10 AUGUST 1929, Page 17

WESTMINSTER HALL

[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—In the article under this heading, in your issue of May 11, these words occur : "The Surrey estate of Sir George Courthope (the estate from whose oaks Westminster Hall was built and is being repaired)." The name of the writer is a strong guarantee of accuracy, but he is in conflict with Macaulay, who in his essay on Warren Hastings speaks of "the old arches of Irish oak." It seems as if we must add this to the very long list of proved inaccuracies in what is perhaps the most brilliant of all his essays.—I am, Sir, &c.,