SCARBOROUGH

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2337, 19 December 1914, Page 6

SCARBOROUGH

. BY A RECENT VISITOR. . Mr. A. E. Mabin ; of Messrs'." Levin and Co., who' has ]Ust returned from England, spent 6ome time ai; Scarborough after the outbreak of war, having repaired! there on, tho off-chance ol seeing a naval engagement which was expected to occur at any time during the first few weeks of the war. He states that the prevailing conditions off the east coast of Yorkshire aro a thick haze in the summer time and fogs in tho winter, so that at no time is there a very extensive sea-range. That part of Scarborough that •■ was bombarded would be South Scarborough—the town being fairly equally divided (north and south) by Castle Hill, or "the Scaur," from 'which- centre the city radiates. On the top of Castle Hill is a twelfth century castle more or less in ruins, for which one lias to pay «, penny to inspect. St. Martin's Church, which was hit, is-in South Scarborough, and stands from, half to three-quarters of-a mile from the beach, near the public gardens. St. Martin's is not a show church—that can only ho claimed for St. Mary.'s, a very ancient structure. Tho wireless station (mentioned, as a possible objective'of the raiders) is situated on the slopes of Oliver's Mount, about two miles inland from the sea. It is a low-powered station. On the top of Oliver's Mount (500 ft. in- height) is the reservoir which, gives Scarborough ite high-pressure water supply. Tho coastal cliffs which- stretch away north and south from Scarborough are from 50 to 75ft. in height. Mr, Mabin also visited Whitby to see tbe ancient seventh century Abbey now crumbling to decay. The Abley is of interest to New Zealanders, inasmuch as Captain Cook's house—carefully preserved—is within a stone's throw of the antiquated edifice. Mr. Mabin said that it was inevitable that there would be oriticism of our fleet over the raid, but thoso who know tho conditions prevailing on the coastof Yorkshire will realise -that things like this must be—wo must expect to hear of them, and hoar of losses sustained, but no ono should imagine for one moment that they occur through lack of vigilance on tlio part of the Navy. Tho raiders take an enormous risk, and were prepared' s for tho worst, but in a fog or sea mist a 28-knot cruiser could soon slip out of visual range.