212 Mr. Woods on the Anthracite Coal of South Wales. 



attention and inquiry, a few preliminary observations may not 

 prove unacceptable. 



This deposit of anthracite coal forms a part of the large 

 Welsh coal basin extending from Brides-bay to Pontypool, 

 the western limit of the anthracite (or stone coal) deposit 

 being the coast of Pembrokeshire, and its eastern terminating 

 not far beyond the Neath Valley : the seams towards Merthyr 

 and beyond, gradually losing their anthracetous and assuming 

 the bituminous character, the width till it reaches Llandship- 

 ping in Milford-haven is inconsiderable, from whence it slowly 

 expands towards Tenby. In this district there do not appear 

 to exist more than three or four distinct veins, all of which 

 seem to have been exposed to intense heat, and to disturbing 

 forces of great violence, these veins abounding in faults and 

 tossed about in various directions, very difficult to follow, a 

 large proportion being reduced into small particles known by 

 the denomination of culm, employed chiefly in lime-burning : 

 the larger pieces, however, possess a very uniform compact cha- 

 racter and superior purity, and are in great reputation and 

 demand for drying malt, for which purpose they have been 

 long used. The veins then appear to pass under Carmarthen- 

 bay, and again to emerge in the Gwendraeth Valley beyond 

 Kidwelly, where a vast quantity is procurable. From the 

 southern edge of the basin from Pembrey to Swansea and 

 Neath, the coal is chiefly bituminous, but occasionally of a 

 mixed character, more or less approaching to anthracite, the 

 latter becoming more pure and distinct as we advance north- 

 ward through the collieries of Trimsaran, Brondyny, Llan- 

 gennych and Pont-twrch in the Swansea Valley. To the north 

 of all these points the quality rapidly improves, and all the 

 coal north of a line drawn from Pont Yales to Aperpergwm, 

 may be considered real anthracite. The Gwendraeth Valley 

 from near Pont Yales to the Big mountain, a distance of 

 about eight miles trending N.E. is known to possess thirteen 

 distinct veins, somewhat varying in purity and thickness, the 

 latter in the aggregate amounting to about 40 feet, and the 

 greatest depth hitherto worked, or in contemplation to work, 

 about 65 fathoms ; the dip from 30 to 4-5. Seams of argil- 

 laceous iron ore are also found between the coal veins. 



The use of this coal has hitherto been chiefly confined to 

 maltsters ; it has been more recently adopted for Dr. Arnott's 

 and other stoves, and is now successfully applied to the re- 

 duction of iron ores in the vicinity of Swansea ; and its free- 

 dom from smoke, joined to the durability of its heat, offer the 

 strongest recommendations for its employment in locomotive 

 engines either on land or water, and there is little doubt will 



