they will foon rival thofe of Swederi and
Ruffia. The Englifh iron, twenty years
ago, fcarcely deferved the name, as it could
not be worked into any article of finenefs;
but fuch is the improvement, that we now
have but fmall demand for foreign iron.
It is not an eafy matter to determine the
extent of this improvement, as iron works
are fo confideraby increafing all over the
kingdom; and at fome diftant period we
probably may poflefs our mines of coal
when the forefts of the northern powers may
perhaps be confumed : fuch is'the poffibility
of affairs ; nor is it extremely improbable
but this country may at fome future period
export her iron to the nations that half a
century ago exclufively fupplied us.
Our iron bridges are a fpecies of architecture
of which this empire alone can
boaft. Iron in its various ftates is fo applicable
to the ufe of man, that it would be
daily
difficult to form limits to its application!
and I am credibly informed that the demand
daily inereafes. We have a few works in
this kingdom in which charcoal is ufed in
the making of iron ; the iron thus produced
is equal to the beft Swedifh, and probably
we foon fhall procure from it as-fine fteeh
Coal frequently emits while burning a
liquid bituminous matter; and fhiftus is
frequently fo penetrated with afphalt as to
burn until the inflammable matter is vola-
talized. In this country pieces of coal may
be got very large, weighing more than three
or four hundred pounds. Veins of fulphate
of iron frequently occur ; and in two or
three inftances lead ore has been found in
it. When the fulphate of iron has appeared
in abundance, and the fituation convenient,
copperas works have been eftablifhed.
The culm, or fmall coal, is in many cafes
of no value, and may be taken away from
the mine gratis.
C 2 Coal