Aug. 29, 1884.] 



♦ KNOWLEDGE ♦ 



177 



South dip, and over a considerable area. Some time ago 

 he resolved to explore the whole of the area, about 2,500 

 acres, the mineral freehold of which he purchased some 

 years ago. To do this he commened an exploring drift 

 to the south, at a depth of sixty - eight fathoms from 

 his Belgium pit, to cut the upper section of seams 

 that lie over the ordinary Kingswood series and between 

 those and the Pennant rock ; and at the same time he 

 started a drift to the north, at a depth of 500 yards from 

 the bottom of Speedwell pit, and it was the discoveries 

 made by the latter, or north drift, from Speedwell, that he 

 wished to describe. For some 200 yards this drift was 

 driven in strata nearly upright, and exhibited traces of 

 great disturbance and enormous lateral )iressure ; and, in 

 fact, the whole of the Kingswood district has in past 

 workings exhibited proofs of enormous disturbance and 

 displacements, chiefly, as he some time ago explained in 

 a published paper, having been produced by lateral pres- 

 sure and not by vertical movements. Some 250 yards 

 north of Speedwell pit they cut a seam of coal about 

 2 ft. 4 in. thick, lying in an upright position, and for a long 

 time he supposed this to be the first of the lower or Ashton 

 series of veins, which was what he expected to find when he 

 drove the underground tunnel. But, extending the drift 

 some 50 to 100 yards farther to the north, they found the 

 strata became horizontal, and they struck a second seam of 

 coal in several separate beds, the thickest of which was about 

 20 in. After following the vein for some 50 to 100 yards, 

 he found that it was one of the old Great Vein group 

 that had been worked 300 to 350 yards overhead up to 

 the outcrop of the vein near the surface. This fact was 

 so difficult to explain that he resolved, before coming to 

 any decided conclusion, to drive cross-measure drifts to 

 the veins above and below, so as to prove the fact 

 beyond doubt before accepting it himself or announcing 

 it to others. At the proper distance below this second 

 vein, known as the Giller's End Vein, he found a 

 particular and remarkable bed of strata, known in the 

 district as the " Worm Bed," in its proper position in 

 connection with this vein. He also knew that if he 

 were correct in his opinion he should find at a dis- 

 tance of some 30 yards vertical above this vein the 

 splendid seam or bed of coal known as the Kingswood 

 Great Vein, which he had no doubt was the equivalent 

 of the celebrated 4 feet Aberdare Steam Coal Vein. 

 Driving a drift across measures he discovered, on the 

 21st of last February, the vein known as the Kingswood 

 Great Vein, lying in splendid position, and an average 

 of about 5 feet thick, or from that to 5 feet G inches. 

 Since that time he had been driving on these veins north, 

 «ast, south, and west, and found that he was on the floor of 

 the original coalfield, with a gentle dip to the west and rise 

 to the east of about 3 in. to the yard, and apparently ex- 

 tending to the north and east far beyond the bounds of his 

 mineral estate. He did not want to trouble his hearers 

 with anything that was merely personal and commercial, 

 but he was sure they would pardon him for saying that not 

 the least interesting feature of this discovery to him was 

 that it had revealed the existence of from six to eight 

 million tons of magnificent steam coal in his mineral estate 

 that he had no expectation of having, and he could see 

 clearly that for the next 50 to 100 years, at least, the 

 collieries be worked could go on landing a large quantity 

 of splendid coal, at a cost that would enable those who 

 worked them to hold their ground against all competition, 

 come from where it may, and thus continue to develop 



one of the important industries of the district 



Proceeding to the source of the dislocating force, he said 

 the Mendip Hills formed the southern boundary of the 



Bristol coal-field, though their distinguished president (Sir 

 William Guise), Mr. Etheredge, and himself were able 

 some two or three years ago to gather proofs from the 

 rocks at Cannington Park, near Bridgwater, that those 

 rocks, which had previously been regarded as Devonian 

 Limestone, were after all the Carboniferous Limestone, 

 though in a highly crystalline condition, and very sparse of 

 fossil remains. Being, however, genuine mountain lime- 

 stone they showed almost certainly the existence of a coal- 

 field south of the Mendips. His object in referring to 

 this was to recall their attention to a fact that was proved 

 by their friend Mr. Etheredge, and the late Mr. Charles 

 Moore, of Bath, beyond all question, namely, that the Men- 

 dips were lifted after the deposition of the coal measures— 

 but prior to the deposition of the secondary rocks — and that 

 when those hills were thrust up by the volcanic force that in 

 some portions had pushed the lava right through the limestone 

 and Old Red Sandstone, the whole country to the north, 

 and possibly to the south as well, was thrust forward. At 

 Radstock, five miles north of the Mendips, this thrust had 

 given Lady Waldegrave a double quantity of the Radstock 

 or upper series in veins. They must, however, look for 

 the force that has thrust the Kingswood coal-field over 

 itself at a nearer point than the Mendip Hills, and he 

 thought if they would look at the enormous develop- 

 ment of carboniferous limestone at Blackdown, Bourton, 

 and in that district, they would see the seat of the force 

 that has caused this displacement. It was singular and 

 exceedingly interesting to note the effect of this thrust. 

 If they looked at the map they would see that south of 

 where they stood the river Avon has been pushed a mile 

 to the north out of its natural course by the same force 

 that had thrust the coal-field over itself, and he happened 

 to know that two or three miles below the level course 

 of the seam of coal in the coal-field had been turned 

 almost at right angles to its regular course by the same 

 upheaval of Carboniferous Limestone, and the displace- 

 ment caused thereby and the level course of the workings 

 on the south dip of the coal-field at Kingswood at a 

 great depth, followed the remarkable course in the river 

 to which he had called attention — thus showing pretty 

 conclusively that the course which had caMed the one 

 had produced the other. The level course of the workings 

 at the South Liberty of the Ashton Colliery had been 

 turned round by the same course. In conclusion, Mr. 

 Cossham remarked that the' problem he had endeavoured 

 to explain would have a very important influence on the 

 future of the district, and was associated with an industi-y 

 upon which the future of the country largely depended. 

 Whenever England's mineral resources failed, her 

 commercial supremacy must end, and therefore every 

 discovery that widened the area and increased the 

 extent of their mineral resources should be regarded 

 with interest. 



A PRACTICAL METHOD OF ESTI- 

 MATING DISTAXCES. 



DRAW one or more silhouettes of standing or kneeling 

 men upon a card — the standing ones 25 mm. in 

 height and the kneeling ones 16 mm. If you are an artist 

 and have the means at disposal, instead of simply blacken- 

 ing the figures, you may paint both surfaces with the colours 

 that are peculiar to the different uuiforms of the enemy, 

 but care must be taken not to lay the colours on too thin. 

 Now cut the figures out with care, leaving sufficient paper 

 attached to their bases to allow the instrument to be held 

 between the thumb and first finger. 



