaining considerably every year, the blue clay on the foreshore 

 being washed away by the sea. Here also gravel and stones are 

 removed from the beach. 



At Penrhyn the cliffs are falling away, the same thing happening at 

 Newquay, Cardigan. At Cibach there are two groynes which catch the 

 shingle, none of which is removed, but with this exception no groynes are 

 recorded from any place in the southern half of Wales. 



In regard to the northern part of Wales a report has been received 

 from Bangor, including the coast line from Moelfre Island to Great Orme's 

 Head, a distance of 38 miles. This part of the coast is stationary ; much 

 is low, with muddy, sandy, or shingle shores, and the vertical range of 

 ordinary spring tides is 19 feet. Sand is used for building purposes. The 

 low sandy coast of Rhyl loses only at the end of the sea-wall, through 

 the backwash of the sea. Groynes built to protect the wall gather sand 

 and shingle. 



^o^ 



No coastguard stations are established between Newquay in Cardigan 

 Bay and Carnarvon, along part of the North Welsh coast, and between 

 New Brighton and Maryporb. Accordingly information concerning the 

 Lancashire and Cumberland coast is but scanty. The marine surveyor 

 to the Mersey Dock Board has kindly given information on the shore 

 between Hilbre Island and Formby Point. He notices an encroachment 

 of the sea along this part of Liverpool Bay. The coast is not protected 



T 2 



