230 
REMARKS ON THE MEETING OF THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION 
AT NEWCASTLE. 
By T. B. Hall. 
The readers of The Naturalist will, I am sure, join me in “ a vote of thanks” 
to your anonymous correspondent who annually furnishes us with very interest¬ 
ing accounts of such particulars connected with the meetings of the British 
Association as do not come under the cognizance of the Journals which usually 
report their proceedings. I can myself bear testimony to the truth of several of 
the remarks, and only hope that some of the suggestions thrown out in his last 
paper may ultimately be acted upon. A few observations, either confirmatory 
or in addition to those contained in the paper before alluded to, will not, perhaps, 
be considered unworthy of a place in your Journal. 
The extravagant price charged for private lodgings and for accommodation at 
the inns, has already been dwelt upon, but it cannot be too severely censured.— 
I know one case in which a gentleman, who had previously visited Liverpool, 
paid £6 for no better apartments than he had in Liverpool, for which he paid 
£l a week. The inns charged five shillings a night for beds. How their other 
charges ranged I cannot say: having friends, and kind ones too, I experienced 
none of the foregoing inconveniences. These remarks, therefore, may be con¬ 
sidered as coming with a bad grace from one who did not suffer by them; but I 
think they cannot be too much dwelt upon, in order if possible to prevent their 
recurrence. That any of the members left the town from sheer necessity I am 
not aware ; but I know of many who left on the Saturday, who would otherwise 
have staid over part of the next week, and leisurely examined the splendid 
improvements of Grainger, as well as other objects of interest in the town and 
neighbourhood, which could not be done during the week of the meeting, without 
neglecting the Sections. 
A word or two will not, perhaps, be altogether out of place respecting 
Grainger’s new buildings. For style and correctness of taste they are un¬ 
equalled in this country; built of solid stone, their durability is insured; and 
that money is not lavishly expended upon them, I should judge from the reason¬ 
ableness of the rents, for a good handsome dwelling-house of his building may be 
had at a less rent than in Liverpool would be paid for one out of which the 
Winters blast can with difficulty be kept. Where the funds come from is 
not a secret to those who supply them; but that he supplies them himself is 
impossible, for he began without a shilling; that your readers may judge of his 
operations, he has, I was informed, 1,000 men at work, and to pay these, requires 
some cash weekly; besides which he has a large establishment of draughtsmen 
