OF ORES AND COALS. 133 



ciety by the late learned and reverend Dr. Hales, but dropt his 

 defign of finifhing it, to the regret of thofe who are acquainted with 

 his great abilities. He has obferved, that the fire-engine feems 

 not yet to have attained to its greatefl degree of perfection. He 

 thinks there is reafon to hope, that either by increafing the fleam, 

 or by augmenting the force, it may be brought to work with 

 much fmaller boilers, and with a very moderate expence of 

 fuel ; and under fuch circumflances it may be applied to a vaft 

 variety of purpofes, and become of much greater ufe to man- 

 kind (1). His late friend, Mr. Carli/le Spedding, before-men- 

 tionedj an excellent mechanic, was fuperintendent of five at White- 

 haven, to which he made many considerable improvements. The 

 fame has been, done by Mr. William Brown, of Throckley, in this 

 county, particularly in the engine erected for the coal-mine at 

 Walker, already noticed, in great reputation for his fkill in me- 

 chanics, and his fagacity and prudence in the direction and 

 management of coal-mines. 



Thofe round Neivcqftle were ordered to be fired, ipth King 

 Charles I. 1643, by the Marquis of Neivcaftle, General of the 

 King's forces, then in the town, befieged by the Scots, whofe 

 General, Lejley, preferved them by furprizing the boats and 

 veflels (m.).. 



They had alfo a narrow efcape from being fired by the Scots 

 after their defection from the parliament, 1648, under their 

 Leader, Monroe, who, on the news of a party of his countrymen 

 rifing againft him, under the conduct of the Marquis of Argy &, 

 fpirited up by their minifters, ordered his troops homewards, 



(I) Ph. Tr. Vol. 49. Part 2 d. for 1756. 

 (m) IFhitlock's Memorials, p. 78. 



the 



