126 Sheppard : Yorkshire Coast Erosion Committee. 



It has been stated that the erosion of the cliffs in the vicinity 

 of Spurn Point has assumed a serious aspect, and large tracts 

 of land are liable to be flooded. The Humber Commissioners 

 and others, however, have officially visited the district, and we 

 believe some steps have been taken to protect the coast at this 

 point. A careful watch is being- kept by the coastguards and 

 others. 



Early in 1899 there was an extensive fall of cliff at Filey, 

 a short distance north of the ravine, and several thousand tons 

 of Boulder clay were displaced. The greater portion of this, 

 however, has already been removed by the waves. Mr. Stather 

 has secured photographs of the cliffs soon after the fall.* 

 Landslips of a somewhat serious nature have also occurred at 

 Scarborough and Robin Hood's Bay during the last two years. 



It perhaps should here be recorded that, in August 1898, 

 Mr. Tom Pygas, of Withernsea, was brought before the Hull 

 Police Court for removing sand and shingle from the beach at 

 Withernsea. The material removed had accumulated on a bank 

 and in a field above high-water mark, and although for years 

 a high rental had been paid for the field on account of the sand 

 to be collected from it, the defendant lost his case, and had to 

 pay a fine of £1 and costs (over £20). f We notice, however, 

 that gravel and sand in large quantities is regularly being 

 abstracted from the beach at Atwick, Skipsea, and other places 

 on the Holderness coast, without let or hindrance. 



At Withernsea the inroads of the sea have had such an 

 effect upon the cliffs that the groynes formerly erected to retain 

 the beach are becoming useless, partly on account of their ever- 

 increasing distance from the cliffs, and partly for want of repair. 

 After a strong on-shore gale it is now no uncommon thing to 

 see the beach entirely divested of sand and shingle. 



In May 1899, 011 tne occasion of the visit of the Yorkshire 

 Naturalists' Union to Hornsea and Skipsea, an excellent oppor- 

 tunity of examining the condition of the Holderness cliffs was 

 afforded, and of this advantage was taken by most of the 

 members of the Committee and others. The manner in which 

 the land is disappearing in this part of the coast was most 

 obvious. 



In January 1900 various Holderness land-owners met at Hull 

 to consider what steps should be taken to check the inroads of 



* These were exhibited when this report was presented, 

 f See ' Eastern Morning- News,' 24th August 1898. 



Naturalist, 



