4S4 Geological Survey of the Yorkshire Coast, 



Histmy of Whitby and iff 1^'tciniti/, 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. 



Injustice 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 of 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 attainments 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. In a 

 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. 



