On the Coalmines luorled m France. 71 



firmatlon, and whole diftvi^ls of France, which were fuppofed 

 to be highly intercfting, were ftill imperfe£lly known in re- 

 gard to mineralogy. The council had not been able for.fe- 

 veral years to fend out manv enoineers to explore the country; 

 inany of the departments earneltiy reqnelled that refearches 

 might be made in this manner; and the diftribution of 

 thefe functionaries in the places where their prefence was fo 

 necelfary, could not fail to be otie of the firit nicafurc^ of a 

 government whofe attention was fo zealoufly occupied with 

 the profperity of the flate*. 



As I had the llrongeft reafoji to hope that the refults of 

 Ihe refearches and obfervations of the engineers of mines 

 would furnifli the moll valuable materials for the propofed 

 view of our mineral refourccs, I refolvcd to wait until their 

 refidence in the different dejiartments fhould have enriched 

 the admiuiftration of mines with new information proper 

 for rendering more perfect my propofed labour. 



I was befides perfuaded that, during that period, the fo- 

 licitude and enlightened alacritv of the magiftrates who com- 

 pofe the general adminiftration of forelis, would give more 

 extent and correAnefs to our knowledge refpedting the con- 

 fidence and products of our woods ; that, perhaps, we (hould 

 even have a map of the forefts ; and that the work which I 

 projeiSled might flitl be completed in this very important de- 

 partment, 



I confined my felf, therefore, to the coUefting of notes ; to 

 verifying as far as poffible, and to extending the firft data 

 in the ponefiion of the admiuiftration of mines, and to 

 making refearches in regard to the exiliing means of circu- 

 lation, and thofe which it would l)e proper to create, in order 

 to take as much advantage as poffible of the materials whi;;h 

 were the objcA of niv labour. 



But at the moment when peace, reftored to Europe, in- 

 fpired a defire of renewing our commercijil interconrle with 

 the neighbouring nations, we endeavoured to examine what 

 really were our wants, and what advantages would arife to 

 us from the reciprocal exchanges which might take place. 



Our attention was directed in particular to mineral fub- 

 flanccs : we knew that before the war they had been a eon- 

 (iderable obje<3; of importation : coals in particular had been 



* In conftquence of meaf'ures taken this yenr (an. 10) by Cliaptal, tlie 

 miniller of the intciJor, fixtv clepavtmcnrs jirt to be vilitcd and carefully 

 examined by engineers, who will concur with the prx'ftifls in the improvt- 

 niciitiito be made in thofc parts, and who will give an account of them to 

 government. Tliib is nil tiiat could be ilont with the prcfcnr iiiiinl-.'tr of 

 <;ii{^inttr» vAio can bt Iparcd for th;if purpf;lc. 



F 4 brought 



