future Extension of the English Coal-fields. 4-5 



crop out in these directions ; so that we cannot in these quar- 

 ters look for any probable extension. Not so, however, with 

 regard to that portion of the coal-field which, ranging beneath 

 the overlying basalt of the Rowley Hills, extends to the west 

 and south-west of Dudley: here from Wolverhampton to 

 Stourbridge the beds dip beneath the new red sandstone in a 

 westerly direction, and pursuing that course about 10 miles, 

 we see the coal-measures again emerging from beneath this 

 investiture around Over Arley in Shropshire. The western bor- 

 der of this Dudley field, and the eastern border of correspond- 

 ing Shropshire fields, ought to be carefully examined, as it seems 

 very 'probable that the strata may here extend continuously 

 within workable depth. 



Indications of Coal at the foot of the Bromsgrove Lickey. — 



These are so exceedingly shattered and disturbed as to 

 afford very little prospect of leading into any valuable working 

 districts. 



Coal-fields of Northern Staffordshire. — These, which follow 

 in order the patches near Ashborne, mentioned in my last, 

 consist of two detached fields, lying against the S.W. corner 

 of the great Derbyshire Penine chain : 1. the field of Cheadle, 

 ranging along the river Churnot, described by Farey as a 

 detached basin reposing on the millstone grit; and, 2. the 

 Pottery coal-field of Newcastle-under-Line, occupying a tri- 

 angular area extending to Congleton on the north. From the 

 eastern and western sides the beds dip towards the centre ; 

 but we are not informed in what manner they are disposed 

 along the southern base of the triangle by Newcastle : as they 

 are here overlaid by the new red sandstone, their prolonga- 

 tions may very possibly be traced to some distance beneath it. 

 This portion requires reexamination. 



Great Manchester Coalfield. — This field, reposing against 

 the western slope of the Penine chain, ranges from Maccles- 

 field to the east of Manchester, and then curving to the W. 

 and S. W., extends nearly to Liverpool. The public is not yet 

 in possession of any scientific description of this most im- 

 portant field ; but recent announcements promise that this 

 desideratum will be shortly supplied. As this coal-field ap- 

 proaches near to the aestuary of the Mersey, where it dips 

 beneath the new red sandstone, and as along the western 

 border of the almost contiguous aestuary of the Dee the coal- 

 measures again emerge, skirting the whole Flintshire coast of 

 that aestuary, I am persuaded that they will hereafter be 

 found to extend continuously, and within workable depth be- 

 tween these points. . The whole peninsula of Wirral may be 

 expected thus to afford a productive coalfield : this is probably 



