per ton, or 14,500 cubic feet of gas of superior quality. | and by a drift 80 feet above the other openings. It is A late consular report says this deposit shows signs of a limited deposit, as efforts to trace it outside of the exhaustion. ravine have shown. The bed is 9 feet thick, dipping 25° to the east. It is covered by only 5 feet of loose earth. PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND.-There is no known coal of workable thickness yet developed in this country. The surface rocks are all Permian. The Carboniferous formation may underlie them. The coal near San Antonio is opened by a shaft, showing a 4-foot bed, near the summit of the hill 800 feet above the level of the Yaqui River, and seems to be an isolated basin. In the Los Bronces Cañon seven beds of coal are VANCOUVER'S ISLAND.-At Nanaimo, in Vancouver's Island, about 70 miles above Victoria, there is a coal-deposit of the same geological age as that at Bellingham Bay, Wash. Ter. It is worked by the Vancou-opened, ranging from 2 to 7 feet thick, as follows: No. ver's Island Coal Co. The coal-measures extend over 1, 18 inches; No. 2, 30 inches; No. 3, 36 inches; No. the whole eastern coast of the island. On the island 4, 80 inches; No. 5, 81 inches; No. 6, 4 inches; No. and on the opposite coast of America there are exten- 7, 9 inches; total, 31 feet 9 inches. These beds are consive deposits of the Tertiary and Cretaceous ages, bear- tained in about 2500 feet of arenaceous rocks, dipping ing beds of lignite and coal, which are extensively 20° to 25° east. The strike of the measures is N. 60° E. worked for the supply of the steamers navigating be- The character of the coal is generally good, free from tween Victoria and the Fraser River. Of this coal slate and bone, but of such a very thinly-laminated, that obtained from Nanaimo is admitted to be the best. fractured, friable nature that it makes a large percentDr. J. Hector, who accompanied Capt. J. Palliser's age of fine coal. It cannot be coked, and is generally expedition in 1857-60, has determined the geological considered a good grade of anthracite coal. The folage of the lignites of North-western America and Van-lowing analyses of Los Bronces coal were made from couver's Island to be Cretaceous, though others of infe- samples gathered by W. S. Sheafer, E. M., of Pottsrior quality and Tertiary age also exist. Prof. New-ville, Pa., who reports that the beds contain good coal, berry's analysis of the Vancouver's Island coal gives-but that he could not find any large quantity. It is carbon, 5181; volatile matter, 44:30; and ashes, 3'89. Triassic anthracite, and not of the true coal-measures: QUEEN CHARLOTTE'S ISLANDS COAL.-Mr. Richardson, of the Canadian Geological Survey in 1872, reports on the Skidegate Inlet a bed of true anthracite in rocks of the Cretaceous age; which report was affirmed by Prof. Dawson in 1878. The Cowgitz coal-mine is opened on the outcrop, about one mile from Anchor Cove. The Queen Charlotte Coal-mining Company In the Santa Rosa district there are vertical seams (limited) was formed in Victoria in 1865. A large sum of semi-anthracite; 30 or 40 miles to the eastward of of money was expended, and the enterprise abandoned this point occur bituminous coals. Lignites are found in 1872 after building a tramway, wharf, etc. The coal, in many places in Northern Mexico, the veins being of when first struck by a tunnel, showed from 2 to 3 feet good workable thickness and excellent quality. They thick of good anthracite. At a short distance farther contain sulphur in considerable quantities. Near San it increased to about 6 feet, in which were two beds of Antonio there are some true brown coals. In a report pure coal, averaging 3 feet, and 1 foot 3 inches of shaly to the secretary of the interior of Mexico, by Santiago midrib. Where the work was stopped the seam had Ramirez, on the coal-fields of the Matamoros, Izucar, gradually narrowed. This outcrop, called King's Vein, Chranita, and Acatlan districts, in the state of Puebla, was discovered in 1867. In 1869, 800 tons of coal were that gentleman gives some analyses of coal which are shipped to Victoria. The quantity of inflammable gas curious and do not speak well for the greater numexuding from shales is so great as to necessitate safety-ber of the deposits. The following is a summary of lamps. The following is a cross-section of the coal- them: beds: Moisture 8:45 8:09 6:05 ............... 80.85 4.65 100.00 6.108 80.159 5.643 100'000 TABLE XXXVI. Analysis. Corazon de Maria............ 8.76 MEXICO. The anthracite coal-deposits of Mexico are situated in the district of Hermosillo and state of Sonora, 120 miles south-east of Hermosillo and 130 miles easterly from the city of Guaymas. The coalbearing rocks are of the Triassic formation, and are embraced in a series of rugged mountains which extend from San Antonio de la Chueba to Onaras, and in width from a north-and-south line through the junction of the San Migeleta and Tecorepa roads to and east of the Yaqui River, embracing the towns of La Barranca, Los Bronces, San Xavier, Loda Campa, etc. These rocks form an irregular chain of high and rugged mountains greatly disturbed and broken, then eroded into deep ravines. The rocks have an irregular easterly dip varying from 25° to 50°. The coal-beds have been opened at three localities-one 3 miles northerly from La Barranca; another at Los Bronces, about 7 miles easterly; and a third near San Antonio, northeast from La Barranca. The Santa Clara opening is in a small ravine 300 feet vertically above the Yaqui River. The coal-bed is cut by a shaft 40 feet deep, by a tunnel 60 feet long, Tecomatlan... Olomatlan La Peña de Ayuquila Another coal-field, hundreds of miles in extent, lies in the state of Coahuila, on the Rio Grande, extending into Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas. It has not been fully explored as yet, and the following account, by W. H. Adams, M. E., superintendent of the Cedral mines, is the fullest that can be obtained. These mines are on the western line of the field, at the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains, 110 miles from the Rio Grande. The region is volcanic. Mr. Adams says: "From their nearness to the coal-measures, the mountains, which are protruded into the plains at this particular point, offer a great novelty in producing vertical veins of coal nearly anthracitic in character, opened to a depth of 240 feet. Coal of a more bituminous nature is found outcropping on the rivers 30, 40, and 60 miles to the eastward, and lignites in many places over a wide extent of country drained by the Rio Grande River. The inference is, that the heat which changed the metamorphic rocks drove off the bitumen, and that the nearer one approaches the mountain-line the better is the product.' 66 The formation is Triassic. It abounds in salt, and Sursalt water is found above and below the coal. face-openings at several points along the Salinas River, above ordinary water-level, show veins of coal of good workable thickness and of excellent quality. The amount of sulphur contained in the coal is considerable and finely disseminated, but not so great as to require a washing operation. The coal cokes easily, producing about 60 per cent. of good coke." No analyses are given. Fifty coke-ovens were built and extensive workings carried on at the Cedral mines in the spring of 1882. A report by Prof. Heilscher, on the Piedras Negras district, says that a coal-region there forms a high, dry plain for ten miles along the Rio Grande River, extending about six miles from the river on the American side and an unknown distance on the Mexican side. A bed of coal crosses the river. Near Eagle Pass there is a gray, finely-laminated clay overlaid by 4 feet of coal of poor quality. About seven miles north of the Omos River a good seam of bituminous coal 5 feet thick crops out. It has a dip of about 15° to the south-east. HONDURAS.-Dr. W. G. K. Fitzgaertner reports coal very abundant on the Atlantic coast, near the river Uloa. The quality is semi-bituminous, and the deposits are considered quite valuable. No statistics are given. COAL IN SOUTH AMERICA. UNITED STATES OF COLOMBIA.-Coal-beds have been discovered in the province of Veragua, west of the province of Panama. Brown coal exists in great abundance and in ample quantity for the supply of the country around. This same coal-formation is found on the Isthmus of Panama and the island of Muerto. Abundant evidences of the existence of coal were met with, and outcrops of small beds were discovered upon the beach, dipping due west, at the foot of a small cliff 20 feet high. In one place steamers can approach within 100 yards of the shaft. The presence of coal has been ascertained also in other parts of the province of Panama. The coal found on the island of Muerto is said to burn freely, leaving a white residuum. Capt. Peacock considers its practical value, as compared with English coal, in the proportion of 13 to 18, and says it bears a strong resemblance to the Talcahuano coal in Chili, and probably might, when mined from a greater depth than that penetrated by his trial-shaft, be sufficiently available for steam purposes. Mr. Wheelwright is of opinion that a coal-area of undetermined dimensions stretches entirely across the Isthmus of Panama. The island of Santa Clara also furnishes coal of good quality. Coal occurs abundantly on the south side of the city of Santa Fé de Bogotá, and even within the limits of the city itself. The fuel is reputed to burn extremely well and to give out a great heat. It evidently belongs to the Cretaceous period, and probably is of the age of the Gault of England. It compares favorably with the coals of the Upper Missouri Valley (U. S.). Coal has been found in the province of Choco at an elevation of 7680 feet, which is about the same elevation as the coal of New Mexico, of Upper California, and of Eastern Oregon, in the northern continent. BRAZIL. The province of Rio Grande do Sul, at the southern extremity of the empire of Brazil, is now known to be exceedingly rich in mineral fuel. According to the observations of Mr. N. Plant, there are three distinct coal-basins contained within the limits of lat. 30° and 32° S., long. 51° and 54° W., which are separated from each other by rolling hills of granite and schist, with trachytic and basaltic rocks. The largest of these basins occupies the valleys of the Jaguarão and Candiota, and the strata, consisting of sandstone at the top and shale, coal, and limestone below, dip southward at an angle of 10° to 15°. The second basin lies in the valley of the São Sepe. Two distinct beds of coal, one 7 feet, the other 14 feet thick, appear in this locality, underlying sandstone apparently the same as that which overlies the coal of the Candiota Valley. The third basin is near the town of São Jeronymo, on the banks of the Jacuahy, lat. 30°, long. 51° 30'. At a depth of 19 yards is a bed of bituminous coal 6 feet thick, below which are others interstratified with shales and ironstone. Carboniferous deposits also occur in the province of Santa Catharina. About 45 miles N. W. of the seaport of Laguna the basin is intersected by the river Tubaro and its tributaries. In this basin five seams, from 18 inches to 10 feet, have been met with, underlying a sandstone formation. URUGUAY.-The coal-bearing formations of the republic of Uruguay are similar to those above described. Along the head-waters of the Rio Negro beds of shale and coal are overlaid by a thick deposit of sandstone. ARGENTINE REPUBLIC.—Along the Cordillera, in the Argentine Republic, bituminous shale and indications of coal are affirmed to be abundant, and it is also said that there are extensive beds of coal in the extreme south-west angle of the country. The formations here, like those of Patagonia, are of the Tertiary age. The CHILI.-An exploration of the coal-beds that exist so abundantly in Chili and the other republics of South America has been made by some of the most scientific engineers, miners, and geologists of that continent, and the account given by them is most satisfactory. coast between Valparaiso and Talcahuano was hastily examined, and evidence obtained as to the presence of a vast, continuous stratum of coal. At Talcahuano seams of coal were visible in the broken cliffs. The coal has been simply taken from the surface, and no subterranean mining has been attempted. The work was carried farther by Capt. Peacock and Mr. Wheelwright. On examining the eastern and northern sides of the bay, extensive coal-strata appeared, and demonstrated the existence of coal-beds along that entire section of the Chilian coast. About 40 tons of coal were mined and sent to Valparaiso for trial. An experiment made on this coal during the exploring excursion of the steamer Peru showed a comparative consumption of 13 tons of English coal to 16 tons of the South American. It made no clinkers; the residuum lay lightly upon the bars, without adhering in the slightest degree. On her second voyage the Peru steamed 1500 miles with this fuel, which gave entire satisfaction in its use. About 5000 tons were mined at an expense of $3.65 per ton. Mr. Wheelwright says he mined several thousand tons which were of excellent quality, and adds: "The whole southern coast is nothing but a mine of coal." Mr. W. R. Johnson says of it: "In external appearance it is nearly related to many of the richest bituminous coals of America and Europe;" and in his analysis he shows it to contain 6762 per cent. of carbon. At Talcahuano a seam 44 feet thick was proved. In the tide-way of Penco a bed is worked about 200 yards from the beach. It has been penetrated to a vertical depth of 10 feet without passing through the coal. The most important district in Chili is that lying between Concepcion and Valdivia, which contains the two largest collieries of the country-those of Coronel Puchoco and Lota, from which the best coal is derived. According to the re Name of Coal-Field. Amt. of coal in stat. tous to depths not exceeding 4000 ft. Amount of coal remaining] and available for future use after necessary from the year port of Mr. Bollaert, the Lota coal is largely used in | TABLE XXXVII.-Detailed Statement of British Coal-Fields, steam-navigation along the Chilian coast, as also in 1880 [Report of the Royal Commission]. copper-smelting, iron-foundries, and for domestic purposes. The Lota coal-field is estimated to contain 40,000,000 tons, and the Coronel double that quantity. No. A detailed section is given by Mr. W. Mundle of the coal-series at Coronel throughout a depth of 587 feet, which shows a series of sandstones and shales, with nine seams of coal or lignite, some of which are workable. The eighth seam from the top, nearly 5 feet in thickness, is described as a "very good, hard, and clean coal;" it is, however, inferior in quality to the true Carboniferous coals of Great Britain and America. The following are the analyses of these coals: ENGLAND AND WALES. 1 South Wales...... 2 Forest of Dean.............. 3 Bristol...... 4 Warwickshire.. 5 South Staffordshire. Tons. 32,456,208,913 32,302,046,783 Tons. 265,000,000 257,623,705 4,218,970,762 4,207,076,209 458,652,714 450,179,258 6 Colebrookdale & Forest Wyre.. 1,906,119,768 1,789,674,293 7 Clee Hills.... 8 Leicestershire.......... 9 North Wales... 10 Anglesea..... 11 North Staffordshire. Mr. Bollaert states that coal similar to that of Chili has been found along the Straits of Magellan, and indications of it observed 30 miles south of Valparaiso. Lancashire and} Cheshire. Midland... 14 Black Burton... 15 Durham and Northumberland SCOTLAND. 17 Edinburgh 21 East Lothian.. 22 Frith of Forth.. 23 Dumfriesshire... 27 Clackmannanshire. 30 Argyleshire.... 31 Sutherlandshire.. 32 Roxburghshire..... IRELAND. 33 Ballycastle (Antrim co.)..... 3,825,488,105 3,784,377,741 J5,270,686,699 5,546,000,000 1192,104,295 18,172,071,433 17,928,908,710 70,904,011 70,904,011 10,036,660,236 9,734,261,887 405,203,792 2,153,703,360 2,044,090,216 1,098,402,895 1,785,397,089 86,849,880 391,123,499 PATAGONIA.-Patagonia exhibits a great southern Tertiary formation, forming extensive groups on both sides of the chain of the Andes. These appear to be the prolongation of the series which is so largely displayed in Chili. A vast belt of Tertiary deposits, which contain brown coal and lignites, occupies the larger portion of the countries bordering upon the Pacific Ocean from N. lat. 10° to at least as low down as S. lat. 50°. The supposition is, that the whole length of the Tertiary range is scarcely short of that of the entire continent, or at least 2500 miles, in the greater part of which lignites abound. Bituminous coal has recently been discovered on the east shore of Skyring Water, South Patagonia. A consular report says that it is of fair merchantable quality, much superior to that which is taken out at Sandy Point in the Straits of Magellan. tained under the second head under Permian and other overlying formations, amountThe specimens, however, are only from the outcrop, and the coal is expected to improve as the digging progresses. The coal lies in two seams, each about 7 feet in thickness, with a dip of 40° to the west. 35 Leinster (Queens co.).. 36 Tipperary 37 Münster (Clare co.). 38 Connaught Total.. The details of coal remaining unwrought, as estimated by Prof. Ramsey, and coning to 36,273,000,000 tons, is as follows: Districts. Warwickshire.. Atherstone Leicestershire, Moira Dist.. Permian. Coleorton " District between the War-) wickshire and South Staffordshire coal-fields District between the South Staffordshire and West and south-west bor- New Red. Cumberland..... 25 Lancashire and Cheshire......... 220 of 145,288,613,038 tons of available coal, a quantity supplies are ensured for 920 years hence, Total coal available in 1880..... 145,288,613,038 It is not the purpose of this article to describe fully the numerous and extensive coal-fields of Great Britain; but the following cross-sections of the fields are of much value in the comparisons that can be drawn between the fields of the United States and those of foreign countries. The principal difference that is noticed is the great thickness of strata in the English fields, while the veins are not as thick as in the United States. Table XXXVIII. shows the output of the collieries of each coal-field in the years given. Table XXXIX. shows the relative value of the different varieties of British coals in the several fields. Care should be taken, in comparing it with tables of analyses of American coals, to note that this table shows ultimate analyses, while, as a general rule, the other tables give proximate or commercial analyses. Yorkshire, North Riding Shropshire.... Gloucestershire, Somer- WALES, NORTH. Flintshire, Denbighshire... SCOTLAND. District.... In Table XL. is shown not only the thickness of the veins in the North Staffordshire coal-field, but the Eastern District, Western amount of coal to the acre and the profit per acre from the working of each vein. The statistics of coal-mining in Great Britain are reliable, as the Government has control of all the records and they are Steam Coals. 380 18,244,708 27,613,539 34,13,508 29 1,171,052 1,408,235 1,680,841 3 1,950 28 750,500 929,150 681,000 361 11,350,000 13,810,600 19,120,294 5,270 505 9,284,000 10,606,604 17,468,536 651 10,900,500 14,934,553 18,274,886 Total of the United King.. 3694 184,042,698 110,431,192 146,968,409 |