apiJears that since the closing of tlie pit after the explosion, the whole mine 

 has become one huge gasometer, giving off at times 50,000 cubic feet of gas 

 l>er hour, a quantity sufficient to light up eveiy thoroughfare in the neigh- 

 bom-hood. Tlie awful check which the experiment, after so long and promising 

 a period of success, received from this accident, deeply as it must be regretted, 

 sliould not make us forget that at the doOr of almost every great discovery there 

 has been this "stumble on the threshold," this martyrdom of a few in the great 

 cause of humanity : but surely it is no ignoble death thus to fall in the foremost 

 rank, the glorious "forlorn-hope" of the eternal battlefield of Science? It was a 

 great philosopher as well as poet who said : 



The ample proposition that hope makes 



In all designs begun on earth below 



Fails in the promised largeness. — Checks and disasters 



Grow in the veins of actions highest reared. 



As knots by the conflux of meeting sap 



Infect the sound pine, and distort his grain, 



Tortive and errant, from his course of growth. 



Sith every action that hath gone before 



Whereof we have record, trial did draw. 



Bias and thwart not answering the aim, 



And that embodied figure of the thought 



That^gave't surmised shape. 



Which are nought else 

 But the protractive trials of great Jove 

 To And persistive constancy in men. 



Troil. andCres., I., 3. 



Before I conclude, allow me to say one word upon a subject which may perhaps 

 be as interesting to other members of Field clubs as it has been to myself, and 

 which, for very obvious reasons, may faii-ly come under our notice. I allude to 

 the jjrolonged delay, I shoiild rather say the total stop that has taken place in 

 the cadastral Survey of the midland and southern counties. The old Ordnance 

 maps are becoming every day more antiquated and unreal ; indeed they are now 

 doing positive mischief, by being used as data for new maps constantly put 

 forth for purchase by the public. I believe that the cost of the 6-inch scale, 

 ajiplied to Ireland and our northern counties, and which was intended to be 

 continued over the rest of the kingdom, is not appreciably gi-eater than the 1-inch 

 scale, with which we have to be satisfied. And the same remark applies to the 

 proposed 25-inch scale which was reported in favour of in consequence of certain 

 geometrical advantages applicable to that scale, besides the practical utility of 

 its affording (within a fraction) a square inch to the acre, not to say anytliing 

 of its immense importance to Geologists. I believe that nothing is really wanting 

 but that useful operation which has been called "kicking the shins of Govern- 

 ment " to get this subject attended to, and a great boon to the whole community 

 canied oiit. The advantages which would accrue from the possession of a perfect 

 map on this noble scale, are greater and more various than can be easily enume- 

 rated. I cannot but tliink that a little joint action on the part of Scientific Clubs 

 interested in the Geogi-aphy of so extensive a district, would find forcible expres- 



