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Professor Boyd Dawkins writes as follows : — 
“ 11, Norman Road, Rusiiolme, Manchester, 
“ 2nd February, 1879. 
“ Sir, — Allow me to thank the Council through you for the interesting 
paper which you were kind enough to send. I am sorry that my engage- 
ments here prevent my being present at the discussion to-morrow. Had it 
been possible I should have liked to have said that to me the limits of 
chronology as fixed by years entirely depend upon the written record, and 
that therefore any speculations as to the number of years which have elapsed 
outside the reach of history are worthless. But, while holding this, the 
evidence seems to me satisfactory that man has been in Europe for an 
enormous period, which bears no relation to the 6,000 years of chronology, 
because it cannot be measured in terms of years. — I am, my dear sir, yours 
truly, “ W. Boyd Dawkins.” 
The last letter is from Mr. S. R. Pattison : — 
“ Mr. Howard will not have any difficulty in maintaining his positions so far 
as their chronological bearing is concerned. The evidence of the caves is no 
longer quoted in support of indefinite antiquity. The concurrence of testi- 
mony brings down the mammalian epoch within the limits of the Ussherian 
chronology, and the occurrence of proofs of violent action since the com- 
mencement of man’s dwelling here, altering the levels, and bringing them 
into their present condition, enables geologists to discard altogether the 
argument derived formerly from infinitesimally small progressive changes. 
The Lyellian hypothesis being reduced to its proper dimensions and the 
fact of a period of disturbance appear to me to take the supposed antagonism 
between Scripture and geology entirely away. — Yours faithfully, 
“ S. R. Pattison.” 
The Chairman. — I should like to ask Mr. Howard a question which I 
think has some bearing upon the subject he has dealt with, namely, whether 
there are not in the caverns referred to a large number of stalactites ? 
Mr. Howard. — I can find no difference in Kent’s Cavern as compared 
with others that I have visited in Derbyshire and Somersetshire, and many 
more of which I have read descriptions as found in Germany and elsewhere. 
It is a cavern filled with stalactites, but there are no grounds on which to 
“The Crypt of Dates was discovered on 7th December, 1868. It was 
always a difficult spot to reach, and, in consequence of the excavations, it has 
become impossible for any one to get there without ladders and an amount 
of risk which few people would care to incur. 
“ I am safe in stating that since its discovery in 1868 not so many as a 
dozen persons have ever entered it, and that Mr. Howard was certainly not 
one of them. 
“A stalagmitic floor 12 feet thick was found in the Crypt of Dates, but 
nowhere else in the cavern. 
“ I have not had time to ascertain how far Mr. Howard’s error may affect 
his arguments, or whether he has made any other mistakes. I shall hope to 
take an early opportunity to attend carefully to the paper, and shall take 
such course respecting it as may seem called for ; but in the meantime I 
trust to your sense of justice to give the same publicity to this note as to the 
paper which has called it forth. — I am, truly yours, “ Wm. Pengelly.” 
