IIOADS AND RAILWAYS. 73 



coal (iL'tritus was uu't witli in fosteaiiiii;.; ti> indicate' tlieir juvs- 

 ence. Heuco, we have at leai^t eighteen layers of coal succeei ling- 

 each other in nearly vertical attitude within a total hori/ontal 

 distance of 33.j feet, lea\ing an average of less than nineteen 

 feet of strata between each layer. Such being the case, it ap- 

 pears to me all these seams could be worked from one opening, 

 especially as they approach eat h other nearer and nearer as they 

 descend." 



PROSPECTS. 



The foregoing report indicates, at least, a strong j^robability 

 that a workable coal-field in this locality, close to the ne^v lino 

 of railway, will be developed. It would be difficult to over-rate 

 the importance of such a discovery should it tui'n out in accord- 

 ance with expectations. It would })rom(ite the settlement and 

 industrial development of this tine reginn to an extent which is 

 now hardly conceivable, especially when llie railway is so close 

 to the coal-field. 



IRON ORE FOUND. 



Even this is not all. Iron ore is i'ound here in abundance as- 

 sociated with coal. Th.e following is an extrait from Mr. 

 Howley's repoi-t : — "The clay iron-stone l)ands interstratified 

 with the coal-measures on Aldery and Coal Brooks are to all ap- 

 pearances sinular to those found in most other coal fiehls. Jn 

 England, this ore has been the principal source of the iron of 

 commerce for wdiich that country has been so far-famed. It has 

 been said that England's greatness Avas chiefly due to her coal 

 and iron. Judging from external appearance, the ore here is of 

 a faiily good tonality, and there can be no question that the de- 

 posits are very extensive. It occurs as usual in the form of ir- 

 regular nodules, nodular bands and compact solid bands, inti- 

 mately associated with the principal coal seams. Its jjrospective 

 value on that account to the future development of large indus- 

 tries in this section of the island can hardly be realized now." 

 SCENERY— KAY OE ISLANDS. 



At Corner Brook, where the railway station Avill be built, 

 Fisher's saw-mill is in operation, the water-}>ower lieing obtained 



