138 UNDEVELOPED COAL FIELDS OF NOVA SCOTIA GILPIN. 



deposits, as we are now practically concerned about the size, etc., 

 of coal beds, not about their scientific age. 



Leaving the consideration of the productive measures of the 

 Sydney coal field out of the question, and adopting the boundary 

 there laid down by the Geological Survey between the two sets 

 of measures, it may be taken as a fact that in the Millstone Grit 

 in that district there do exist workable seams of coal of which I 

 may mention the Mullins, Gardner, Long Beach and Tracey 

 seams. It is plain, therefore, that even if exception may be 

 raised to the productive age of the rocks holding coal seams else- 

 where, we are starting with the important premises that the 

 Millstone Grit does hold valuable coal seams in the Sydney dis- 

 trict, and that in other districts explorations may show deposits 

 of equal value. The following condensed sections will show 

 what is so far known of the coal contents of this horizon in the 

 Sydney district : 



In Cape Breton County there extends from the rear of Lin- 

 gan Bay and Glace Bay to Mira, and thence up the river of that 

 name and its branch, the Salmon River, as far as Loch Lomond 

 on the county line, a large area of Millstone Grit. Seams of coal 

 are known throughout this district. Classing the Mullins, 

 Gardner and Tracey seams in this horizon the fact is established 

 that it presents seams of workable size lying, geologically speak- 

 ing, thousands of feet below the seams classed as the lowest of 

 the true or productive measures, as shown by the following 

 condensed section : 



In the section showing from the south head of Cow Bay to 

 the head of Mira Bay there are, in about 1,900 feet of strata, 

 eleven seams of coal, the thickest, the Tracey, being 4 feet. Four 

 of them have a workable thickness. 



In the centre of the district, assuming with the Geological 

 Survey that the summit of the Millstone Grit begins a short 

 distance above the Lorway or Gardner Seam, we have first that 

 seam 5 feet 9 inches thick, then in about 700 feet of measures 

 there are six coal seams varying in thickness up to two feet. 



