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covery of mines of coal. Since every ftep towards the providing of a 

 cheap, certain, and abundant fupply of fuel, will be the greateft ad- 

 vance imaginable, towards the improvement of the country. To this 

 great end, the mineralogical furvey of fuch parts of the country, as 

 feem, from their afpeft, to promife metallic and foffile fubftances, flaould 

 be direfted. 



The refearches of the naturalifls might difcover a variety of valu- 

 able fubflances, in this country ; Ireland is, by no means, deficient in 

 minerals. An abundant fource of wealth and profperity, to a country ; 

 and a copious field of employment, for the labouring poor, are opened 

 to us, in the purfuit of thofe treafures, which he concealed in the 

 earth. Yet, though mining fpcculations are highly profitable to the 

 adventurers, and advantageous to tlie country, if undertaken with judg- 

 ment ; there are none, where projeftors, of a fanguine temper, have 

 more room, for flattering thcmfelves to the laft, or, where people are 

 more liable to impofition, both, from others, and from their own hopes 

 and imaginations. Here, natural fcience, and experiments in chemiflry, 

 mufl direft the refearches and expeftations of the projeftor ; or they 

 will end in difappointraent and ruin. 



It would be a meafure of great national utility, were able mineral- 

 ogifts fent, at the public expence, through the country, to examine 

 its mineral prodaftions ; their quality, and the facility or difficulty of 

 obtaining them ; with other particulars, of that kind, proper to guide 

 the exertions of induftry ; and inrtrufted, to combine their feveral dif- 

 coveries, in fomething like a fubterranean chart of the whole iiland. 



By this means, we fhould, not only be enabled, to difcover difie- 



rent metals, and mines of coal and culm ; but ochres, and other fub- 



ftances, of ufe to painters and dyers. — Pipe-clay, and fuller's-earth are 



fubflances, of fuch importance, in the woollen manufaiflure, that they 



cannot be fought for, with too much diligence ; and the induftry of 



naturalifls fhould be flimulated, by rewards, to difcover veins of thefe 



fubflances. 



To 



