COAL 243 



coal, so that the population of England shifted from the south 

 to the north, and the position of the coalfields determined the 

 position of the towns. 



Not only did the population increase and the position of 

 the populous areas change, but the wealth of England also 

 increased enormously ; and it was largely owing to this increase 

 in wealth that we were able to emerge victoriously from the 

 devastating wars of the beginning of the nineteenth century, 

 and that at their termination we were ' the foremost nation 

 of Europe in economic matters and, consequently, in all 

 other matters also '. l 



Since, then, coal is of such paramount importance to our 

 national well-being, it becomes interesting to consider what 

 supplies exist in Britain and the empire, and whether there 

 is anything else which could take its place when the mines 

 are exhausted or become too expensive to work. 



Nowadays we obtain our supplies of coal from seams deep 

 down under the surface of the earth. The seams vary in 

 thickness, and 4,000 feet is considered to be the maximum 

 depth for profitable working. The layers, or strata of rocks, 

 occur in a certain order, and geologists know where coal- 

 bearing rocks are likely to occur. They make a small hole 

 with a sharply-pointed rod, and then fasten on other rods 

 until they have cut down to the place where they believe 

 the coal to be. They then pull up the rods, and insert a small 

 scoop at the end of them. The scoop brings up fragments of 

 rock, and if coal is found among them they know that their 

 surmises are correct. In a similar manner they try other 

 places, and at last ascertain the district in which coal is to 

 be found. This coal-bearing district is called a coalfield. 



Next they cut a deep pit down to where the coal seams are, 

 and build a wall of bricks round it. This is called sinking 

 a shaft. The shafts vary in size and shape, but generally they 

 are round, and about twenty feet in diameter. They are 

 divided across the middle by a framework of steel. 

 1 H. de B. Gibbins, Industrial History of England. 

 Q2 



