Tl we 
Tus middle and gank feams alone are worked, The {mut is too 
{mall and-the harper too bad to be raifed, 
Tue method ufed for getting the coal is, firft, to drive a level 
or fough from fome low ground to cut» the coal as deep as 
poflible; by. this fough the water drains off, and the feam 
being cut, the level is continued on the coal until inter- 
rupted by a fault, (which is a flide or fiffure in the ftrata, 
ufually filled with clay, ftone, coal and fhale, and abounding 
with water) or until it is deemed neceflary to fink-a pit from the 
furface to the level; which being done, coal is immediately raifed 
by driving on the rife as far as neceffary; after which each man 
turns out, taking his drift or hole before him upon the level 
of the coal, and parallel to the firft level. Commencing at the 
upper part of his hole, he cuts out the coal about four inches 
in thicknefs from the floor as far as his pick will reach, then 
with wedges breaks it down from the roof, and continues his 
work in the fame manner to as great .a width as the nature of 
the roof will admit. In the middle feam above mentioned the — 
coal is cut out three yards in width, and pillars are left three 
quarters of a yard wide to fupport the roof: in the gank feam 
the coal is cut out five yards in width, and pillars of half a yard 
wide are left ftanding; but thefe pillars are in both feams occa- 
fionally broke through from hole to hole to promote a circulation 
of air, and for. the more conveniently drawing away the 
~coal, 
