ON THE CHEMICAL MANUFACTURES OF THE NORTHERN DIstRicts. 701 
these latter are steamers of upwards of 3400 tons burthen, pronounced by 
their owners to be “the finest and most complete merchant steamers ever 
built.” They are intended to bring cotton from the Southern States of 
America, so soon as the unhappy war in that country shall cease, and they 
will no doubt be but the pioneers of others of a similar class. One of these 
steamers is of sufficient capacity to carry 7000 bales of cotton, and it is esti- 
mated that, during one year, she will bring from New Orleans to Liverpool 
38,000 bales. The crew of such a vessel consists of sixty hands, and it would 
require five sailing vessels of 1200 tons each, employing 130 seamen, to do 
the same work. 
A consideration of the future of the iron shipbuilding trade opens out a 
vast field for speculation, but the ultimate result is not difficult to anticipate. 
We have seen with what success sailing vessels have been superseded by 
steamers in the coasting and coal trades, and we know that magnificent fieets 
of steamers, engaged in the postal and other services, are ploughing almost 
every known sea. As commerce increases, there will be few trades in which 
the employment of iron steamers will not be found of advantage. Most of 
the carrying trade to the Baltic and Mediterranean is already conducted in 
vessels of that class, and the sailing ships that cross the North Atlantic are 
being rapidly displaced by iron steamers. Their advantages in strength, 
speed, and capacity are so marked, that sailing vessels of timber must give 
way before them. Even the Admiralty, cautious and unyielding though it 
be, will have to abandon its “ wooden walls” in favour of the stronger and 
more useful material—a material, too, that lies in rich profusion beneath our 
feet, and has not, like timber, to be purchased of other nations. The com- 
mercial men of this country have set the Admiralty a signal example of 
industry and enterprise. It is they who have made the experiments, and 
adopted the inventions that have established the maritime supremacy of this 
country ; and it is owing to their energy that we find on every sea, in the 
shallow rivers of the East, and the deep broad waters of the West, English- 
built ships of commerce diffusing the benefits of free trade, and linking 
nations and tribes together in the bonds of amity and peace. The true source 
of our national greatness is to be sought in this wonderful development of 
our merchant navy. Other nations are entering into friendly rivalry with us, 
but the larger share of the carrying trade of the world will ever be secured to 
that country that can produce vessels combining the largest capacity with the 
utmost amount of economy and expedition in construction, and that can at the 
same time navigate those vessels with the greatest degree of skill and rapidity. 
In conclusion, permit me to express the proud conviction I entertain that 
the mineral wealth of this district, and the skill and endurance of its work- 
men, whether on land or sea, will enable the locality that gave birth to an 
Armstrong and a Stephenson to maintain its character for maritime industry 
and enterprise, and to bear its full share in promoting the commercial great- 
ness of the country. 
On the Chemical Manufactures of the Northern Districts. By Tuomas 
Ricuarpson, M.A., F.R.S.E.; J.C. Stevenson, F.C.S.; and R. C. 
CLAPHAM. 
Salt.—Salt-works were formerly very numerous in this district, establish- 
ments having been formed at Howdon Pans, Hartley Pans, Jarrow, North 
and South Shields, and other localities. This trade was carried on by several 
