34 TOPOGKAPlllCAL. 



with the greate^:t probaljility of ^^uccl'ss. This object has Ijeen 

 steadily kept in view in connection with the geological survey. 



COAL, BKDS AND MINERALS. 



In jjoint of fact two things were especially aimed at. One of 

 these was to determine whether a continuation of the rich coal 

 deposits of Sydney, in the island of Cape Breton, might be search- 

 ed for with a prol^ability of success, in the carboniferous ai-eas of 

 Newfoundland, along the shores opposite the coal-bearing strata 

 of Cape Breton. As there was a general analogy in the character 

 of the measures on the opposite sides of the waters dividing them, 

 it was for the geologists to determine whether the attitude of the 

 strata in Newfoundland warianted tlie expectation ot finding 

 there coal beds that would be commercially valuable. The other 

 important point to be kept in view v.-as to determine to what 

 extent the metalliferous zone of North America was developed 

 in Newfoundland. This is called in Canadian geology the Quebec 

 group, its middle division, the Lauzon group, Ijeing lich in 

 metalliferous deposits all over North America. It was, therefore, of 

 primary import to find whether there was a spread of this for- 

 mation in the island and to what extent, as its importance as 

 a mining region would depend on this. To what extent both 

 these enquiries have been determined will be more fidly seen 

 wdien the mineral resources of the colony come to be described. 



At present it is enough to say that all the ancient rock systems 

 between the Lower Laurentian and the coal measures are more 

 or less represented at one part or another of the island. 



LAURKNTIAN SYSTEM. 



The Laurentian system has an immense sjiread in the island. 

 It constitutes the principal mountain ranges, coming to the sur- 

 face through the moi'e recent dei")osits, or Ijrought up by great 

 dislocations. The Laurentian gneiss of the Long Range, on the 

 western side of the island, extends in nearly a straight course 

 from Cape Ray to the head waters of the Castor on the great 

 northern iieninsula, whose central portion is Laurentian. These 

 rocks occupy the coast from Cape Ray to La Poile and spread 



