310 General View of the Agriculture J^J 



and Culley, who are juftly ranked at the head of the profsf- 

 fion, (I'.^f^rvcs sr/muts connderation. 



Northumberland is a diftridl of great extent, containing 

 1, 267 , 200 acres ; whereof nearly one-third is dated as impro- 

 per for tillsge. Of the cultivatable land, 800,000 acres are 

 luppofed worth i^?,. per acre, and 450,000 acres at 2s., which 

 gives an annual value of 605,000!. Sterling. The climate, in 

 regard to temperature, is lubje£t to much variation \ and the 

 prevailing foil is moifl: loam, accompanied with a portion of 

 the feveral varit ties which are to be found in this ifland. 



Minerals conftitute an important feature in the defcription 

 of this county ; and perhaps working the fubfoil in fuch an 

 cxtenfive manner, has contributed more to the improvement 

 of the furface, than any oiher circumltance- An increafeJ 

 population is the neceflary confequence of thefe fubterraneous 

 improvements, which augments the demand for every article 

 of rural produce. This llimuiates the activity of thofe em- 

 ployed in field labour, rail'es the rate of rents, and, in Ihort^ 

 occafions an influx of wealth among the inhabitants of all de- 

 fcriptions, greater than could have arifen from the moll; flou- 

 rifhing manufacture. 



The export of coals from Newcaftle, appears to have in- 

 creafed nearly one half lince 1772; the quantity tliipped in 

 1795 being 505,650 chaldrons, or above 950,000 chaldrons^ 

 according to the London meafure. The value of a chaldron, 

 in the tirit in-lance, is 15s. ; the charges of putting aboard 

 are 2s. 30. The duties, iufurance, &c, amount to about 

 22s. 3d. i and the freight and profit to the Ihipper, may be 

 eltimated at 23s. Thefe feverai fums, except about i2s. per 

 chaldron of duties, &c. are circulated in the neighbourhood, 

 and prove the immenft' benefit of the ctal irade to the coua- 

 ty of Noithumberlajid. 



The following extrai'^s throv/ much light upon a queftion 

 often agitated, viz. Whether the Br'it'ijh co/iieries are inex- 

 haustlhle T 



*' It has been afferted, ' That the coals in this county are inex- 

 haujlible^ — Mr "Williams, in his Natural Hiftory of the Aiineral 

 Kir;gdom, is of a different opinion, and thinks it a matter of fuch 

 importance, as to deferve the Lrious attention of the Legiflature. 

 Towards elucidaring this point, it rnay be of ferae ufe to eflimate 

 what number of acres are wrought yearly in this county, tofup- 

 ply the above Quantity of coals^ in crder to accomplifli this ob- 



jea, 



