360 I R E L 
thicknefs of twenty-five feet, no where lefs than twelve, 
nor found to exceed forty-two ; this fubftance varying 
materially in its appearances and properties, in proportion 
to the depth at which it lies. 
“ We fhould farther confider the peat-mofsas partaking 
in its general nature of the property of fponge completely 
faturated with water, and giving rife to different ftreams 
and rivers for the difcharge of the furplus waters which it 
receives from rain or fnow. Thefe ilreams in this diftrift 
have almoft univerfally worn their channels through the 
fubftance of the bog down to the clay or limeftone gravel 
■underneath, dividing the bog into diftinft maffes, and pre- 
f'enting in themfelves the moft proper fituations for the 
main drains, and which, with the affiftance of art, may be 
rendered effectual for the purpofe. 
“ The higheft fummit of any part of the bogs in this 
diftrift is 298 feet above the level of the fea, taken at an or¬ 
dinary fpring-tide in the Bay of Dublin 5 while the loweft 
oint any where on their furface is 84 feet lower than the 
igheft, and therefore 214. feet above the level of the fea. 
I 1 It is Mr. Griffith’s opinion, that by main drains laid 
down in the fituations referred to in his map, and with 
n fyftem of minor drains difcharging their waters into the 
main drains, and at a diftance of a quarter of a mile-from 
each other; and further with a fyftem of crofs drains dif¬ 
charging themfelves into the minor drains, and at a dif¬ 
tance of 280 yards apart; the entire bog may be rendered 
fufficiently compaft for the commencement of agricultural 
operations. The coft of the different improvements he 
eftimates at 70,014!. as being the expence of difcharging 
the waters from 36,480 Englifh acres of bog. In this view 
of the expence, it is however particularly worthy of con- 
fideration, that there is a farther extent of no lefs than 
4000 Irifh acres, not of bog, but of good land, lying 
along the banks of the river whofe courfe it is propofed 
to improve, and the expence of improving which is in¬ 
cluded in the above-mentioned fum. Thefe 4000 acres 
appear at prefent to be covered with water for not lefs 
than half the year; if preferved from thefe inundations, 
in the opinion of Mr. Griffith, an improvement would be 
effected in them to the value of 8o,oool. which is more 
than fufficient to defray the entire coft both of their own 
reclamation, and of the drainage of all the bog in this 
diftrift. 
“ A prejudice much more extenfive than that of the 
irreclaimability of a drained bog, is an apprehenfion which 
we have found very generally entertained, that, in the 
event of the fuccefs of thefe operations, the country would 
be left without a fufficient fupply of fuel. It feems not 
to be generally underftood, that, if the bogs of Ireland 
could be reclaimed, we ffiould derive not merely the ad¬ 
vantage of cultivating their furfaces, but at the fame time 
that the power of applying them wherever neceftary for 
fuel, would be increafed fome hundred or rather fome 
thoufand fold. Fuel can at prefent be obtained only from 
the edges of thefe bogs ; the exceffive wetnefs of the inte¬ 
rior rendering it in its prefent ftate wholly unavailable 
for fuel; but, if once drained, fuel might be procured 
from every part of them ; and it is a great miftake to fup- 
pofe that the drainage of a bog would impair its qualities 
as turf. On the contrary, it would operate as the greateft 
noffible improvement of it, and that not merely at the 
time when it was effefted, but at all future periods, and 
in a degree progreffively increafing.” 
Whe'n it is known that a competent judge in thefe mat¬ 
ters, Mr. Arthur Young, has affected, that “ no meadows 
are equal to thofe gained by improving a bog; that they 
are of a value which fcarcely any other lands rife to 
the national importance of the projeft which furnilhed 
occafion for the above Report mult be felf-evident. The 
benefit that mull refult from its execution in ameliorating 
the ftate of the country as to health, intercourfe, pro¬ 
duce, and confequently wealth and civilization, are in¬ 
calculable. » 
AND. 
There is not a county of Ireland but what contains 
fome valuable mineral or foffil; feveral of them, it is now 
afcertained, abound with treafures of this kind, and thele 
are in general moft favourably fituated for the exportation 
of their produfts, either in a raw or manufaftured ftate. 
The following account, drawn up by Mr. Newenham, 
from the ftatiftical furveys of feventeen counties, the 
writings of Dr. Smith, the fpecimens in the mufeum of 
the Dublin Society, the communications of Mr. Donald, 
mineralogift to that fociety, and from the information of 
others, will afford a high opinion of the wealth of Ireland 
in minerals and fojftls. 
Armagh —contains lead, ochres of different colours, and 
various beautiful marbles. 
Antrim —Coal and gypfum in abundance, beautiful crys¬ 
tals, pebbles, and different kinds of ochres. 
Carlow —Granite, talc, marbles, cryftals, and ochres. 
Cavan— Fine lead ore, iron, coal, ochres, clay, fullers’ 
earth, fulphur, copper, filver, and jafper. 
Clare —Lead, copper, iron, coal, and beautiful fpars, re- 
lembling thofe of Derbyfnire. 
Cork —Lead, iron, copper, coal, fine (late, extremely-beau- 
tiful marbles of a great variety of colours, petrifaftions, 
brown and yellow ochres, excellent potters’ clay, and 
amethyfts of great beauty. 
Donegal —Rich lead ore, coal, filiceous fand, clays of va¬ 
rious forts, manganefe, iron, beautiful granite, chalce¬ 
dony, marble relembling what is called ftatuary marble, 
and garnet. 
Down —Iron, fullers’ earth, foap-ftone, rich lead, marbles 
of different forts, cryftals, granite, copper, and very 
fine flate. 
Dublin —Copper, lead, ochres of different colours, potters 5 
clay, beautiful pebbles, cryftals, and porphyry. 
Fermanagh —Rich iron-ore, and coal. 
Galway —Rich lead, cryftals, pearls, and marbles of fupe- 
rior quality. 
Kerry —Abundance of rich copper, lead, beautiful marbles 
of various combinations of colours, cobalt, cryftals, 
pearls, and amethyfts. 
Kildare —Marbles of different colours, which bear a higher 
polifh than thofe brought from Italy. 
Kilkenny —Iron, coal, ochres, pipe and potters’ clay, mar¬ 
bles, fome of them Angularly beautiful, granite, and 
jafper. 
King's County —A filver mine near Edenderry, but not 
wrought thefe forty years. 
Leitrim —Inexhauftible ftores of iron and coal, copper, 
blue, green, yellow, pale-red, and crimfon, clays, ful¬ 
lers’ earth, and garnet. 
Limeric —Iron, copper, lead, coal, and fine flate. 
Londonderry —Iron, copper, lead, abundance of cryftals, 
beautiful pebbles and petrifaftions, found near Lough 
Neagh, granite, and fine marbles. 
Longford —Great variety of marbles, ochres, lead, fine flate, 
extremely rich iron-ore, and jafper. 
Louth —Ochres, and fullers’ earth. 
Mayo —Abundance of iron-ore, ochres, granite, coal, flate 
of a fuperior quality, beautiful black marble without 
fpeck, and manganefe. 
Meath —Ochres, and rich and abundant copper-ore. 
Monaghan —Iron, lead, manganefe, coal, marble, fullers’ 
earth, and antimony. 
Queen's County —Iron, coal, copper, marble, ochres, fullers’ 
earth, and potters’ clay. 
Rofcommon —Ochres, coal, iron, and marble, exhibiting the 
petrified fkeletons of different animals, and bearing a 
very high poliffi. 
Sligo —Copper, iron, lead, coal, fine clays, talc, filver, 
and in abundance near the coaft a ftone which bears 
a high polilh, and is called the ferpent-ftone, from 
its exhibiting figures refembling the fkeletons of thefe 
animals. 
Tipperary —Rich and abundant copper and lead mines, 
coal. 
