MINERALS OF CUMBERLAND COAL-FIKLD. 'J I'J 



General Mining Association arc the lessees of this mine. The 

 quantity of coal shipped in 1851 was only 2400 chaldrons. In 1864 

 it had risen to 6053 tons, and in 1866 to 8478, It was exported 

 principally to St John, New Brunswick. 



Taking into account the comparative thickness of the seams, and 

 the facilities for extraction and shipment, thei"c can be no doubt that 

 the bed at present worked is the best in the section ; which, as wc 

 have already seen, is remarkable for the great number and small 

 thickness of its coal-seams. It seems certain, however, that some 

 of the others, especially the principal beds in Groups XI. and 

 XIII. of the section, might be mined with profit. Since the pub- 

 lication of the former edition of this work one of these. No. 29a of 

 the section, has been opened. The great disadvantage on the Joggins 

 coast is the want of safe anchorage for shipping, which can bo 

 protected only by expensive piers and breakwaters. Since the 

 expiry of the exclusive privileges of the General Mining Association, 

 attempts have been made to obviate this disadvantage by opening 

 mines on the banks of the Hcbert and Maccan Rivers. Six com- 

 panies have opened works in this part of the district, under the 

 names of the " Victoria," " Maccan," " Chiegnecto," " Lawrence," 

 " St George," and " New York and Acadia" Mines. The beds which 

 they work appear to be of similar character witli those of the Joggins, 

 of which they are the direct continuation. It is questionable, 

 however, whether the shafts of these new mines have yet opened the 

 best beds of coal, nor does it seem certainly known with which of 

 the seams at the Joggins those opened correspond. At the Victoria 

 Mine, according to Mr Rutherford, there ai-e three seams. The 

 upper seam is sixteen feet above the middle, and this fifty-three feet 

 above the lowest. The upper seam is one foot ten inches thick, the 

 middle three feet, and the lower has three feet of coal divided by 

 two partings of fire-clay. These beds are jjrobably on the horizon 

 of Coal-groups 29 and 30 of the coast section. According to the same 

 authority, the Lawrence Mine, which adjoins the Victoria on the east 

 side of llebert River, has opened two scams of coal, each two feet 

 six inches thick, and separated by a vertical thickness of twenty feet. 

 In the Maccan Mine, eastward of the Lawrence, two seams have been 

 opened, only one of which, two feet four inches thick, is at present 

 worked. The Chiegnecto, St George, and New York and Acadia 

 Mines are all on the same seam, which presents different characters 

 from those in the above-mentioned mines. Its section in the 

 Chiegnecto Colliery is thus given by Mr Rutherford : — 



