1807.] 
very complete farnace, with a double 
steam-engine by Bolton and Watt, 
boring milis, and every thing complete. 
At ‘Montrath, in the Queen’s County 
are to be found ores of iron that would 
require centuries to exhaust. Iron has 
also been found in the counties of Wick- 
Jow and Wexford, particularly in the 
western part, on the estate of Lord Spen- 
cer Chichester. In the county of Wa- 
teriord iron is also in great abundance, 
and in Kerry. These inines of iron, be- 
fore the invention of smelting with pit- 
coal, were of little value, but are now of 
considerable importance, and that impor- 
tance rising every day, by the art of ma- 
nufacturing iron by this species of car- 
bon, which, although so greatly extended 
in England, is far from being brought to 
perfection. 
Some of the bar and rod iron made in 
England is extremely good, and very lit- 
tle inferior to the iron made on the Con- 
tinent by the carbon made of wood. 
But it is very much to be lamented, that 
great quantities of bar and rod iron are 
sent into the markets, and particularly 
into Ireland, of a very bad quality, parti- 
cularly for making nails, in which the con- 
sumption is much beyond what any ‘one, 
at a transient view, would imagine. I 
have mentioned to some of the iron-mas- 
ters the heavy complaints of this practice, 
which, if not remedied, will greatly in- 
jure the reputation of this i important ma- 
nufacture. And I should think it 
would be’ well worth the consideration 
of those interested i the reputation of 
this important branch, and deserving the 
attention of the legislature, to have some 
puble inspection or criterion, by which 
the quality of the iron Should be exa- 
mined, and the makers made responsible 
for the quality of their manufacture being 
answerable to the description. 
When it is considered that, notwith- 
standing all that has been yet done in the 
iron trade of Great Britain, we im- 
port of foreign iron, I Believe, nearly to 
the amount of two Hillions sterling, it 1s 
of great importance, that not only the per- 
fection of the article should be attended 
to, but that every enquiry should be made 
to find out situations where it may be 
earried on to the best advantage. And 
surely, whether this may be found in 
Coslbrookdale, on the banks of the Car- 
ron, in the vale of Towy, or on the bor- 
ders of the Shannan; it is equally of the 
game importance to the empire at large, 
And I know there are many situations 
in Ireland, to which this trade must come, 
On the Metals and Metallic Strata of Ireland. 
27 
and from the much greater cheap- 
ness of labour, must be established with 
very superior advantagesto what it is car- 
ried on in many parts of England at this. 
moment. And this event will be greatly 
accelerated, hy the endeavours now inak- 
ing in Ireland to complete a perfect sys- 
tem of inland navigation. 
GOLD. 
Next to iron, gold is the metal most ge- 
nerally diffused over the earth, and, like 
the latter, enters into the composition of 
most vegetables and animals, but in far 
less quantities, and is itself of much infe- 
rior utility. 
This much coveted metal has recently 
been found in singular abundance in the 
mountain Crougham, on the southern 
boundary of the county of Wicklow, si- 
tuated about four miles from Arklow, and 
ten from Rathdrum, in that county, and 
about thirty-two iniles south from Dublin. 
In Macurtin’s History of Ireland it is 
said also to have been found in the nor- 
thern parts of the county of Wicklow, 
near the head of the Liffey. It is well as- 
certained that the natives of Ireland were 
in the practice of wearing gold ornaments, 
when it was not known that this precious 
metal was found in any part of Europe, 
Some very skilful mineralogists are of opi- 
nion that at this place, where the gold 
has been found, in the county of Wick- 
low, there is, if pursued with spirit, a suf- 
ficient quantity of gold to supply all Ku- 
Pope. 
SILVERe 
_ This valuable metal has been find 
in galena in various parts; and, lately, 
some very rich specimens of. close- 
grained galena, with much, silver, were 
found in the county of Wextord. 
In general, however, the ores of 
lead contain too little silver to render it 
worth extracting; but if the discovery 
made in the county of Wexford should 
be found to lead to a mine of the same 
kind as the specimens found, it would be 
a most: valuable object of attention. 
COPPER. 
This, though not of so extensive utility 
as iron, is yet of great advantage in the 
arts, manufactures, ind commerce ; par- 
ticularly in the navy. Ireland contains 
rich and valuable mines of this metallic 
substance, and capable of being worked 
tu great advantage; and at cfieel mode« 
rate expence. 
In the county of Wicklow théreis an 
extent of country nearly ten miles in 
length, reaehipg from the ee " 
whic 
