USEFUL MINERALS OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND. 123 



The red santlstone of Prince Edward Island is not known to contain 

 any useful minerals except limestone, which occurs in thin beds in 

 several places. Indications, apparently of no economic value, of ores 

 of copper and manganese occur in a few places. The red sandstone 

 everywhere supports a fine, friable, loose, loamy soil, which renders 

 Prince Edward Island one of the finest agricultural districts in the 

 lower provinces — a distinction which well compensates the want of 

 valuable minerals, I have not observed, in any of my excursions in 

 the island, any traces of igneous action; but Dr Gesner, in the report 

 of a survey undertaken for the provincial Government, mentions the 

 occurrence of a limited mass or dike of trap on Hog Island, an isolated 

 spot which I have not visited, in Richmond Bay ; and which I have 

 accordingly coloured in the map with the tint appropriate to that 

 rock. This fact, though not of any importance in establishing the 

 age of the formation, affords an additional analogy between it and 

 the New Red of Nova Scotia. 



The question of the possible occurrence of coal in Prince Edward 

 Island has always been of much interest to its inhabitants, and I 

 believe that a grant of money has been made by the Legislature to 

 promote boring In search of mineral fuel. In answer to this question, 

 it may be stated, in the fii'st place, that since the rocks of Prince 

 Edward Island, or the greater part of them, are certainly newer than 

 the Coal Formation, there is a reasonable probability that the coal- 

 measures exist under the island. On the other hand, the New Red 

 Sandstone being of considerable thickness, and the upper unproduc- 

 tive coal formation of Nova Scotia being also of great thickness, it is 

 probable that such coal-beds as may exist under Prince Edward 

 Island are at a very great depth. Again, It is very obvious that, If 

 boring operations are to be undertaken, the chances of success would 

 be very different in different parts of the island. Toward the north 

 side the whole thickness of the red sandstone Avould have to be bored 

 through, probably to the extent of several hundreds of feet, before 

 reaching even the Upper Coal Formation. On the other hand, at those 

 places on the south side where fossil plants occur, it is even possible, 

 as above stated, that the upper beds of the Newer Coal Formation 

 actually crop out from beneath the red sandstone. In this case the 

 chances would be much better ; but since the Upper Coal Formation 

 of Pictou, without productive coals, is estimated at about 3000 feet 

 in thickness, the valuable coals would still be out of reach, unless this 

 upper member should prove thinner than on the mainland, of which 

 we have as yet no evidence. 



The question would be complicated by supposing the possible 



