256 Annicersary Address. 



After dinner an interesting communication was made by 

 Mr. Williamson, in regard to the operations which he was 

 carrying on at the mouth of the river Aln, for forming mussel 

 beds. The object is to supply bait to the fishermen along 

 that part of the coast. Mr. Williamson mentioned, that on 

 the employment of the Duke of Norfolk, on the coast of Sus- 

 sex, he had succeeded in multiplying not only mussels but 

 oysters, and he had little doubt of the possibility of doing so 

 on any part of the coast, where the sea bottom was suitable. 

 Knowing as I do the great difficulty which has been for some 

 years experienced by the fishermen of Berwickshire and 

 East Lothian in procuring bait, — for which they are actu- 

 ally obliged now to go to the west coast of Scotland, — I ex- 

 pressed my sense of the great importance, in a national point 

 of view, of Mr. Williamson's operations, and requested that 

 he would furnish me with a written statement of his opera- 

 tions, that I might bring them under the notice of the Scotch 

 Fishery Board. 



I may add, that the formation of these mussel beds at the 

 mouth of the Aln, affords an additional instance of the 

 public spirit and the princely munificence of the Duke of 

 Northumberland. He has supplied life-boats to a number of 

 places along the rocky shores of the east coast ; — he has set 

 up barometers on a very large size, to warn the fishermen of 

 coming storms; — and now he is forming mussel beds to enable 

 these industrious classes to procure bait for carrying on their 

 trade. Truly Northumberland should be thankful to have 

 at its head a nobleman of such enlightened philanthropy. 



Our minutes take notice of the excursion to Katcheugh Crag, 

 where a most interesting geological address was given, explan- 

 atory not only of the Crag itself with its basalt, limestone, and 

 other strata, but also of the surrounding country. The modesty 

 of our Secretary has prevented him mentioning that this geo- 

 logical exposition was given by him ; and as no member of 

 the club is so well informed as he is in the principles of 

 geology, or better acquainted with the district, it is scarcely 

 necessary to add, that the exposition was most instructive. 



