Sir William Armstrong's inaugural address was by no means open
to the charge of taking coals to Newcastle. On the con- trary, it undermined the future hopes of Newcastle in coals as much as the coal-mines themselves undermine its soil. He said that England was now raising 86,000,000 tons yearly, and that recently the yearly rate of increase had been 2,750,000 tons per year. If the increase were now for ever to cease, and the coal-income to be henceforth only 86,000,000 tons, the English stock would be exhausted to the depth of 4,000 feet in 930 years ; but if the increase of n millions annually were to 'continue it would be exhausted in only 212 years. Moreover, he scarcely thought that at present the coal could be' worked so deep as 4,000 feet. The bottom of Monkwearmouth Colliery (only 1,800 feet deep) shows a temperature of 84 deg., and a degree rises for every 60 feet of depth. This would give 120 deg. for the depth of 4,000 feet—a dreadfully hot climate to mine in, and most exhaust- ing to the strength. On the whole, Sir W. Armstrong thought that in a century or two the United States, which possess coal-fields thirty-six times as extensive as ours, will supply the world with coal ; but the meeting was not appa- rently depressed by this prospect for their posterity, pro- bably thinking that something might turn up, even for Newcastle as good as coal itself. Sir W. Armstrong then discussed ;Aso the source of coal in the sun's heat, and gave a very striking picture of Mr. Nasmyth's solar "willow leaves," which are each 1,000 miles in length and 100 in breadth, and, says Sir William, "perhaps organisms." We hope not ; crowds of involved, bright, hot caterpillars creeping over each other, each 100,000 square miles in area, are not a pleasant (or very probable) idea; but Sir W. Armstrong's speech was the ablest and far the most popular of recent years.
