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nated by the fluid bitumen, whilst the coal existed in the fluid state 

 of petroleum. 



A revision of the several circumstances mentioned whilst describ- 

 ing the situation of coal, and its accompanying strata, will serve 

 not only to confirm the supposed origin of coal, but also to prove 

 the fact of its having at one time existed in a fluid state. The dif- 

 ferent partings, as they are termed, between the top of the coal 

 and the roof, deserve particular notice, on this account. In good 

 partings there sometimes exists a space between the coal and roof, 

 the coal being sprinkled with a powder like charcoal. In this case 

 the previous fluid state may be surely inferred without the least 

 difficulty, the space appearing to be the consequence of the drying 

 and contraction of the matter forming the coal, and after the superior 

 stratum, the roof, had acquired a considerable degree of firmness. 

 This inference must be made, almost without hesitation, in other 

 instances, where the parting is perfectly clear ; the head of the 

 mass of coal being described, by writers on this substance, as pos- 

 sessing a surface so smooth and polished, as if it had been varnished, 

 or covered by some fluid matter. 



In confirmation of coal having existed in a state of fluid bitu- 

 men (petroleum), I must remark that this substance is frequently 

 found in the neighbourhood of coal. Thus Mons. Morand, who 

 thought that bitumen was probably the basis of coal, informs us, 

 that in the mines of Tranche Compte, the bitumen exudes in the 

 form of a sort of guhr (tears of the mines). 



That the wreck of the vegetable part of the antediluvian world 

 was placed in such a situation as to be continually permeated by 

 water, and subjected to the conversion into bitumen ; and that the 

 nascent bitumen would unite with, and afterwards retain a portion 

 of this water, I have not, indeed, been able to present you with 

 actual proof; but have been only able to offer you evidence of a 



