Country Meeting of 1894 : Invitation from Cambridge, xxiii 
tory which was known as the Isle of 
Ely. All those bodies were influen- 
tially represented on the deputation, 
and be was certain that when the 
Council had heard what they had to 
say in support of the invitation which 
had already been given to the Coun- 
cil of the Royal Agricultural Society 
to hold their Meeting of 1894 in the 
town of Cambridge, they would see 
that there were most cogent reasons 
why that request should be complied 
with. Should the Council grant their 
request and accept the invitation 
offered, neither in point of funds, nor 
of space, nor of convenience of access 
would the Society have occasion to 
regret the decision at which they 
might have arrived. 
The Mayor of Cambridge (Mr. S. 
L. Young) wished to put before the 
Council the leading points as to the 
advantages which Cambridge pos- 
sessed for the purposes of the 
Society’s Meeting. Cambridge was 
the centre of a purely agricultural 
district. It had upon its borders the 
strictly agricultural counties of 
Suffolk, Norfolk, Lincoln, Northamp- 
ton, Bedford, Hertford, Huntingdon , 
and Essex. He need not point out to 
them, as practical men, how hard these 
counties had been hit by the recent 
depression in the agricultural interest. 
Any step that could be taken to alle- 
viate that distress was worthy the 
consideration of their great Society. 
Nor need he take up their time by 
dwelling upon the high reputation 
which the county of Cambridge and 
the adjoining counties had acquired 
for stock-breeding. Cambridge was 
a great railway centre, served by the 
four lines of the Great Eastern, the 
Great Northern (extending from 
London to York), the London and 
North-Western, and the Midland Com- 
panies. So that the extensive ramifi- 
cations of these four lines put them 
into communication with the greater 
part of England, Scotland, Ireland, 
and Wales, whilst the Great Eastern 
put them into communicat ion with the 
Continent within a few hours by 
means of a splendid fleet of steamers. 
The hotel accommodation was abun- 
dant, and the hotels were well 
managed and were reasonable in their 
charges. As to lodging-houses, those 
gentlemen on the Council who had 
graduated at either of their Univer- 
sities would appreciate the point that 
the lodging-houses in an University 
town were a great institution. The 
site which they offered on Midsummer 
Common had the rare advantage of 
being within five minutes’ walk of the 
centre of the town, and the proximity 
to the railway station was another 
great consideration. It was within 
ten minutes’ drive of the railway 
station. All the necessary funds had 
been subscribed; and he might say 
that they had a guarantee from a 
wealthy gentleman interested in the 
Borough that he would be prepared 
to meet any deficiencies. He could 
only say that if the Council decided 
to hold its Show at Cambridge, 
nothing would be wanting on the part 
of the authorities to make it a 
success. 
The President said he understood 
there were certain footpaths across 
the grounds that were public. Would 
the Borough give an assurance to the 
Council that these footpaths would 
be closed — not only at the time of 
the Show, but also from March 1st 
prior to the Meeting — in order to 
afford the Society time to erect the 
showyard, and to make the necessary 
preparations ? 
The Town Clerk said that although 
he could not bind the Borough Council, 
he felt sure that those paths could be 
closed during the time suggested by 
his Grace. The whole was common 
land, and no doubt by arrangement 
with the Society’s Surveyor the diffi- 
culty could easily be overcome. The 
Town Council were ready to take the 
responsibility upon themselves 'of 
closing the paths. When the Local 
Show was held upon this site at 
Cambridge, the paths were always 
closed. 
The President having again 
pointed out that for the Society’s 
Show it would be necessary for the 
paths to be closed four months pre- 
vious to the Meeting, 
The Town Clerk replied that he 
did not think there would be any 
difficulty with regard to the matter. 
Mr. W. Birt, Manager of the Great 
Eastern Railway Company, stated 
that the Company were seeking 
Parliamentary powers this Session to 
erect a new station at Cambridge, 
