298 PROCEEDINGS OF PROVINCIAL SOCIETIES. 



SHROPSHIRE AND NORTH WALES NATURAL HISTORY 

 AND ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY. 



A Scientific Meeting of this Society was held at the Museum, on 

 the 1st November, Dr. Du Gard, V. P., in the chair, when the 

 following papers were read : — 



" On the Natural History of Coal, with Remarks on the Collier- 

 ies of Shropshire," by Mr. Thomas Blunt. The author traced the 

 history of this mineral substance from a very early period down to 

 the reign of Elizabeth ; during which the coal trade flourished 

 greatly, and was regarded as a profitable source both of local and 

 government revenue. From that time to the present day, this branch 

 of our national commerce has been steadily progressing, and coal now 

 forms an important article of expenditure in the support of our mer- 

 cantile wealth, as well as of domestic comfort and convenience. Be- 

 tween 7 and 8 millions of tons are annually consumed by our manu- 

 factories and steam navigation, 3,550,000 tons in the iron works, 

 and in the manufacture of gas in London alone about 500,000 tons ; 

 add to which the immense consumption in the glass and pottery 

 works, the amount consumed for domestic purposes throughout the 

 kingdom, and the quantity exported, we shall find a total annual 

 demand for this fuel of upwards of 32,469,570 tons. The resources 

 from whence this immense demand is supplied, appear almost ex- 

 haustless, and are comprised in the twelve principle coal-fields of 

 this island, the most important of which are, the Northumberland 

 and Durham, Yorkshire and Lancashire, Stafford and Shropshire, 

 and the extensive one, as yet but little worked, of South Wales. 

 These fields are geographically situated in the middle districts of 

 the kingdom, and geologically in the lower secondary strata, gene- 

 rally resting on beds of transition limestone, and occasionally co- 

 vered by marl and red sandstone. The principal basin of the South 

 Staffordshire field occupies an area of about 70 or 80 square miles, 

 lying between Stourbridge, Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and Wal- 

 sall. Adjoining this is the Shropshire field, including Coalbrook- 

 dale, Ketley, Hadley, and the whole plain of Shrewsbury, compris- 

 ing from 80 to 90 miles. The seams in these measures are of con- 

 siderable extent, and in the main coal of Staffordshire some oc- 

 cur 30 feet in thickness, being the richest in the kingdom. The 

 coal mines of Shropshire are severally the property of the Marquis 

 of Stafford, the Earl of Bradford, and the Messrs. Botfield, and are 

 principally let on lease to the different companies who work them. 

 Those of the most importance lie on the eastern border of the county, 

 in the parishes of Lilleshall, Wellington, Dawley, Ironbridge, and 

 Madeley. The upper iC Basset," or inferior strata, are generally 

 found at a depth below the surface, varying from 50 to 100 yards, 

 and although not so rich in quality as the coal of the Staffordshire de- 

 posits, are yet very superior to the produce of the mines in the cen- 

 tre of the county, of which Welbatch and Westbury are the prin- 

 cipal. These latter contain a much less proportion of bitumen, and 



