The Sun.
London, England, 1825-11-29 00:00:00

IRISH MARBLES-MR. BROWNE'S REPORT.

" Having. been desired to go to Cutnmara, in the
county of Galway, Province Connaught, in the
West of Ireland, to examine the marble quarries
on the estate of IticnAttn and TuomAs MARTIN,
Esquires, and having done so, my report is ;Ali
follows :
I found at the foot of a mountain called nortianorane, about
45 miles West of Galway town, and near the twelve first moun-
tains a quarry of very beautiful green marble, opened and
worked to a considerable extent; I traced the indications of said
quarries to a distance sometAing more than a mile.
Near this I examined another quarry, called the Fairy
Mount, which furnished a statuary marble, occasionally tinged
with a lightish green ; and a quarter of a mile distant from it
I had another statuary quarry opened to an extent of about
twenty yards. It was of a brownish tinge, and I attribute the
colour in both cases to its being the surface marble ; if they
were worked to a greaten depth, it is my opinion the marble
would be whiter and free of colour. At a short distance another
quarry was opened, which proved the same quality as the last,
but of a pinkish colour.
About two miles distant from the Boruanorane Mountain is
another called the Craig Mountain ;it is full two miles in
diameter at the base. I examined it in several parts, and found
nearly the whole to consist of statuary marble, something whiter
and harder than either of the before-mentioned.

The Boruanorane Mountain is about five miles from Round-
stone Bay, where a wharf has been formed by Government at a
place called Cleonisle, at high water ; the depth is a fathoms
alongside the quay, and at this place marble from either of the
fore-named quarries must be shipped.
A road from this wharf to Boruanorane is now being formed
by Mr. Martin, and is in that state of forwardness that it may
be finished by 'ebruary next.,
At Cleonisle, immediately alongside the wharf, is a granite
quay of considerable extent, and very fine quality.
At Outerard, about 14 miles from Galway, I examined a
quarry of black marble, of superior colour, the indications of
its extent was several miles; it is situate about half a mile
from the large lake Carib, which is navigable for barges
to Galway-town, where marble from the quarry must be
shipped.
The whole of the marbles and granite mentioned, 1 am of
opinion, may be brought to this country, and sold at a rate
that would secure a liberal profit to persons embarking a ca-
pital in such an undertaking, providing a fair contract is first
made with the Messrs. Martin, and any contract made with
them must include the exclusive right of working all the
marble, granite, and stone quarries, now known, or that may
be discovered on these estates in Ireland. If required, I am
prepared to furnish in detail all the necessary information for
such an undertaking, and to give every assistance in my power
in the framing a proper contract, to carry into effect the objects
in view.

JOSEPH BROWNE."

Carmarthen-street, Oct. 8, 1825.

",,,* Mr. GRIESECKY, one of the most distinguished Mi-
neralogists of the present day, has visited and explored the
above mentioned marbles, and in his opinion, from the extent
of the quarries, they will prove a source of employment to the
people for ages to come. He says that " the colours are a
mixture of siskin-pistacchio and leek-green, with ash-grey, ac-
companied by white granular lime-stone, or marble, exhibit.
ing such a beautiful variety of undulating and serpentine deli-
neation as he never witnessed in quarries of the same substance,
particularly respecting the agreeable brightness of the colours.
It may be not only employed in architecture for pillars and mo-
numents, but also for chimney-pieces, table and window plates,
and the smaller, for ornamental purposes, into vases, urns,
candlesticks, and various other articles, on account of its
being susceptible of a good polish, and to be turned on the
lathe," &c.