212 TERTIARY TIMES. 



most prevalent and valuable products. These lignites, in- 

 deed, are year after year being discovered in new areas, and 

 are rapidly rising in economic value, as the only fuel in 

 many localities either for household or for manufacturing 

 purposes. Germany, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Farther 

 India, New Zealand, Vancouver Island, the Northern 

 Prairies of America, and other regions, are each possessed 

 of their brown-coals, which will be more and more sought 

 after, and more and more valued, as manufactures, railways, 

 steamboats, and kindred modern appliances extend their 

 influence and demand the cheapest and readiest supply. 

 Compared with the older coals, many of the tertiary lignites 

 are no doubt inferior ; but as the demand increases better 

 methods of consumption will be invented, and many of the 

 objections obviated which now stand in the way of their 

 being more largely raised both for domestic and manufac- 

 turing purposes. There is thus no formation, however old 

 or however recent, that is not invested with industrial as 

 well as with scientific interest all that is requisite being 

 research to determine the nature of their products, and skill 

 sufficient to procure and apply them. 



