COERESPONDENCE. 
343 
sliire Philosophical Society ; and also to ' The Celt, the Eoman, and the 
Saxon,' by T. Wright, Esq. 
At the conclusion of the article alluded to, the following question is 
aslced : " Will M. Gras assert he has ever seen a pointed weapon either 
ground or polislied?" As this question is put to M. Gras under the im- 
pression that there are no such pointed tools or weapons, I may state 
tliere are such in my collection, though I confess they are by no means 
common, for, during the whole period that I have devoted to collecting 
these things, I have found but three. 
The majority of my rudest weapons and tools were found at greater 
depths, generally speaking, than those which are more elaborately worked, 
and the transition in Yorkshire from the rude to the more highly finished 
implements may be said to have been gradual and apparently uninter- 
rupted ; for we find on the same land at various depths, first the most 
artistic, then a little lower others ruder in shape, and a few inches above 
the Chalk they are found amongst gravel through which water highly 
cJiarged with oxide of iron has percolated, thereby changing the colour of 
the flints there embedded, which are generally very rude in their make. 
Many of the arrowheads and spear-points exhibit quite a porcellaneous 
appearance, which betokens their great antiquity. Those discovered in 
sandy places are of the natural colour, but are very bright on the surface. 
There can be little doubt that flint-implements were used up to a com- 
paratively late date.* If in Yorkshire-weapons and tools to be coated with 
carhonate of lime and stained icith oxide of iron, and also ground at the point, 
be an indication of their antiquity, then the Yorkshire flints are as old as 
any hitherto found. And why should it not be so ? " seeing that we find 
ordinary gravel-^mis in myriads on the surface of the soil. Can you go 
through any field, over any downs, across any chalk country, and not pick 
up, if you please, tons upon tons or cartload upon cartload ? If one 
sort, why not then another ? Is the proportion of flint-implements to un- 
worked stones likely to be less in the disintegrated gravel-bed strewn over 
the soil than in the solid untouched stratum lying intact in the earth ? 
And if not, are we less likely to find flint-implements on the surface of the 
soil than in the gravel-beds beneath it ? We are sure we need not reply to 
these questions : oui* readers will have answered for themselves." 
Yours, etc., 
Bridlington, Yorkshire. Edw. Tindall. 
[The article on M. Gras was written by me, and why my name did not 
appear was quite a matter of accident. All the world knows that I never 
hesitate to speak out ; but all the world knows that if I do say a thing 
not exactly kind I have good grounds — or at least sincerely believe I have 
— before I say it. I have said I am satisfied some of the so-termed " haches 
reputed to be from St. Acheul " may be " haches" from St. Acheul, but 
are not fossil "haches" at aU. They are rank forgeries. With respect 
* It was the constant policy of the Eomans to draught off the rising population of the 
conquered provinces, and send them to occupy stations, and, in fact, to form colonies in 
other countries. We find mentioned in old writers and in inscriptions numerous alee 
and cohorts of Britons in various parts of the Roman empire. According to the ' No- 
titia,' the fourth ala of Britons was stationed in Egypt. The twenty-sixth cohort of 
Britons occurs in Armenia. A hody of the " Invincible Younger Britons " were sta- 
tioned in Spain ; and one of the " Elder Britons " in lUyricum. The " Younger British 
Slingers" {funditores) are found among Palatine auxiliaries. 6ee AVright's 'Celt, 
Roman, and Saxon,' foot-note, p. 104. See the above-mentioned * Notitia,' book iv, 
chap. X. pp. 199, 200, etc. 
