490 THE CONTINENTAL ORIGIN OF FIJI, 



In the German Coalfield the thickness of the coal measures is 

 given by Geikie as 20,000 feet. 



These instances serve to show that movements of the earth's 

 crust have taken place, quite sufficient in magnitude to account 

 for the total depth of ocean between Fiji and Kew Caledonia or 

 New Zealand. 



Assuming that the continental origin of Viti Levu may be 

 regarded as proved, it remains to point out what are its relations 

 to the adjacent continental areas, the cause of its severance from 

 them, and the time at which a separation took place. These 

 questions cannot be answered satisfactorily at present. So far as 

 I am able to ascertain, the rocks collected by me do not exhibit 

 a marked similarity to those of either New Zealand or New 

 Caledonia. 



According to Suess,* (on the authority of Hutton, loc. cit., for 

 New Zealand) two axes of folding can be traced in each area. 

 In both cases the axis of the most ancient rocks is N.E. and S.W. 

 In the case of New Caledonia, a N.E. line will pass very close to 

 Fiji. The axis of folding in Viti Levu cannot be determined 

 with the data at present available, as the number of observations 

 on jointing is insufficient. I have the information upon hearsay 

 that the rocks of Vanua Levu are similar to those of the larger 

 island, and from the relationship between the two land masses 

 this is more than probable. If, then, the general trend of Yiti 

 Levu and Vanua Levu represent roughly the axis of folding of 

 the ancient rocks, the latter must run in a general E.N.E. and 

 W.S.W. direction, and, therefore, more or less in the same direc- 

 tion as that in New Caledonia. Though this evidence is rather 

 slender, it is b}^ no means improbable that future investigations 

 will show that Fiji is structurall}' connected with ^«ew Caledonia. 



When we come to consider the question of the method of 

 separation of the two land masses, two hypotheses are possible. 

 Either the intervening area has been dropped bodil}- by a series 



* Q.J.G.S. xli., p. 191 etseq. 



