202 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COTTESWOLD CLUB 



the beautiful flowers of wild hyacinth. Fortunately times 

 have altered since the publication of an ancient book on 

 Forest Laws, called " the Book of Denys," which in- 

 forms us that " noe stranger of what degree soever hee 

 " bee but onely that beene borne and abideing within the 

 " Castle of St Brevills and the bounds of the Forest as is 

 " aforesaid shall come within the mine to see and to know 

 " ye privities." No penalties however were incurred by 

 the members of the Club who, thanks to the courtesy of 

 Mr. Frank Brain, were enabled to descend some hundred 

 fathom at the Trafalgar Pit, to see something of the 

 method of winning the coal in one of the largest and 

 best appointed mines in the County of Gloucester. One 

 interesting feature at Trafalgar is the extent to which 

 electricity is, and for a long time has been used as a motive 

 power. The whole of the haulage on one of the main 

 roads in the Pit, with a gradient of about I in 5 (up which 

 the loaded trucks have to be pulled), is done by electric 

 motors supplied by dynamos above ground. Electrical 

 energy is also extensively used for lighting both above 

 and below ground ; and there are many pumps in different 

 parts of the Pit which are worked by the same power. 

 Its ready capacity for transmission renders it peculiarly 

 applicable for this special work. 



After luncheon at Symond's Yat, the afternoon was 

 spent by some members in exploring the Coldwell Rocks, 

 by others in visiting the interesting stalactite caves at the 

 Elysian Fields., by the remainder in a placid contemplation 

 of the beautiful work of nature so lavishly displayed on 

 woodland, cliff", and river, in one of the most lovely valleys 

 in the kingdom. 



The second excursion of the season was to Bcverstone 

 and Malmesbury, on June 19th. The members assembled 

 at Nailsworth Station, thence they drove over the Cottes- 

 wold Hills to Bcverstone, where they spent some time in 



