COMMITTEE’S ADDRESS. 159 
and brilliant powers of his mind, the amiability of his disposition, 
and the urbanity of his manners. 
From this melancholy theme we must now turn to review the 
Field Meetings of the year. Of these, six have been held in 
various parts of the two counties; all were highly successful, the 
weather on each occasion being everything that could be wished, 
and the attendance of members very numerous. Throughout 
our rambles we met with a courtesy, kindness, and hospitality 
which will long live in the memory of those who shared them. 
A hospitality which has ever flourished in the “north countrie,” 
and especially on the banks of Tyne and in the vale of Wear. 
The First Fiero Meetine was held at Newburn, on Wed- 
nesday, the 15th of May. 
A fair number of members gathered at the appointed hour, 
and as the distance to the ‘meet’ was trifling, the usual assistance 
of train or carriage was dispensed with. 
A brisk walk of three or four miles through a pretty country, 
brought the party to the first point of interest on the route, the 
Coaly Hill Dyke. Here they were joined by Mr. John Ramsay, 
of Walbottle, Mr. Spencer, of Lemington, and Mr. J. B. Simp- 
son, of Ryton; and the first named gentleman, who had been 
good enough to bring with him plans and sections of the district, 
prepared for colliery purposes, pointed out the direction of the 
dyke and its geological features, and described the appearance it 
presents, and its effects on the seams of coal that are intersected 
by it, in the neighbouring collieries. 
Very little of the Basalt itself is now visible in the dyke 
at Coaly Hill, it haying been excavated for road making 
and other purposes, to such a depth that it is almost con- 
cealed by water which has collected in the workings, but the 
vertical surfaces of the shales, and coal seams, with which it has 
come in contact, are well preserved, and its effects on these are 
very remarkable. ‘These surfaces give abundant evidence of the 
action of the heat tc which they have beenexposed. The seam of 
coal which is about three feet in thickness, has been converted 
for many feet from the surface of the dyke, into a coke or cinder, 
consisting of small hexagonal columnar prisms lying horizontally, 
