Transactions. 69 



the " Siller Gun " and its final destination. I produce it for its 

 intrinsic merit : 



•' London, 13th September, 1852. 



''My Dear Sir, — I am much obliged for your attention in 

 sending me the Uumfrias Standard of the 11th ultimo, containing 

 an account of the presentation of the ' Siller Gun ' by the Seven 

 Incorporated Trades to the Magistrates and Town Council of 

 Dumfries tor the time being, together with a notice of what was 

 intended to be done with the other relics belonging to the Trades. 

 I am very glad that the ' Siller Gun ' has been so appropriately 

 deposited with the chief authorities, and that the gift of King 

 James the Sixth will be carefully preserved among the memorable 

 curiosities of the town. A more judicious arrangement could 

 hardly have been made, since the hand of time and the progressive 

 change of public opinion and legislation had left to the Trades only 

 a nominal existence — a state of things which has induced them 

 finally to break up their incorporation. There is one condition 

 which I do not think the authorities will be called upon — at all 

 events for many years — to comply with, namely, that on due 

 requisition temporary possession of the ' Siller Gun ' shall be given 

 up to the tradesmen of Dumfries that it may be shot for and 

 adjudged as a prize for the day to the best marksman. I think 

 that this sort of feeling has gone by, and that the public mind is 

 more likely to be occupied with cheap excursion trains to convey 

 the multitude for a small outlay to some distant attraction. 



'• The Standard of the 24th March, which you were also good 

 enough to send, had an interesting notice of the Seven Trades in 

 connection with the ' Siller Gun,' and I have also to thank you for 

 the paper which gave an account of your flower show at Thornhill. 

 I suppose you are preparing for another like display during the 

 course of this month, as then intimated. I hope you ha'e received 

 an occasional newspaper sent in acknowledgment. My sister 

 unites with me in kind regards to Mrs Grierson, yourself, and the 

 Doctor. We trust that you are all quite well — And 1 remain, my 

 dear sir, yours faithfully, 



•• \V. H. I^lAYNE. 



" William Grierson, Esq., Thornhill, N.B." 



In replying to a vote of thanks, Mr Wilson mentioned that 

 he had found out that Mr Hunt, who designed the Mausoleum, 



was the architect of the buildhig, which he thought was first called 



