234 
river Avon, and probably on continuously to the Mendip hills. 
* But to-day,” said the speaker, “it is my good fortune to be 
able to tell you of a discovery I have lately made that will, I 
think, have a much more important bearing on the future of 
mining industry in this district than the one I have already 
referred to.” 
After describing the early shallow workings, Mr CossHam 
stated that it was only fifty years ago that the “Great Vein” 
series was discovered, which has since been largely worked on 
a south dip, and over a considerable area. With a view to 
exposing the whole of the area (about 2000 acres) the mineral 
freehold of which Mr CossHam purchased some years ago, an 
exploring drift was driven to the south at a depth of 68 
fathoms, to cut the upper section of seams that lie over the 
ordinary Kingswood series; and at the same time another drift 
was started to the north, at a depth of 500 yards from the 
bottom of the Speedwell Pit, and it was the discovery made by 
the latter which formed the subject of the present notice. 
For some 200 yards the drift was driven through strata 
nearly upright, and showing proofs of enormous disturbance 
and displacement. The object in driving this deep tunnel was 
to strike the lower or Ashton series of veins. About 250 yards 
north of the Speedwell Pit a seam of coal was cut about two 
feet four inches thick, lying in an upright position. As the 
drift was extended northwards the strata became horizontal. 
Other veins of coal were met with, still supposed to be in the 
lower series, but further experience showed them to belong to 
the “Great Vein” group which had been worked 300 to 350 
yards overhead, up to the outcrop of the vein near the surface. 
Hesitating to accept the conclusions to which this led, Mr 
CossHam caused drifts to be driven above and below, and on 
the 21st of the previous February discovered the Kingswood 
“Great Vein” lying in situ of an average thickness of five 
feet. Since then these veins have been worked north, south, 
east and west, and are found to constitute the original floor of 
the coal-field, with a gentle dip of three inches in the yard to 
the west. Not the least interesting feature of this discovery 
