The Weekly News and Visitors' Chronicle for Colwyn Bay Colwyn Llandrillo Conway Deganwy and Neighbourhood

Erosion on the Welsh Coast. NORTH-WESTERN COMPANY'S SEA DEFENCES. WILL RHYL BECOME AN ISLAND? Before the Royal Commission. on Cot Erosion, at Great George-street, Westminster, Mr. William Dawson, chief aSlsistant engineer for the mainten-an.de of permanieinit way amid works on the London and North-Western Rail, way, an,d a me,m,be,r of ,the Institution of Civil Engineers, sltated that until 1902 he was di- visional engiÍneer on the Chester and Holyhead Railway, and had charge of the line and sea defences .along the North Wales Coast. He was well acquainted wiith this changes which had taken place in the foreshore o-f that por- tion of the coast which -'bordered upon the London and North-Western Railway, and with the measures which had been adopted from time to time for preveinting of the sea and damage to the line and "vor'-is. Beginning at the western end, he- said the first strip of coast line alongside which the railway runs extends from Llanfairfeichan Station to CONWAY MORFA, a distance of five and a half miles, and large sum-s of money had been spent by the; railway company in s'ea defence works, c.onsisting prin. ci-pally of heavy masonry walls, pitched atone slopes, or a combination of both. The fore- shore between Llanfairfechan and Pe-nmiaen- mawr stations consist partly of Pen-maenmawr granite and partly of boulder clay, overlying v/hitch are scattered shingle and boulders. Near low-water line- there is a quantity of sand, which varieis, considerably from time to time. Opposite the Penmaenmawr Mountain a con- siderable ,amount of erosion has taken place, amounting to a, maximum, üf about 41ft. since 1889. The average depth of erosion, however, in front of the walls between Llanfairfechan station and the east side of Penmafenmawr Mountain iis about 131M1. in seventeen years, and this has been met either by constructing counter, forts to the old walls, with dleeper foundatio-nis, or by an extension of the stone-pitched apron. Between Pen-maemmawr Mountain and Con- way Morfa there are good sands exit-ending for a width -of -from 700 to 1,000 feet at low water ordinary tide. The land between Penmaen- mawr and Penmaembach Mountains is com- posed of easily e-rodible graveL and boulder clay protected by sea walls on the coast Glide of the railway. The foreshore at this place has, since the year 1889, been -eroded for an average depth of 2ft. 31111. Immfediately west of Pen,mae-,itba,ch tunnel is a sea wall, which was -destroyed and rebuilt, aft-er a heavy gale on January 121th, 1899. The records show an average erosion of the fore- shore between the years 1890 and 1904 of ift. 4in. In the year 1894 four timber groynes were constructed, which have a beneficial effect on the shore immediately adjoining the foot of the wall. At the present time this is well protected with shingle. East of the Pemmaenbach Mountain there has been, an accretion in the angle at the commencement of the Moirfa, where the coastline leaves- the railway in a north- easterly direction. The railway company's -sea djeifenc-e: worto again commtence at OLD COLWYN STATION, where west of Tan Penmaen Head the land con- sists of boulder clay, rising abruptly from the beach for a height of 30ft. to 40ft. The fore- shore comsists of shingle, and is subject to con- siderable- variation, there havin.g been a rtise off 2ft. between 1890 arid 1906, and a fall of 3-fit. during the last twelve months. Tan Penmaen Head is a promontory of hard crystalline lime. stone, at the east end of which are bouldlelr clay cliffs, 50ft. in height and upwfa-rds. This is gradually being eroded, but the railway is at a comparatively safe distance away. Denbighshire commenceis halfway between Llysifaen and Abergele- stations, and extends, to t'he mouth of the River Clwyd, a distance of about six and a half miles. The boulder clay, speaking generally, ex- tends to Abergele station,, from* which place to the Clwyd estuary the foreshore consists, of alluvium, beds of sand, loam, and mash clay, and which, if unprotected, are very easily eroded. The railway company have spent large sums of money in protectii-ng the line be- tween Abergele and Foryd stations, the works consisting of an earth embankment pitched with st-one on the sea face and surmounted by a parapet. There is very little shingle on, this part of the- coast, and a gradual erosion has been going on. for some years. During the past eighteen years the average fall in the level of the foreshore has been about two feelt. 'The railway company have constructed a number of stone groynes at the east end of the Rhuddllarn Marsh Embankment, and, although the rgroynes have not yet been down a sufficient length of time rto enable a de-aided opinion to be formed as to their effect, they have, on. the whole, been beneficial, inasmuch as the foreshore immedi- ately adjoining the pitched slope has been raised considerably in places. Several timber groyn-es were tried pIlior to this, but their effecrt gener- ally has not been so beneficial as-'the stone groynes. The shore at this place is very flat, albio-uit. I in 70, therefore had it noit been for the railway company's embankment or similar pro- flt tective works- a strip of land about 140L wide would have be2a:J. lost to the sea. The railway company have also constructed an inset cop, extending from Foryd station to the -embank- ment over -the- Fo-ryd pier line, for the purpose of protecting the railway in the event of the sandhills and small earth cop alongside the shore ,opposite this place- being washed away by the sea. A breach was made in 1905, practi- cally the wlhole of the intervening land being under water. The coast of Flintshire extends from Rhyl to the upper end of the Dee estuary. The first portion of the coast, extending for 8% miles as far as the Point of Ayr, is all blown sand, with alluvium beds exposed -at times. There is a narrow stiip of shingle at the foot of the sand dunes, and a considerable area of land behind the- -dunes is below the level of thebishe.st tides. Owing to the rapid erosion and disap- pearance of the sandhills East of Rhyl the rail, way company have recently raised their rail level above the height of the highest .tide-s, and protected the northern face of the embankment by means; of sitome-pit-ching. The Flintshire coast -east of Point of Aye, i.e., along the Dee Estuary, extendis- to Connah's Quay, a distance of about 14:% miles. I-t is bordered by low- lying alluvial land, which has been reclaimed at various times within the last 200 years. The foreshore alongside the railway consists for the most part of salt marshes and mud flats-, the railway being protected from high tides by means -of embankments- of greater or less mag- nitude. The main channel in, the- River Dee is con- tinually .shifting and it became necessary in 1887 to take especial protective measureis along- Slide the [Mostyn Embankment o-wirnig to the rapid erosion which was taking place in the bed of the channel. At one time- (in 1892) this bed of the -channel was 49 feet below low water spring tide. After a few years this channel be,an, to 0108181 up again, and there is now a thickness, of 50 feet of slit where the greatest depth of water was. In 1904 the Holywell Em- bankment adjoinin.g was attacked by another change in ;the position of the channel, a breach being made 600 yards wide, and 45 acres of land between the embankment and the railway was flooded at high water. This embankment did not belong to the railway company, and by arrangement with the Ian-downers- and the Dee Conservancy Board' large quan-titde.s of rubble stone and slag were deposited to check the en- croachment, which at tfii-s- place was 27ft. deep- ait low waiter. Precautionary measures have since been taken .to prevent further encroach- ment eastwards towards Holywell by depositing large quantities of surplus rough -sandstone rock excavated from our new dock at Garston. Slight encroachments a,re still taking place, but which can be readily dealt with. From this point the channel leaves the Welsh coast un-itil Flint is approached, between, which place there is a stretch of mud and sand at low tide- from, one to two and a half miles- wide. South-east of Bagillt station the railway company own- the embankment known as Lord Vivian's Embank- ment,, against which the channel came in 1893 but, as it has previously been tin this- position, the embankment was. well p-r-oteicted by a stone pitched face and groynes at right angles- to the pitching. It has since receded, and at the present! tame is entirety silted up. From this place to C'onmah's Quay the protection of the railway consists of sitone parapeit wall and stone-pitched foreshore, and is- only covered by w8itr,' at spring tides. By the Chairman: The turnpike1 road at PENMAENMAWR MOUNTAIN had been affected not only by the sea, but by the land water. The Chairman- asked whether the witness I considered! the railway ipeirfipctly safe on the east side of Rhyl. He explained- thaJtalcaordilnlg to evidence already given the Corporation of Rhyl had carried out prospective works up to- the borough 'bo'undary,, but that on the property immediately adjoining nothing had been done. It had been noii-nfed out that in COlli sequence Rhyl imighit soon become -an island, and that the railway was in danger of being washed away by the approach of the sea on the east side of the town. The witness said this could not "oslslihly hap- pen. Although the- sandhills werte being rapidly eroded and blown away as well, yeit the levels of tlhe land east of Rhyl were higher than any known tide. lit was quite true that if the s-aind. hills were entirely washed away at that point some of the land between the 'sandhills and the railway would be flooded, and in order to guard -against that the railway company raised their lines so that' they should be safe,. But •there was no. relaison to think that the flooding would affect Rhyl because the highest known itidle wais 1748-2 ,fde't .aibove ordinanlce daltuin, whereas that portion of Rhyl was from 21 to 22 feert above -ordnance datum. The Chairman If there was an inundation there' would be no fear of A REALLY NATIONAL DISASTER? The witness replied that on the west side of Rhyl one or two of the streets had ordnance Levels of about 16 feet above datum, and the railway company would probably have to do some work there. But he did not regard this 'as a point of danger. If there was flooding it would noti be by wafer from the sea, but by water from, the Clwyd 'getting over the emihank- mteinitis, which were in want of -repair. By Sir William Mathew Speaking generally, the North Wales coast was in very good con- dition. The weakest place, to his mind, was the weist end üf the" sandbanks at Rhyl. The roughest sea.s were at Abergele. The railway company in the last twenty-six years had spent ^'249,685 on st-,a defences on the Welsh coast, made up as follows :-On Holywell Embank- ment 648,055, on Rhuddlan Marsh Embank- ment ^52,691, on Abergele Embankment, ^14,784, on Penmaanmawr sea-wall £ 95,005, and at various other parts £ 12,168. These sum,s had be,in spent out oif revenue, and there had been no contribution from landowners, although their l-and had been p.-ro-tefcited by the works. By Mr. Rider Haggard: He disagreed with a great deal of the evidence given, by Mr. J. H. Ellis. He disagreed with his statement, that Rhyl wa.s threatened, and if the -erosion con- tinued it would practically become an island. The railway company contributed indirectly to the defences of Rhyl because they were large ratepayers,. By Dr. Jehu The danger of flooding any portion of Rhyl would only arise- through a high tjde going into- the River Clwyd, and overflow, ing it-Ite banks, which were in want of repair. Rhyl could not be flooded through the erosion of the sandbanks at the- east end of the town. The intervening l-and might be flooded, but there was higher land between them, and the town. In fact, Rhyl would not become -an island?— No. Replying to further questions), the. witness said- the action of the sea in going through the arches of the viaduct at Penm:aenmlawr had, no doubt, damaged the cliffs. He did not think the County Council had made any complaint on ith-e subject. In the original construction of the- railway by Robert Stephenson there was a srea waH at this- pciin-t, a.nd it was wa,shed away during a heavy gale before the line was com- pleted. Robert Sitephenson then thought it better that the, force of the 'sea should expend ita-elif on a beach right up to the cliffs, and that was why -the- -arches- were built. The witnes-s was next asked whether there was- any danger of the land nisar the Llan- line becoming er od ed and THE GREAT ORME becoming an island. He replied that he had never known that land, which was used princi- pally as golf links, to be flcodje-d by the highest spiring tide. Asike-d whether -any of the nia-rsh-is or flats between the Point of Ayr and Conna-h's Quay were reclaimiable, witness said he did not think any area there was- worth the expense. By Mr Beale, M.P. Where the rail-way abuts on the sea it was. of viiital importance that the defences should be under the. direct control of the company. Even, where the line was s-oim-e- disitance- inland it wa.s almost equally important that the company should -see that the embank- ments were properly maintained. Would you forego- any claim you might have under a. morie comprebaneive system for the sake of having control -of the wo-rk-s?—I do not know that I am. prepared to -say that,, becatise- if the landlord is- going to- benefit under some central authority, I do not see why the- railway com- pany -should not benefit also. By ,Mr. Summerbell, -M.P. Where the com- pany constructed sea-walls which benefitted the landlord, he fho-ugh-t they should get some contribution from him towards the cost.

Claim Against a Bishop's Butler. PECULIAR CASE AT RHYL. At Rhyl, on Friday. Mrs. Sarah IMarila Jones, cif St. Asaph, who was described by Mr. J. Ro- bents Jones, solicitor, as "a widow of meagre means," claimed from Thomas Leonard Smiiith. butler to the- Bishop of St. As-aph, 1-3 to foe due for lodgings of defendant's two- cbiM- ren and the carts of them durinig an attack of scarlet fever. vlr. Roberts Jones- stated that during the- time that pl-aintiiff's son was down with scarlet fever the Bishop of St. Asaph arranged with ht r that she should receive the defendant's family intio heir house-, one of defendant's daughters having lihie fever, and the Bishop did not care to. have a cas-e in the lodge at the Palace, St. Asaph. The Bishop agreed to. pay Ci per week for the lodgings, while d'efendant was to bciaird the family himself. The family stayed at plaintiff's until dlefendant'isi wife contracted tiyphoid fever and she had to go to the Infirmary. Defend- anit's daughter got well, but stayed with plain- tiff until later on a second daughter contracted the fever, and -at defendant's re'que.at plaintiff agreed to nurse her. Plaintiff lodged, boafldl: d. and nursed defendant's daughter. Plainttiff had lost two lodgers-, and had to pay 5s. per we,elk for lodgings for her son in consequentce of the defendant's daughter's illness. The Bishop p-aiid for the defendant's wife and .two girls, for six weeks at £ t- per waek, and deifemdanit also. palicl ^3 in all in respect of ftbia -second peno-ci. Plaintiff had had to. destroy her b-ed and re- paper -the homae. Pl-ainitiff lost two lodgers and certain cyclists. The Bishqp had paid some- tlhiinig with reisipeict to what the plainltiiff had to destroy. Mr. Pierce Lewis- argued that 10-s. per \v» k by the Bishop's butler was reasoinalb-le. The Judge saiid he re,al.i,-A-d -that iit wajs hard on both parties, but he did not think £ 1 per week was itoo littl-e, and gave judgment for plaintiff for £3 at 10s. per mo-nith. Durinlg the hearing o-f ithe case IÍJt was -si aited that notwithstanding that the family of the Bishop's butler with .fever went to plaintiff's house, a Baptist minister lodigled there the whole- time. Mr. Roberts Jones: And all credit to him—a brave man.

m. K ENDAL, MILNE & CO., MANCHESTER. TELEGRAMS: KENMIL." TELEPHONES 1746 Drapery, 694 Furniture. CHHISTMAS HOLIDAYS, 1907. KENDAL, MILNE & CO.'S ESTABLISHMENTS WILL BE CLOSED XMAS DAY (WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 25th) AND BOXING DAY (THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26th) RE-OPENING ON FRIDAY (DECEMBER 27th) at 8.30 AS USUAL. WHEN CLOSED AND ON SUNDAYS FUNERAL ORDERS AND URGENT COMMUNICATIONS ARE ATTENDED TO AT 60, KING-ST., MANCHESTER. KENDAL, MILNE & CO., MANCHESTER. 2781 I Corrugated Roofing Sheets, Ridgings, Gutters, Fencing Wire, IRON WHEELBARROWS, IRON WHEELBARROWS, Cattle Troughs, Tanks, &c. UREN, ROGERS & CO., IRON MERCHANTS, I SMITHFIELD STREET, 2372 BIRMINGHAM. m Xmas AND New year. Seasonable Gifts IN FURS, JERSEYS, BLOUSES, LACE NECKWEAR, MOTOR bCARVES, TIES, COLLARS, BELTS, SACHETS, HANDKERCHIEFS, GLOVES, &c. I IIRIIilncrp, Children's Outfitting I a V<T (Y\iss<?S Thomas, Fancy Drapers, 7, High Street, CONWAY. m -==-=-=-=-,==-c- G. MARFELL, GENERAL AND FURNISHING IRONMONGER, Abergele Road, Telephone 2X. GO L W Y N BAY. FOR ELECTRIC LIGHTING, PLUMBING, GASFITTING, KITCHEN RANGE and HOT WATER WORK. Large and Up-to-date Stock of LAMPS, STOVES, GAS PENDANTS, BRASS AND COPPER FIRE SUITES, ELECTRO- PLATED GOODS, CUTLERY AND TOOLS at prices to suit all buyers. GUNS, RIFLES, AIR GUNS and AMMUNITION of all kinds. A few good Second-hand Guns for Sale, cheap. INSPECTION INVITED. Satisfaction Guaranteed. 3110 Best and RUBBER APPLIANCESCheapest. Don't Delay. Write to-day tor large new revised M Illustrated Book. Post Free in sealed envelope. H W. J*r. ATKINSON'S, i 56, HILL ST., MIDDLESBROUGH, H ESTABLISHED 36 YEARS. H W. JONES, Coal Merchant and General Carrier. Terms, &c.. apply- EURYN STABLES, Tel., 5x5. RHOS-ON-SEA. 2363

Football, &c. I (Continued fvom page 12). THE NORTH v. SOUTH MATCH. After the hockey match, East v. West, played at Llandudno, the Selection Committee chose. the following team to represent North Wales in the match against South Wales, which will take place at Llandudno on January 25th. Goal: M. H. Davies, Bangor University; Backs: F. W. Fosbery, Bangor, and Charles Jones, Llan- dudno. Half-backs: T. J. Whitehouse, Wrexham; G. Parry Jones, Trefnant; and Frank Connah, Colwyn Bay. Forwards H. Connah, St. Asaph E. Bone, Llandudno W. E. Jones, Llandudno D. Rees Evans, Wrexham and E. Barlow, Bangor. Football Sparklets. (BY "SEARCHLIGHT.") Oh, this Liverpool team gives me the jumps. Newcastle United fairly swamped the Pudliiians on Saturday. 5-1 takes a great deal of ex- plaining away, my hearties. But Newcastle on Saturday's for'm would have beaten any team in the British Isles. And now it c,om,e,s to. this, that if Manchester United are not very careful they will find themselves behind the Novocas- trians before Lankashire and Yorkshire com- mence cricket practice. While Liverpool were floundering hopelessly about in the mud at Anfield, Everton were act- ing rthe burglars at Roker Park, from where ,they stole two valuable points. By Jove, things are looking awfully foggy Sunderland way. The "team of all the talents" have never donle so. well after .Secretary Tom Wiafeon left them for Liverpool. I am beginning to think, after all I have said to the contrary, that poor Chelsea have srbill a -chance of escaping the bottom two positions, which means an undignified shunt to D i vis ion II. < < Neither Sunderland nor IMiddlesiborough are out of th,e wood yet. And Notts Forest /have nothing to crow about. 11 Glad ito s'ee good old Bury hovering about the top of the table. The Shakers are worthy of our sympathies, for they have been shrugglin.g for existence with grim determination for many years. Wlha»t with) poor "g1aiiles" and (injury to players they have had a sorry time of it. But some clubs, especially Bury and Weist Brom- wich Albion, seem to thrive on bad luck. » < Woolwich Arsenal are paying .for ;their in-and- out. form with a vengeance. Fancy only a "gafle" of 3,000 on Saturday. When they were doing well in Division II. they uised to draw tremendous crowds. No, the "upper ciircle" does not mean beer and skittles for every club that has the luck(?) to be promoted. Last year, for inisitanioe, Notitis Forest drew better "gates" than they had done for years in Divi- sion I. Holyhead romped home with plenty to spare against Carnarvon oin Saturday. I don't know how to account for it but I have never known a really good "classy" team coming from Car- narvon. I cannot call to mind any grieait player glivien by Carnarvon to the football world. If I am wrong I am pretty sure to hear about iit. < < For the sake of Wales I am glad ito gee Charlie Morris is in such splendid form just mow. He was as impregnable as ever when playing against Wesit Bromwich Albion on Saturday. The 2—o defeat of the Tbroisjtltes by Derby County has jeopardised their chances of promotion very considerably. It now looks .almoslt plain sailing for Oldham Athletic and Derby County. Warren, of the last-named 'team, will certainly play for England in some if not all of the international maltcheis. Rutherford has no rival as England's outside- itiigibt. On present form Jack Sharp has no chanoe for the honour named. Failing Ruther- ford, I -fancy Goddard, who, on his day, is quite the equal of the Newcastle crack. Barring 'Meredith, who, of course, is in a class abso- lutely by himself, Goddard is the most perfect and polished right winger I have known since the great Bassetlt was in his prime- But the fact remains that the Liverpool flyer hasn't been blessed with a decent partner. Henoe his fluc- tuating play. Ever,ton are well advised in persevering with Stevenson in preference to W. Baimer. The latter can play a perfect game at times, but look out squalls when he is off form And the mischief of it is, he has been off form a great deal too much lately, with the result that the Toffees have been badly left down. Colwyn Bay Concerts. To THE EDITOR OF THE Weekly News. Sir,—Will you permit me, through the medium of your valuable paper, to. protest against the proposal to abolish evening per- formances on the promenade during the com- ing season? I am confident that the vast majority of ratepayers, residents-, and visitors are sltrongly opposed to such restrictions being nuad'e. The complaint for ye.ars past has been that Colwyn Bay Jacked amusements. There was no ground for complaints of this kind last year, with the result that, in spite of the wre<tched weather which prevailed, it was far from what might be called a bad season, and ce-rtoinly far better than many seaside townis experienced. The best judges of what is required rim the way of entertainments are the visitors, themselves, and the fact that thousands were nightly at- tracted to the. various performances was proof positive that their tastes were gratified, and expressions of approval were heard on every hand. The writer could give many instances of visitors who prolonged their stay in ordfer to be present on benefit nights, &c. Then, again, why should the residents of our town be de- prived of a lilttl-e innocent amusement in the evening after an arduous day's toil ? There are numbers who cannot get out during the earlier paTJt of the day, and yet manage to snatch an hour in the evening for relaxation. The only argument adduced in favour of s.topping -the evening performances- is that the .attendance- at the Pavilion is affected. It, is monstrous that the whole town should suffer in order to create a monopoly for a concern who- ought to be business-line, enough to takie fair I trading risks. People will not be coerced into going where Ithey have,, no. desire, and the percentage of VliiSliitoriSl who -choose to be shut up in a building upon a glorious, .summer evening is but smiall. lit would be .initere-siting -to know how many of our Councillo-rs aire shareholders, how many are dependent upon visitors. Further, what is the amount of -nates the Pier Company pay. Are they sufficient to- give theim the right to dictate to the Council, and to what extent will the shares appreciate? It is to be hoped that the ratepayers will not allow themselves to be bluffed, but strongly protest. Here- is a good chance for our Town Advertising Association to assert itself. If the Pavilion shareholders wantt increased dividends 1-eit 'them take a proper business line, viz., ex- tend the pier or boats, construct a cross-head, provide accommodation at the head for enter- tainments and promenade, and their dividends will soon satisfy them.—Yours, &c., R. K. 10th December, 1907.