TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS, 75 
On the Unity of the Coal Deposits of England and Wales. 
By Dr. W. H. Croox. 
__ The object of this communi¢ation was to show, that the coal fields 
of England and Wales were not distinct basins, but that the supposed 
_ basins were merely detached portions, which had been elevated by the 
_ agency of syenitic and trap rocks, of a much larger deposit, that was 
' spread over the greater part of the districts now covered by the new 
red sandstone rocks. Dr. C. conceived that this view may be extended 
to the coal of Belgium, and that of the north of France, and the north- 
west of Germany ; the carboniferous beds of these countries, as well 
as those of our own, having originated, in his opinion, in a drift of 
_ vegetable matter from countries lying to the East and E.S.E. of them: 
and he also stated, that the extent and richness of our coal deposits, 
especially in the midland counties, arose, in a considerable degree, 
_ from the impediments raised to the transit of the drifted matter by the 
_ slate and other ancient formations of Wales and Cumberland. 
_ Mr. Young, of Nova Scotia, brought under the notice of the Section 
a work on the geology of that country, accompanied by a geological 
map by Dr. Gesner. 
_ Notice of an Incursion of the Sea into the Colliertes at Workington. 
By Professor SzepGwick. 
The author commenced by pointing out, in a descending order, 
the succession of strata from the new red sandstone to the coal beds 
which are intersected by numerous cracks or breaks filled with dirt or 
other substances, and called faults or dikes. He then enumerated 
some of the more remarkable faults, one of which, an upcast fault, is 
to the amount of 600 feet, and a down fault to the amount of 100; in 
_ the one case the more valuable beds having been brought high up, 
and entirely removed by denuding causes, and in others thrown down 
_ in a corresponding manner; a sinking of 135 fathoms being required 
at the Isabella Pit to get at the main coal. Prof. Sedgwick next drew 
_ attention to the difference of position between the coal beds worked by 
Lord Lonsdale and Mr. Curwen; in Lord Lonsdale’s collieries the beds 
_ dip under the sea, and therefore with the extension of the workings 
increase the distance between them and the water; whilst, in Mr. 
Curwen’s, the beds cropped out under the sea: and, further, the 
danger arising out of this position was increased by the shattered con- 
dition of the strata,—the consequence of faults. The result of these 
_ eombined evils was, that the working having been carried within 14 
fathoms of the sea amongst the troubles, or faults, of the strata, the 
_ strata suddenly subsided, and the sea burst into the works. The tor- 
rent was, however, occasionally checked by accumulations of rubbish, 
ie the pressure had forced it through them ; hence its action was by 
fits, and each renewed rush was accompanied by a roaring wind, the air 
