246 



THE CARBONIFEROUS SYSTEM. 



but a small proportion of the entire coal-field has been made the 

 subject of accurate examinations, and these, for the most part, have 

 been confined to its central and southern portions. The eastern coast 

 region, and certain detached areas near the Bay of Fundy, may yet 

 prove more productive than the regions hitherto examined. It follows, 

 moreover, from the nearly horizontal character of the formation, that 

 such beds as do exist may have a wide lateral extension, and if at a 

 moderate depth, may be removed, as is done at Grand Lake, at a 

 comparatively trifling coast. 



The coal of Grand Lake, as well as of all the other outcrops yet 

 observed in the true Carboniferous formation, is the ordinary bitumi- 

 nous or caking coal, capable of ready ignition, but requiring frequent 

 stirring for complete combustion. While not so well adapted for 

 household use as the foreign imported coals, it has, from its com- 

 parative cheapness (^4 to ^5 per ton in the market of St John), 

 attained a local consumption of nearly 6000 chaldrons annually, and 

 for manufacturing purposes is preferred to any of the imported coals. 

 About 1000 tons of this coal were exported in the year 1865. It is 

 capable of yielding 8500 cubic feet of gas per ton, but of inferior 

 quality, and is not employed for this purpose. 



The raising of this coal has heretofore been undertaken by many 

 separate parties, and by a rude system of quarrying. It is now 

 proposed to undertake operations of a more systematic kind, preceded 

 by a preliminary boring, the results of which, it is hoped, Avill give a 

 more accurate idea of the real value of the coal-field. 



Table of all known Out-crops of Bituminous Coal in the Province of New 

 Brunswich equalling or exceeding five inches in thichness.* 



* Extracted from Bailey's Keport. 



