308 Triumph of Science. 
by the Coal Proprietors and Owners at the Queen’s Head at New- 
castle, where tlie plate was exposed for public inspéction, and the 
designs, taste, and execution, equally admired. J.G. Lambton, 
esq. M.P. for the county of Durham, was in the chair. There 
were present: The Mayor, Sheriff, and Town Clerk of New- 
castle; the Rev. Dr. Gray; J. Collinson, and J. Hodgson ; 
Messrs. Warren, Lamb, Baker, Lorraine, Buddle, Ellison, Botts, 
Brown, Mowbray, Robinson, and about fifty other gentlemen. 
After the King and the Prince Regent, the Queen and Royal 
Family, had been drank, Mr. Lambton rose, and presented the 
service of plate to Sir Humphry Davy, and addressed him nearly 
in these,terms, with great strength of feeling : 
Sir Humphry—It is now my duty to fulfil the object of this 
meeting, in presenting to you this service of plate, from the coal- 
owners of the Tyne and Wear, as a testimony of their gratitude 
for the services you have rendered to them and to humanity. 
Your brilliant genius, which has been so long employed in ex- 
tending, in an unparalleled manner, the boundaries of chemical 
knowledge, never accomplished a better object, nor obtained a 
nobler triumph. You had to contend with an element of de- 
struction, which seemed uncontrollable by human power, which 
not only rendered the property of the coal-owner insecure, but 
kept him in perpetual alarm with respect to the safety of the 
miner, and often exhibited to him scenes of death and heart- 
rending misery. You have increased the value of an important 
branch of productive industry; and, what is of infinitely greater 
importance, you have contributed to the preservation of the lives 
and persons of multitudes of your fellow-creatures. It is now 
nearly two years that your safety-lamp has been used by hun- 
dreds of miners, inthe most dangerous situations, and under the 
most trying circumstances, Not a single failure has occurred ; 
its absolute security is demonstrated. I have, indeed, deeply to 
lament more than one catastrophe produced by fool-hardiness 
and ignorance in neglecting to use it, but even these dreadful ac- 
cidents, if possible, exalt its importance. If your fame had 
needed any thing to make it immortal, this discovery alone would 
have carried it down to future ages, connected with benefits and 
blessings. Receive, Sir Humphry, this permanent memorial of 
our profound respect and high admiration—a testimony, we trust, 
equally honourable to you and to us. We hope you will have as 
much pleasure in receiving, as we have in offering it; long may 
you liye to use it; long may you live to pursue your splendid 
career of scientific discovery, and to give new claims to the gra- 
titude and praise of the world!” . 
Sir Humphry Davy having received the plate, spoke nearly in 
the following words: 
** Gentlemen—lI find it impossible to reply in an appropriate 
manner 
