The Liverpool Standard, and General Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-10-03 00:00:00

at devote(

Le proceedings, t

interesting, were not of asufficiently general importance
to call for particular attention. The chief topics of local
interest being confined to some observations elicited by
Mr. Osier, of the Liverpool Observatory, from Professor
Philips, who congratulated the British Association upon
the double triumph they had gained at this meeting at
Liverpool. It was at the last meeting here that Mr. Osier
brought forward his first idea of the anemometer

and the instrument in such com:

plete working order, that, during the whole time it has
been in use (since 1837), not more than nine hours had
passed in which the state of the wind could not be accu-
rately ascertained ; and, secondly, it was at the same
---, the erection of the Liverpool Observatory was
_,,.sted. Now, on their return, they find it in such a
useful condition that it is not too much to say, as an insti-
tution for the observation and registration of atmospheric
phenomena, it is second to none in the world, placed as it
is under the direction of such a gentleman as Mr.. Hart-
nup, so ably assisted by Mr. Osier.
In Section 8., Chemical Seience, papers were read "On
the re-cutting of the Koh-i-noor Diamond," "On the
influence of the Hot-blast in Cast-iron," and on various
other subjects connected with the business of the sectifon.
Section C., devoted to Geology, was occupied to some
extent by an interesting paper, read and contributed by
Leonard Horner, Esq. F.R.S., " Discovery of Microsco-
Shells in the Lower Silurian Rocks." Other paper'
also read ; but the business of the section was not con-
cluded till the following day, when, after communications
being read by Professor Forbes; Mr. T. Knipe, and Mr..
Charlesworth, Dr. John Irvine Whitty read a paper "On
Anthracite Coal." Dr. Whitty mentions the discovery of
a large bed of anthracite coal, four feet in thickness, in.
the county of Cavan, which he was appointed to examine ;
in a locality where fuel can with difficulty be obtained for-
burning lime, so requisite in all slate countries, and, more-
over, in the Grauwacke or Silurian rock formation, where
the appearance of coal has been hitherto an anomaly
almost unknown to geologists, with the exception of that
described by Professor Harkness in Scotland, which Dr.
Whitty supposes, from the strike of the rocks, may be a
continuation of the same vein through the counties of
Down, Armagh, and Monaghan.: The coal, analysed,
presents the following constituents : . _

Carbon

Water
Ash ..

77.64
4.35
18.01

Total - 100.00
It contains no bitumen, but a far greater proportion of
carbon (as Professor Harkness subsequently observed),

than any fuel of the same class hitherto knov-vn, even the
celebrated Boghead coal, and is therefore invaluable for
furnaces, steam-engines, &c. The mode which Dr. Whitty
proposed for working the mine was- entered into ; in con-
clusion he remarked that owing to• the convolutions of the•
system in which this coal exists, the lowest, and conse-
quently the most contorted, of all the stratified rocks, it
most probably re-appears at the surface in other localities-
which he suggested, and that the•discovery of this valua-
ble substance in a formation where it was supposed least
likely to exist, ought to stimulate to increased exertions,
in the examination of the country, as many minerals
undoubtedly exist unknown to the proprietors of the soil,
which might be otherwise rendered a fruitful source of
commerce.—Professor Harkness expressed his concurrence
in the opinion that the coal discovered by Dr. Whitty is a
continuation of that described by him in Scotland, and Dr.
Griffith corroborated the statements generally put forward..
—Sir R. I. Murchison and Professor Harkness concluded
the business of the section.

In the Zoological and Botanical section (D.) a paper was
read " On the Fauna of Liverpool," on which Dr. Lankes-
ter offered a few observations relative to the advantages
which would accrue from the establishment of a practical
museum of economical botany; and also alluded to the
necessity for posting up the books at the Botanic Gardens.
Several other papers were read, and the business of the
section was brought to a close. _ _

In section E TGeography and Ethnology), on Thesday,
Mr. T. Wright, M.A., read a long paper " On the Early
Ethnology of Britain." It was followed by a discussion
in which several gentlemen took part ; after which Mr.
Kennedy, F.E.S., read a paper "On the last Tribes of
Israel." Mr. Kennedy's paper was followed by one from
Mr. Joseph Brooks Yates, On the Estuary of the River
Mersey, and the Hazardous and Uncertain Approaches
to the Port of Liverpool." He said, of all the sea-ports
visited by the commissioners, none stood more in need of
judicious management than that of Liverpool. It was
well said that a hostile fleet would encounter more danger
from the tortuous entrance to the River Mersey than the
inhabitants would from a bombardment. By referring to.
the maps, they would find the channel intercepted by
several sand-banks, some dry at low water, between which
were several channels of various depths. In stormy
weather nature works upon a grand scale, in changing
these huge banks, and altering their directions and di-
mensions in a short space of time. In vain may Liver-
pool boast of the enterprise of her merchants, her five
miles of docks, that she has the trade of one-half of the
world, and point with pride to her palatial edifices, if by
any mismanagement upon the part of her Dock Com-
mittee, or other responsible persons, her magnificent
estuary should become blocked up, or even its navigation
much more impeded. The Mersey was rather an incon-
siderable stream until it arrived within thirteen miles of
Liverpool, where, joined by the River Weaver, it assumes
the character of a broad estuary. The tides affect it 25
miles up the river, as far as Warrington. The bed of the
river is red sand and clay, with a few patches of gravel
and sandstone rock. Its channel becomes charged with
the earthy matter and sand, which it brings down in
great quantities. Opposite the town large deposits are
made by the sewers, which empty themselves partly into
the docks and partly into the river. At the last meeting
of the British Association in Liverpool, 1837, Captain
Denham, then Marine Surveyor for this port, gauged
some river water, and he found 29 cubic inches of debris
in a cubic yard on the flow of the tide, and 33 inches in
the ebb. The accumulation, therefore, of this debris
in a year would amount to 35,000 cubic yards, which is
equivalent to a layer of mud on the river's bed of 21
inches thick, one third of which is carried away by the
next flood. They need not wonder at fresh banks being
thrown up and the soundings continually altering. His-

torical tests informed them of several most important
changes in the currents within the last 150 years. The
earliest known survey was by Grenville Collins, in 1683.
He represents one channel only, "the worse channel,"
five fathoms deep, as safe. He describes ships aground
before Liverpool when the tide was out. William 111.
sailed from Hoylake when he went to Ireland, and Gren-
ville Collins acted a pilot. The tide at this time rose up
to St. Nicholas Church, now 300 yards away. A chart
was published in 1813 by George Thomas, another by
Captain Denham, in 1837, and a most excellent one in
1853, by Lieut. W. Lord. The tides do not rise so high
now towards Warrington as formerly. The river opposite
the landing-stage was formerly 1,200 yards wide ; now it
is 900 yards. An increase of deposit has, in the same period,
taken place outside the estuary, in the northern and
western approaches. It was highly necessary to modify
these deposits, as well as for the health of the town that
the sewers should empty themselves more outside the
town, to the north. Mr. Yates severely criticised and
condemned the policy which led to the filling up the best
dock, and building the Custom House upon the site ; as
also the encroaching on the river in making new docks.
The latter course, he contended, left the debris to accu-
mulate quicker in a narrower space, and thus more rapidly
tended to choke the river's mouth. The water area had
been diminished by 400 acres ; and the banks in some
parts, Egremont, &c., were being washed away. The
Birkenhead Docks had the injurious tendency he com-
plained of; and, if the proposed docks northward were

erected, another immense area that serves to receive
debris and soil would be taken away, and thus leave the
banks still more exposed to be filled up. He advised that
docks be carried inland. With regard to a three-mile
breakwater, proposed by Mr. George Rennie, he thought
it impracticable, as it would cost £12,000,000. Besides,
there was no rocky foundation there. Mr. Yates concluded
his valuable paper, by saying that merchants must trust
to a beneficent Providence to avert the impending evils.
The Rev. C. G. NICOLAY read a communication from
Mr. George Rennie, F.R.S., recommending a gigantic

breakwater to be made trom tne maim up to near tne
Rock Lighthouse, to improve the entrance, by narrowing
the current, and thus increasing the ebb and flow, the
more effectually to scour the river, and also to protect the
shipping in the north docks. Considerable discussion en-
sued upon this suggestion. Mr. Yates, Adml. Grenfell, and
Mr. Webster considered it impracticable. The Earl of
by and Sir R. I. Murchison considered it worthy
- resolved to

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