The Late Mr. Watt.
The Times, 1824-07-14T00:00:00

A meeting was held yesterday7batnrday, July 10). in the large room of the Waterloo Hotel, Edinburgh, to promote the subscrip- tion for a monument in Westminster Abbey, to the late Jame5 Watt. This meeting was called bv Sir W. Scott and Mr. Francis Jeffrey, tS members of the London Committee, and it was under- stood that Lord Elgin wvould tn.ce the chair; but his Lordship being detained at another meeting, Sir WValter Scott was named as his substitute by acclamation. Among sixty or serenty other gentlemen, were observed, Lord Elgin, and the Lord Chief Com- missioner. Sir WALTER explained shortly the purpose of the meeting, and delivered a most animated ealogium on 1r. Watt, which he most happily interspersed with many beautiful illustratioils and allu- sions. MIr. Jeffrey followed at more length, and proposed at once to commence the subscription, when Professor PiOlans sugsested that it would be far more honourable to the memory ef Nr. Watt, while it wouId redound mnore to the crediL of Scotland, to opea-& subseription of our owrn, for a monument in the country ef Mr. Watt's birth-in the place where his inveiutions were first eonceived and brought to light. The Professor wias supported by r. John CraLig, from Glasgow, to whom both Sir WValter and al1r. Jeffrey replied, that the object of this meeting was to obtain subscriptions in aid of the London one, that the monument was to be a great national one; and that no better place could be chesen for it than the nmetropolis of the empire. MIr. Jeffrey was about to close the business .f the meeting accordingly, when Alr. Cockburn entered the room,, and began by protesting against so precipitate a vote on so important a measure. He said he held in his hand a copy of the intimation by which the meeting was called, and there was no specific object condescended on. Oentlemen were now convoked, therefoxe, for the genleratl purpose of taking mea.sures to raise a monument to the memory of Mlr. WVatt. MIr. Cockburn proceeded to r-emark, that he by no means op posed subscriptions in aid of the London one, but it would be fair ansi proper to s;ate to the pablic that a Scottish one was also in contemplation. He wished a monument for such a mar. to be erected in the open air, so that the meanest mechanic and poorest man in the coun try might have it constantly in his eye as one spslendid proof of what genius' and industry might achieve. He did not see the propriety of burying such a monument in Westminster Abbey, vvhere it could only be seen by the happy few who might be able to pay 2s. or 2s. 64{. for the gratification. The Lord Chief Commissioner considered that, to a man like Watt, the country ought never to be weary of testifying their gratitude and admiration, and that they might ]iberahly assist the London Committee without in tbe least aff'ecting the object entertained by Mr. Cockburn. hlis Lsordship then stated that hc had long enioyed the friendship of Mr. Watt, and paid many comrpliments to the qualitics of his mind as well aS of his hearL. MWr. Cockbum replied, by observing that he saw some independent mechanics in the room, who, he had no doubt, would instantly call a m.eeting, by wfhich Scotlanld would be roused to a sense of their ingratitude in delaying so long to do jus- tice to the memory of their countryman, in such a monument as he had been projecting. The business of this particular meeting was then proceeded wvith; but it v as not difficult to perceive from the numbers who departed without subscribing (indeed all excepting six or seven), that Mr. Cockburn's view of the subject had secured ge- neral approbation, and must be speedily adopted by the publie.- GlOsgore Chroniclc._____ TUB LATE; MR. WATT.