222 THE CARBONIFEROUS SYSTEM. 



which have been made by a mining engineer in the service of the 

 General Mining Association to effect the former of these results, have, 

 however, been unsuccessful ; and it would appear that the beds in the 

 vicinity of Springhill are in a much more disturbed condition than 

 those on the Joggins shore. 



In like manner, it is a perfectly fair inference that the seams which 

 appear in the coast section of the Joggins, must extend along the 

 northern side of the trough, far into the interior of the country ; 

 though whether they improve or deteriorate in their eastern extension 

 is not at present known. It appears certain, however, that the coal 

 measures are less fully developed on the coast of Northumberland 

 Strait than on the western coast, and the seams which have hitherto 

 been found in them are very small. 



It may, therefore, be inferred, that in the event of the interior of 

 the Cumberland district being opened up by railway communication, 

 the localities offering the greatest prospects of valuable discoveries 

 are, — 1st, The line of country extending E.S.E. from the Joggins 

 toward the branch of the River Philip called Black River ; and, 2d, A 

 line extending east and west, and passing through Springhill. 



Clay Ironstone occurs in the Joggins section and elsewhere, in 

 balls in the shales, and in irregular bands. None of these deposits 

 are at present of any economical importance ; though, could smelting 

 works be established in connexion with the Londonderry ores, a 

 considerable additional supply of clay ironstone could be procured 

 from the Coal measures, and might be of much value. 



Grindstone is one of the most important productions of the Cumber- 

 land coal-field. I have already referred to the mechanical qualities 

 on which this rock depends for its value. The principal localities of 

 the quarries are Seaman's Cove and Ragged Reef; the beds at the 

 former being below the productive Coal measures, those at the latter 

 above them. In smaller quantities, grindstones are obtained from a 

 number of other beds and reefs along the coast, and also from the 

 continuation of these beds on the estuary of the Hebert River, and 

 from the geological equivalents of the beds at Seaman's Cove, where 

 they reappear in New Brunswick. Forty-six thousand four hundred 

 and ninety-six grindstones were made in Nova Scotia in 1861, the 

 greater part in Cumberland. Grindstones are also quarried in the 

 sandstones on the eastern coast of Cumberland ; and at Wallace there are 

 valuable beds of freestone which have been quarried for exportation. 



Limestone and Gypsum abound in the line of country extending 

 from Minudie to Pugwash and Wallace. The former especially occurs 

 in very thick beds at Napan River and at Pugwash ; and these are 



