136 UNDEVELOPED COAL FIELDS OF NOVA SCOTIA GILPIN. 



covery, however, of these seams, even if they are not likely to- 

 be worked for some years, has been a distinct advertisement for 

 that district, and encourages the confidence the local business- 

 men and the province feel in the permanency and future exten- 

 sion of the trade of Cumberland County. 



I do not pretend this evening to have the wand of Fortunatus,. 

 and to disclose to you vast fields of unworked coal, but briefly 

 to refer to districts which may be found upon examination to 

 hold coal of economic value. 



The student of geology is most appreciated when he can 

 show the public some material advantage accruing from his, 

 investigation, and his predictions are often correct and useful 

 even when they are unpalatable. 



I need not refer here to those sections in the province in 

 which coal is now being regularly worked, but proceed to notice 

 briefly the geological conditions which, so far as our experience 

 goes, govern the presence of coal in Nova Scotia. 



The term carboniferous is applied by geologists to a group of 

 palaeozoic strata, which, while distinguished by holding the best 

 deposits of coal, are also possessed of certain other notable 

 characteristics. 



Sir William Dawson stands out as the special delineator of 

 the divisions of this system in the Maritime Provinces. He 

 divided it into : 



Upper Coal Measures, 



Productive Coal Measures, 



Millstone Grit, 



Limestone Series, 



Lower or Basal Measure. 



And these sub-divisions have been in a general way followed by 

 other geologists. 



In this province the limestone series has not presented any 

 workable deposits of coal. It is, as you know, distinguished as 

 an important source of limestone for fluxes, etc., as well as fur- 

 nishing enormous deposits of gypsum. It is also valued by the 



