230 PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 



port of a musket, we pushed off with all the speed we could; 

 another shot was fired. They proceeded from the look-outs I 

 had stationed onshore. "It's a small craft, Sir , steering for 

 the island," said Wolfe ; " we had better make all speed to be 

 in time to receive her." " True," I replied ; " let us take to our 

 oars. Stretch out, men ; pull for your lives! 



From the " Dublin Universitij Mtfjn-hir." 



PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 



PROCEEDINGS IN THE A T H E N iE U M. 



October 1st. — Mr. Prideaux's Lecture on Operative 

 Chemistry. 



FUEL. 



The Lecturer commenced by expressing his regret that these 

 towns did not participate in the wealth and prosperity accruing 

 to the country from manufactures ; which he was not disposed 

 to attribute to deficiency of ingenuity in our population, to scarcity 

 of materials in our neighbourhood, or to any thing particularly 

 unfavorable in our position, but rather to the want of attention 

 to the resources we possess : at least he thought this view of the 

 subject worth enquiring into. With this view he proposed bringing 

 before the society the principles of manufactures of various kinds; 

 with suggestions of what facilities we possess, or have within our 

 reach. He proposed to do this, himself, so far as concerned 

 chemical manufactures; and hoped other members would be 

 found to take up other branches. 



The prime movers in chemical manufactures were water and 

 fire. On water he had already lectured ; fire therefore came next, 

 and he would commence with the materials used for producing 

 it, fuel. 



The fuel chiefly used in this country is coal, but wood is burnt 

 in some rural districts, and turf in others — he would first dispose 

 of the least important. 



He then described the turf beds on Dartmoor; and the manner 

 of cutting and preparing the turf. Its origin he attributed to the 

 gradual increase of the peat moss; which, decaying very slowly, 

 swallows up, as it were, the grass and brush-wood which grow 

 amongst it; which was illustrated by the trunk of a small tree? 



