[ells] notes on the MINERAL FUEL SUPPLY OF CANADA 281 



and extending across to the shores of the Pacific ocean, many of tlie 

 rocks over large areas are of a more recent time, comprising Cretaceous 

 and Tertiary sediments. In these the greater part of the coals of the 

 western division are located. These comparatively recent formations 

 constitute, therefore, an important factor in the geological problem, as 

 well as in the distribution of the fuel supply of the Dominion. 



In Manitoba and tliroughout the great plains east of the Rocky 

 mountains, and extending northward down tlie valley of the Mackenzie 

 river to the Arctic ocean, the rocks are largely of Cretaceous age. The 

 district is underlaid in many places by large beds of lignite, the outcrops 

 of which are seen as far east as Turtle mountain in the province first- 

 named. Along the upper waters of the Siouth Saskatchewan as also 

 along the ISTorth Saskatchewan as far down as the settlement of A^ictoria 

 these lignites are seen, sometimes in beds of great thickness and extent, 

 so that the supply of tliis fuel must be simply enormous- 

 Passing still fnrther west into the foot-hills of the mountain, as at 

 Banff and as far south as the Crowsnest pass, the lignites change their 

 character and pass into lignitic coals, bituminous coals and anthracites. 

 The sections at these places shew a wonderful series of coal beds, which in 

 the Crowsnest field aggregate at least 200 feet in thickness, many of 

 the seams being of workable dimensions and of superior quality. Farther 

 west the rocks of the mountain chain belong to an older series than those 

 which contain the coals ; but after passing this old series which comprises 

 in part highly altered sediments and crystallines of various kinds- the 

 next division westward from the vicinity of Sicamous, although for the 

 most part igneous in character, contains isolated areas or basins gener- 

 ally of Tertiary rocks which carry coal in beds often of large extent and 

 thickness. These are found at widely separated points, such as the 

 upper part of the Peace river, the valley of the JN'orth Thompson, the 

 vicinity of Kamloops, the JSTicola valley, and the Tulameen and Simil- 

 kameen district, all with the exception of the two first situated to the 

 south lof the Canadian Pacific railway, while to the north are the areas 

 along the Marble canon at Hat creek, a few miles north-west of Ashcroft 

 and the Bulkley valley deposits farther north, situated to the south of 

 the Skeena river. The greater part of these coals are of the coking 

 variety, while the lignites are lof excellent quality. 



On the Pacific coast itself there are great deposits on Vancouver 

 island of Cretaceous age which have been mined for nearly half a cen- 

 tury, and vhich at the present time are the only producing areas on the 

 Pacific slope in Canada; while further north, on Graham island, which is 

 the most northerly of the Queen Charlotte group, several varieties of coal 

 are found, including anthracite, high-grade bituminous and lignite. With 



