425 



cated to the fociety, by which they were fent, together with notices 

 of the various improvements, of which the feveral manufactures were 

 capable, and of the afliftance of which they refpeclively flood in need. — 

 In their conferences with the country manufacturers, thefe infpeclors 

 might occafionally communicate, in obvious and familiar terms, fuch 

 modern improvements, in tools, and machinery, or in procefs, as 

 might feem not to have yet reached them ; and the moft deferving 

 and intelligent of the country manufacturers might, under the re- 

 commendation of thefe infpedors, be furniflied with the more ufeful, 

 and portable articles of machinery, and with patterns of new in- 

 vented Fabricks and of fuch as were in the moft general demand, 

 for home confumption, and foreign markets ; and inftrucled, to 

 apply themfelves, with a preference, to fuch as were in moft general 

 requeft. 



It is much to be lamented, that we have, as yet, made little or no 

 progrefs, in the ufeful projeft, of framing ftatiftical tables, for Ireland, 

 which was fuggefted by the royal Irijh Academy, particularly as I 

 have heard it fuggefted, that certain political confiderations are likely 

 to prove a permanent obftruclion, to fo ufeful a work ; a detail of 

 the natural productions, the quality of the foil, the amount of po- 

 pulation, the ftate of agriculture, arts, and manufaftures, with the 

 improvements, and deficiencies, in their feveral branches, which 

 were to be obferved in each particular diftrid, all thefe matters ju- 

 dicioufly noted, and faithfully defcribed, would ferve, to direft the 

 condud of the manufacturer, the merchant, the legiflator, in many 

 operations, of great private and public importance. 



To this 1 would add ufeful publications for the aid of the miner, 

 the chemist, and the manufadurer ; fuch as catalogues of minerals, 

 catalogues, and descriptions, of the machines and inftruments ufed 

 in every manufaflure, with brief and familiar explanations, of their 

 properties and uses. — As to defcriptions of machines and public works 

 — diftionaries of arts and manufaftures ; the French nation has 



Vol. IX. ( 3 H ) furnllhed 



