Wi. 



mitted. These heated gases being now collected in large iron tubes are conveyed away, 



to assist in heating the steam for the blast engines. After visiting the very excellent and 

 well arranged Engine-house we proceeded to witness the tapping of the furnace which was 

 a novel and interesting sight to many of our party. The sow and pigs were seen running 

 into their respective sandy beds, and a general insight was obtained into the method 

 of extracting the metal in a way that no description can convey. We were shown some 

 fine specimens of Bessemer pigs by Mr. Williams, and we sympathised with the natural 

 pride he seemed to take in the excellence of the grain these pigs exhibited. Adjourning 

 to the offices, we had before us plans and sections of the workings, ores, and other 

 materials in great variety, all most kindly andablyexplainedbyourobliging amicus curia, 

 and then turning our faces towards Pontj'pool, we descended a picturesque gorge, passing 

 the ponds in oiu- way, and under Mr. Lawrence's guidance inspecting a fine coal measure 

 section, till we reached the Clarence Hotel, where, in a large and conmiodious room, our 

 dinner table was spread. Here, true to his kind promise, was our friend Mr. Adams ; his 

 splendid selection of fossils was displayed on side-tables, and beautiful maps and 

 sections of the coal and iron field adorned the walls. After dinner he gave us a vivA vooe 

 description of all that is most interesting in connection with the subject, and everj' gentle- 

 man present evinced how much we. felt indebted to our excellent friend for the trouble he 

 had taken to contribute to the success of the day, and for the clear and comprehensive 

 information he had imparted. I need not further dwell on these particulars, for Mr. 

 Adams has kindly promised me a paper for this meeting which will prove, I doubt not, a 

 most valuable appendix to the proceedings of our very successful meeting at Pontj'pool. 



List of Members and Visitors present at the Pontypool Field Meeting r^Members : 

 Elmes Y. Steele, Esq., President; James Rankin, Esq., J. Griffith Morris, Esq., Vice- 

 Presidents ; W. Adams, Esq., C.E., President of the Cardiff Club; Timothy Curley, Esq., 

 C. G. Martin, Esq., Central Committee ; H. G. Apperley, Esq. ; Arthur Armitage, Esq. ; 

 Dr. Bull; Tliomas Cam, Efeq. ; the Rev. E. Du Buisson, the Rev. W. C. Fowie ; W. C. 

 Gibson, Esq. ; E. S. Hutchinson, Esq. ; Mr. F. E. Harman ; F. W. Herbert, Esq. ; 

 E. T. Husbands, Esq. ; the Rev. J. Rees Jenkins ; the Rev. H. Cooper Key ; Mr. James 

 W. Lloyd ; David Lawrence, Esq. ; the Rev. C. J. Robinson ; Lilburn Rosher, Esq. ; R. 

 Vassar Smith, Esq. ; W. A. Swinburne, Esq. ; J. F. Symonds, Esq. ; the Rev. C. J. 

 Westropp ; the Rev. R. H. Williams ; Mr. Arthur Thompson, Treasiu-er and Assistant 

 Secretary. 



Visitors :— Colonel Byrde ; — McCarthy, Esq. ; A. C. Crutwell, Esq. ; the Rev. E. 

 Cunningham ; T. Clifton Paris, Esq. ; A. E. Riddle, Esq. ; the Rev. R. Willis ; Alexander 

 Edwards, Esq. ; Dr. Williams ; Dr. Davies ; Mr. J. T. Bowen ; Mr. Williams, Mr. Green, 

 Race Works. 



The third Field Meeting, being " the Ladies' Day," was appointed for the 19th of 

 July, to be held on the hill above the village of Bredwardine, known as Meerbach Point or 

 Arthur's Stone Mountain. At this, to my great regret, I was totally unable to be present, 

 I most keenly felt to my cost the tyranny of what our French friends call la force majeure. 

 From childhood upwards a devoted admirer and willing servant of the fair sex, I inwardly 

 ackowledged a special call to do all knightly honour and service in the name of the Wool- 

 hope Club to the ladies who might favour our expedition with their presence, and I fear 

 that my apology for enforced absence, if it was conveyed to them as I begged it might be, 

 must have left them still under the impression that the President for the year was a 

 recreant unworthy of his spurs. I suffered much disappointment also from being, through 

 the same cause, compelled to decline a most kind and courteous invitation from our Hono- 



