or under-Lyme, a market-town and municipal and parliamentary borough of England, in the county of Stafford, on the right bank and near the source of the Trent, 16 miles N. by W. of Stafford, and 150 N.W. of London. It is well though irregularly built, chiefly of brick, on the slope of two hills; and contains a handsome town-hall; two Established churches, one of which has an ancient square sandstone tower; besides Methodist, Independent, Baptist, and Roman Catholic churches; a literary and scientific institution, with a library; a theatre; a savings-bank; and a range of almshouses founded by Christopher Monk, Duke of Albemarle, son of the celebrated general. The principal manufacture carried on here is that of hats, but there are also silk and paper mills, and a cotton factory; while shoes, clocks, and earthenware are also produced. In the neighbourhood there are coal-pits and iron-works. An old castle, of the time of Henry VII. formerly stood here, but no remains of it have been preserved. The borough returns two members to Parliament. Several fairs and cattle markets are held here annually. Pop. (1851) 10,569.

NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE is situated, as its name denotes, on the River Tyne, about 8 miles from the sea in a direct line, and exactly 10 miles by the course of the navigable channel. It is a county within itself, having its own sheriff and other officers distinct from the county of Northumberland, of which it originally formed part. The assizes for Northumberland are, however, still held in Newcastle, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Newcastle-the court-house and its precincts being exempt from the jurisdiction of the municipal authorities. The Tyne is formed by the confluence of two streams, of which the North Tyne rises near a place called Deadwater, on the confines of Liddesdale in Scotland; the South Tyne has its source near the mountain of Crossfell in Cumberland. The point of junction is near Warden, a village 2 miles W. of Hexham, from which town the united stream flows past Newcastle, and thence between the towns of North and South Shields, discharging its waters into the German Ocean at Tynemouth, the ruins of the ancient monastery at which place forms a conspicuous landmark on the north of the entrance to the port. In the night a revolving light is constantly kept burning, and exhibits a face every minute. The River Tyne commissioners are at this time (1838) erecting substantial stone piers at the entrance of the harbour, which, when completed, will add greatly to the safety of ships trading to the Tyne.

Within the river, near the town of North Shields, there are two lighthouses for the use of vessels passing over the bar. There are three warping buoys within the river, two on the south and one on the north side; and in addition to these there is a distinguishing buoy on the north side, where the low light is situated. The tide flows up the Tyne from Shields to a distance of 18 miles; and at Newcastle Bridge it generally runs upwards about four hours and a half, and downwards about seven hours and a half. The perpendicular rise at the bar at Tynemouth is about 18 feet, and at the bridge from 11 to 12 feet. It is high-water on the bar, at the full and change of the moon, at about three o'clock, if the weather be settled; but a strong northerly wind will sometimes make it high-water an hour sooner, and a strong southerly wind an hour later, than the regular course; and there will be at times 2 or 3 feet more water on the bar with a strong northerly wind than with a strong southerly one. The commissioners are making great exertions to improve the navigation of the river, and employ a powerful steam-engine for the purpose of dredging.

Due precautions against accidents to shipping have been rendered necessary by the vast number of vessels that pass up and down the Tyne; and an association, formed in 1825 at the Trinity House, has for its object the preservation of lives from shipwreck and the maintenance of a life-boat at South Shields. The pilots on the river, and the sea-pilots connected with the port of Newcastle, with all its creeks and harbours, which extend from Holy Island on the north to Whitby on the south, are about 800 in number, and are under the regulation of the corporation of the Trinity House, who have a spacious hall, a chapel of very ancient workmanship, and alms-houses for poor brethren and widows, situated in Trinity Chare, near the quay. This ancient society is governed by a master (elected annually) and twelve brethren, who hold a common seal. The charter of this corporation was renewed by King Henry VIII. in 1536, and confirmed by Queen Mary in 1553, and also refounded by Queen Elizabeth in 1584. The bridge was founded in very ancient times, and consisted of wood. It was once burnt, and at subsequent periods was more than once carried away by the floods. The existing bridge was built between the years 1775 and 1799. It was only 21 feet wide, which, as the population and trade increased, was found very inconvenient; and in 1801 it was enlarged and widened, and is now 33 feet 6 inches in width. It connects the town of Newcastle with its suburb Gateshead, which is in the county of Durham. The inadequacy of this means of communication between the opposite sides of the river was long a subject of complaint, and several attempts were from time to time made to secure the erection of a second bridge on a high level, so as to avoid the dangerous declivities of both banks. All these failed in consequence of the magnitude of the capital required, until the formation of a company to complete the eastern line of railway communication between London and Edinburgh. The promoters of this scheme, now carried into successful operation, undertook, on the solicitation of the inhabitants and others interested, to make the bridge which was necessary for the transit of the railway available also for ordinary traffic; and to their liberality and enterprise, under the scientific direction of Mr Robert Stephenson, the public are indebted for that magnificent structure, the "High-Level Bridge." The design is as remarkable for its originality as for its grandeur; the structure consisting of two distinct roadways, one above the other,—the lower appropriated to ordinary traffic, the upper to the railway,—their respective elevations above the level of the river being 90 and 118 feet. The piers of the bridge are of stone, and are six in number,—one on the margin of the river on each side, and four in the stream, the distance between each being 124 feet. The railway works within the town of Newcastle, including the High-Level Bridge and the purchase of property, entailed an expenditure on the company of upwards of half a million sterling.

The quay lies immediately to the east of the old bridge, and was considered, previous to the introduction of wet wall docks in our principal ports, as the finest wharf in England. Its length was nearly 550 feet, to which a further length of 1000 feet has been added by the corporation. The new portion, however, still presents an unsightly appearance, in consequence of the delay which has occurred in effecting the contemplated removal of a mass of property of the very worst description, and the erection of buildings which would have presented a handsome elevation to the river. The old quay appears even more desolate, from the disastrous effects of a tremendous explosion which occurred in the neighbouring town of Gateshead in 1854, involving an unprecedented destruction of property on both sides of the river. The town-wall formerly ran between the warehouses on the quay and the river, to the great obstruction of commerce, but was removed about the middle of the last century. Other portions of the wall have from time to time been removed without any pressing necessity, and little of it now remains. Leland, who saw it in its integrity, says—

"The strength and magnificence of the wailing of this town far passeth all the walls of the cities of England, and of most towns in Europe." Sir Ralf Sadley gives similar testimony.

From an early period Newcastle has been chiefly indebted Coal trade. for its mercantile importance to the extensive coal-fields adjacent. The cinders of this mineral discovered amongst the ruins of several of the Roman stations in Northumberland show that its use was not unknown to the imperial legions in Britain, although the abundance of wood everywhere available for fuel necessarily confined the consumption of coal to the immediate locality in which it was produced. During the Saxon period we have no notice of coal either as an article of commerce or of domestic consumption, although it is probable that where the seams were easily accessible they were not altogether neglected. The earliest authentic records of the Newcastle coal trade, after the Conquest, is found in a charter of Henry III. to the burgesses, A.D. 1239, in which he grants them license to dig coal in the Forth and Castle field, within the liberties of the borough. From an inquisition in the reign of Edward I. it appears that, in consequence of the rapid development of this traffic, the revenues of Newcastle were then worth £200 per annum, although they had been granted by King John at a fee-farm rent of £100 per annum, which was more than their then estimated value. In 1306 the use of sea-borne coal must have been general in London, as in that year Parliament complained to the king of its infecting the air with noxious vapours, in consequence of which the use of coal was prohibited, and The lead mines are situated in the mountainous Newcastle districts in the west of Northumberland and Durham, and in the adjacent parts of Cumberland, from which the produce is conveyed to Newcastle for shipment. The discovery of the mines of Cumberland in the reign of Henry I. is noticed in the Chronicle of Robert de Monte; and those of Durham were probably known at an early period. The latter were granted by King Stephen to his nephew Hugh Pudsey, Bishop of Durham. The Cumberland mines were gradually extended into Northumberland; and in the reign of Richard I., by much the more valuable portion was in the latter county. In the earliest records the mines both of Cumberland and Durham are described, not as lead but as silver mines, from the abundance of that precious metal which they contained. Those of Cumberland were let to the royal moneymen at Newcastle and Carlisle, and those of Durham probably supplied the mint which pertained to that episcopate. The pipe rolls of Cumberland and Northumberland afford several instances of the transport of lead from the former county for export from Newcastle in the reign of Henry II. The productiveness of these mines continues undiminished; and large quantities are yearly exported from Newcastle, both in pigs and in a manufactured state. The manufactures carried on here include patent shot, and all other preparations of lead, whether for pigments or otherwise.

The manufacture of glass was first introduced into England by emigrants from Germany, who established themselves in the neighbourhood of Newcastle in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. The trade has continued to flourish ever since, and is now extensively carried on in all its branches—bottle, crown, sheet, and plate glass.

Works for smelting iron have been established in this district for many years, but these have been multiplied to a great extent within a short period. Various branches of the iron manufacture are also carried on, including three very extensive establishments for building locomotive engines; one of them set on foot by the late George Stevenson, father of the locomotive system, and now conducted by his son, Robert Stevenson, C.E. The building of iron ships has also been recently introduced on a very extensive scale. Since the year 1816 a most important business has arisen in the neighbourhood of Newcastle, namely, the production of crystals of soda and mineral alkali by the decomposition of common salt. Besides these, there are manufactures of paper of all descriptions, and mills for the crushing of linseed; and the manufactories of copperas, coal-pitch, spirits of tar, varnishes, soda, aquafortis, whiting, glue, vinegar, and soap, are numerous and extensive.

The imports are various, but the principal articles are corn, wine, spirits, fruits, sugar, tobacco, tea, coffee, butter, cheese, tallow, hides, oak-bark, rags, flax, hemp, linen yarn, mahogany, deals and other timber, spars, masts, cordage, tar, iron, and what is necessary for the equipment of shipping. This view of exports and imports accounts for the number of vessels which have entered this port in successive years from foreign countries.

Newcastle occupies the site of the Roman fortress of Ancient Pons Aelii, one of the stations on the Wall of Hadrian, which traversed the island from the Tyne to the Solway Firth. In the immediate vicinity the Saxon kings had a villa or occasional residence, called Ad Murum, celebrated according to Beda, for the baptism within its walls of two royal converts—Sigebert, King of the East Saxons, and Penda, the son of Penda, King of Mercia. At the period of the Norman conquest the Roman station was known as Monkchester, having probably been used as a place of refuge by the brethren of some of the numerous monastic establishments which existed in the neighbourhood prior to their destruction by the Danes, towards the close of the ninth century. The castle, which gives name to the pre- sent town, was built by Robert, the eldest son of William the Conqueror, on his return from a hostile expedition into Scotland, A.D. 1080. William Rufus is said to have fostered the growth of the infant community, as well by grants of privileges as by pecuniary aid. The particulars of these concessions rest on the authority of the metrical annalist Hardyng; a comparatively recent historian; but the general truth of his narrative is confirmed by the ascertained position of Newcastle in the succeeding reign. The "Laws and Customs of Newcastle" under Henry I. bespeak the advanced maturity of the borough, and the amount of royal favour which it must have experienced. In the reign of Stephen, Newcastle, with the rest of Northumberland, was enjoyed in succession by the Earls Henry and William, the son and grandson of David I., King of Scotland, but was taken from the latter by Henry II. on his accession to the crown of England. King John granted several charters to the burgesses; amongst others, one conferring the right of holding the town in fee-farm, instead of at the will of the crown. Henry III. further extended their immunities by authorizing the election of a mayor out of their own body, who should preside over them, instead of a provost, as heretofore, appointed by the crown. The enfranchisement of the borough from the dominion of the sheriff of Northumberland, and the liberty of electing a sheriff of their own, was conceded to them by Henry IV. Several additional immunities were granted by successive charters, all of which were, in the reign of Elizabeth, condensed and confirmed by what was known then as the "Great Charter;" and that, being afterwards slightly changed in the reign of James I., continued till the passing of the existing law in 1835. By that law the town has been divided into eight wards for the purposes of that act, and has now fourteen aldermen, forty-two councillors, a mayor, and sheriff, with justices of the peace, nominated by the crown. It returns two members to Parliament.

The revenue of the corporation is very large, amounting in 1856 to £82,000, arising from dues on coal and cinders, rents of property, tolls, &c.

The corporation were, up to 1850, conservators of the Tyne, but in that year they were superseded by a commission composed of members from Newcastle, North and South Shields, Gateshead, &c. By the Tyne Improvement Act, which received the royal assent on the 15th July 1850, the conservancy of the River Tyne is transferred from the corporation of Newcastle to the "Tyne Improvement Commissioners." Those commissioners are in number 18,—viz., 4 life commissioners named in the act, and 6 elected annually by the Newcastle council, 3 by the Tynemouth council, 3 by South Shields council, and 2 by Gateshead council. The elections of river commissioners by the respective councils takes place on the 9th November in each year. By the Tyne Improvement Act 1852, additional powers are vested in the commissioners; and they are, by that act, authorized to construct a dock at Hayhole, to be called the Northumberland dock, and to form piers at the mouth of the river. The Northumberland dock has since been completed, and the two piers are in a state of considerable forwardness. By the Tyne Improvement Act 1857, the commissioners are also authorized to construct a deep-water dock at Coble Dean, communicating by a junction with the Northumberland dock. Besides the corporation there are many guilds or companies, having chartered privileges, and halls for their assembling. There are the "Twelve Mysteries," founded between the years 1215 and 1621; the "Fifteen By-Trades," founded between 1426 and 1626; and the various companies, eight in number, created at different periods, like the others, between the years 1454 and 1675. These companies choose annually sixty-nine stewards, out of which number a body of nine is nominated, called the Herbage Committee, whose duty it is to superintend the improvement and enforce the regulations respecting the free commons, of 1200 acres, upon which the burgesses have the privilege of pasturing two cows each (and a free pasturage is thus afforded to 700 cows), and also to watch over the interests of the freemen, and of their respective fraternities. They have a revenue of about L900, derived from ground-rents, way-leaves, and other sources.

Newcastle being a county of itself, the courts of assize and nisi prius are held thrice a year at the guildhall at the county Exchange. Those for Northumberland, in the county-courts, courts at the Castle Garth, are held at the same time. There are also some inferior courts of justice held, such as the mayor's court, in which only free burgesses or their widows are sued, and in which are tried all cases relating to real or personal actions to any amount arising within the town; the sheriff's court, in which all actions are brought as in the mayor's court, but with this distinction, that they may be instituted against all other persons than free burgesses; the court of conscience, to determine all debts or actions not exceeding in amount forty shillings, which extends to all persons residing within the liberties of the town; and the court of guild, the chief business of which now is the admission of persons to their freedom, whether they are entitled to it by birth, or by an apprenticeship during seven years. Besides these, a court of admiralty is occasionally held, the principal duties of which consist in preventing injury from being done to the river or to the salmon fishery.

The population of Newcastle has advanced in nearly the same proportion as that of the other towns of the kingdom. In 1801 it amounted to 28,366, in 1811 to 27,587, in 1821 to 35,181, in 1831 to 42,760, in 1841 to 69,430, and in 1851 to 87,784. But each of these accounts is materially deficient, owing to their exhibiting only the number of inhabitants within the limits of the burgh; and does not include those of its populous suburbs. In 1851 Gateshead alone had 25,668 inhabitants. Annual rental 1857, Newcastle, L351,408; Gateshead, L75,749.

The public buildings for religious purposes are numerous. Those of the Established church claim the first attention. Of these, the mother church of St Nicholas is probably the oldest, and certainly the most striking. It was founded in the year 1091, by Osmond, Bishop of Salisbury, and placed under the jurisdiction of the bishop of Carlisle. The edifice was burned in 1210, and the present structure finished in 1359. The interior of the church is 242 feet; and on entering it by the great western door, the spectator is struck with mingled impressions of delight and solemnity, from the general and noble effect produced by the view. Some considerable improvements in the arrangement of the pews made in 1783 have adapted it for accommodating a congregation of more than 1200 persons. The organ is a remarkably fine instrument. The framework is mahogany, and the two pillars in front are magnificent; the centre is surmounted by the figures of two recumbent angels, and the compartments of the front are embellished with a variety of richly-gilt pipes. Several fine marble monuments have recently been erected on this edifice. A public library is attached to this church, formed by donations at different periods since the year 1661, but principally by Dr Tomlinson.

St John's church is an ancient structure, and supposed to have been built in the latter end of the thirteenth century; but it has since been enlarged and beautified at different periods. The great eastern window contains some curious ancient specimens of stained glass. By the erection of some new galleries and other arrangements of pews, it has been made capable of seating, including scholars in the aisles, more than 1400 persons. It has a square steeple with four pinnacles, a clock and six bells, with a large burying-ground adjoining. St Andrew's church is said to have been built by David upon Tyne king of Scotland, who died in 1153. It still exhibits some specimens of Anglo-Norman architecture, though many alterations have been made at different periods. Being near the town wall, it suffered much during the siege of 1644, and was long afterwards closed. It is furnished with a new organ, and the interior so arranged as to accommodate 1300 hearers, besides 200 children. Near to it is the burying-ground, which, by the removal of some houses in 1824, is laid open to public view, and handsomely surrounded by palisades.

All-Saints' church is a modern structure, having been erected between the years 1786 and 1796, at an expense of L27,000, raised by an assessment upon the owners of houses in the parish. It has a stately Doric portico at the entrance, from which there rises an elegant spire to the height of 202 feet from the ground. It has a fine set of bells and a clock. It contains a spacious gallery, and the whole seat-room will accommodate near 1200 persons, and 270 children of the charity schools, who have seats in the gallery. This building was erected on the site of an ancient church which existed before the year 1284, but which was considerably larger, and capable of containing 2000 persons.

St Ann's church is, properly speaking, a chapel of ease to the parish of All-Saints. It was erected in 1768, on the foundation of an ancient building, at the expense of the corporation. It has a large school attached to it, in which boys are instructed in reading, writing, and arithmetic, on very cheap terms. The church has seat-room for about 500 persons.

St Thomas' church is a chapel of ease to the parish of St Nicholas. It was begun in 1828, and finished in 1830. It is an elegant structure, built in the early English style. The church is 135 feet in length and 63 feet in breadth, and has a tower 138 feet in height. It can accommodate from 1000 to 1100 persons. In the suburb or town of Gateshead is the church of St Mary, a new steeple to which was built on an old foundation in 1740. Its chief ornament is an elegant window of stained glass in the southern transept, which was presented to it in 1824. There is seat-room for 800 persons, including that for the charity children. Among the other churches are St Peter's, Oxford Street, and St Paul's, Arthur's Hill. This latter has been purchased by the Independents.

The places of worship for the various classes of dissenters from the Established church are numerous. From the vicinity to Scotland, the adherents of the Presbyterian form of worship are the greatest in number, occupying nine meeting-houses, most of them being of the Scotch kirk, and others secessions from it. The next largest portion of worshippers are the Wesleyan Methodists of the new and old connection, who have six chapels, one of them the largest place of worship in the town. The Independents occupy three chapels, the Baptists three, the Roman Catholics two, and the following persuasions,—viz., the Quakers, the Glassites, the Unitarians, and the Swedenborgians,—one each.

To the enterprise of Mr Richard Grainger the inhabitants of Newcastle owe the creation of almost a new town, built in a style of architectural beauty not inferior to any in the kingdom. After having built Eldon Square, Blackett Street, and several others of minor importance, Mr Grainger's first exertions, in an embellished style of architecture, were made on a large piece of ground adjoining the Leazes. Upon this he erected a parallelogram, consisting of upwards of fifty houses, all faced with polished stone, and of great elegance of design, and some of them of large dimensions. This undertaking was carried through by him at the same time that a spacious and splendid arcade was constructed in the centre of the town. The next attempt of this individual was more gigantic, and incurred an expenditure of half a million sterling. There existed in the very centre of the town a large piece of ground, about Newcastle-thirteen acres, which had originally been the gardens of the Grey Friars, and of a convent of Benedictine nuns. This completely cut off the communication between the opposite sides of the town, except by circuitous streets, and was partly occupied by stables, cow-sheds, and other nuisances. Mr Grainger conceived the idea of covering this extensive piece of ground with houses and markets of elegant construction. The purchase of the ground was effected, and the work begun, in the summer of 1834. This extraordinary undertaking consists of seven streets, some of them 80 feet broad, and all of stone, and highly embellished; besides a butcher market and a vegetable market, which alone occupy a space of more than two acres, and are entirely covered in. The butcher market consists of four avenues, 19 feet 4 inches wide, 27 feet high, and extending in length 338 feet. The vegetable market is connected with the butcher market, and consists of one stupendous hall, 318 feet long, 57 feet wide, and upwards of 40 feet high. A new theatre of great architectural beauty, a chapel for the Methodists of the new connection, a new dispensary, and a church, are also included in the plan. At the top of the principal street, named Grey Street, is a column 150 feet high, surmounted by a statue of Earl Grey. This elegant memorial is from a design by Messrs John and Benjamin Green of Newcastle, and the statue is by Bailey of London. The cost was defrayed by public subscription. Recently a large and massive building has been erected for the jail and house of correction, which cost L49,000.

Newcastle is as well supplied with those institutions which tend to the acquisition and diffusion of knowledge as any place of its extent in the kingdom. The Literary and Philosophical Society was founded in 1793. Its objects were—the discussion of the several branches of polite literature, and making inquiries into the situation and properties of the mineral productions of the neighbourhood, with the elucidation of the sciences applicable to commerce, antiquities, local history, biography, nautical inquiry, and other subjects. A new institution for delivering lectures has been united with it since 1802. A library, of more than 12,000 volumes, has been collected, and a valuable apparatus purchased for the illustration of chemistry and other branches of physics. The usefulness of this society has recently been greatly increased by the reduction of the annual subscription from L2, 2s. to L1, 1s., in consequence of a munificent donation to its funds by a spirited individual (Robert Stevenson, Esq., M.P.) The Natural History Society has erected an elegant building, which contains a museum of very great value. The published transactions of this society have raised the character of its members to a high rank in that science. The Newcastle Antiquarian Society hold their meetings in the old castle.

There is also an establishment recently formed, called "The Literary, Scientific, and Mechanical Institution," of which young persons may become members, and attend classes appointed for drawing, mathematics, chemistry, and the languages, at a very small expense. This society is also gradually forming a library, and various collections to assist in science and in art. There are likewise several subscription-rooms for newspapers,—especially good ones at the Exchange, Sandhill, and Central Exchange, Grey Street.

There is a well-endowed royal free grammar school, in which Greek and Latin were intended to be taught gratuitously; but a small fee is now paid by the scholars. It has access to some exhibitions at Lincoln College, Oxford. In several other schools many boys and girls are taught on the Lancasterian and Madras plans; and most of the churches and chapels have schools connected with them. The institutions for benevolent purposes are numerous, of which the most prominent are Jesus' hospital, which provides for fifty old persons; Blackett, and the two Davison's hospitals, in all for eighteen poor widows of clergymen or merchants; the Keelman's hospital, formed by that class of persons for the relief of their destitute, and chiefly maintained by a duty of one farthing per chaldron on all coals exported from the River Tyne; and the hospitals of St Mary Magdalen and of the Virgin Mary, the former for a master and three, and the latter a master and eight poor brethren.

The establishments for administering relief to the diseased or infirm poor are,—the infirmary, to which is now annexed a lock hospital, and which extends relief to the sick and lame poor of the counties of Newcastle, Durham, and Northumberland; the average annual number of in-patients being 800, and of out-patients 700; the dispensary, founded in 1777, supported by voluntary contributions, the object being the administration of medical and surgical aid to all diseased applicants, and the promotion of vaccine inoculation; the house of recovery, for the reception of persons afflicted with febrile diseases; the lunatic asylum, for thirty-eight males and the same number of females; the lying-in hospital, for poor pregnant women; the eye infirmary, and St Luke's hospital.

The markets are well supplied with provisions of all kinds; and the market for corn is one of the largest in the north of England. Water is abundantly supplied by the Water Company, from resources and reservoirs at Whittle Dean, 12 miles W. of Newcastle. There are no less than twelve public fountains, here called points, in different parts of the town, but on account of the height of the reservoirs above the town, they are seldom now required, the pressure being sufficient; the fire-engines are under good regulation. There are companies for insurance against fire, as well as for ship and life risks. The town is well watched and lighted with gas.

The places of amusement are not numerous; the most prominent being the theatre-royal. The former house was opened in 1788, and was pulled down in 1836 to make way for the building of Grey Street. The new theatre, which is a structure of great beauty, was opened in February 1837. The assembly-rooms, built in 1766, are commodiously planned, having a ball-room 94 feet by 36, with a music gallery; adjoining are card-rooms, a room for private assemblies, and on the lower story is a supper-room, in which 460 individuals have been accommodated at the same time. There is a music hall appropriately fitted up, with the requisite auxiliary apartments.

The communication between Newcastle and the western coast is greatly facilitated by the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway, and to the north by the North British Railway.