HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 



[135 



Depth brought forward,. . 107 



15. Wild stuff 16 



16. Rocky black stuff, 1 



17. Smutt, 



18. Black rocky stuff, 8 



19. Kind clunch, with iron- 



stone 11 



20. Clunch binds, 12 



21. Soft clunch, 8 



22. Coal called the two-foot 



coal, (5) 1 



23. Fireclay, (6) 4 



24. Fine clunch, 12 



25. Rock, 2 



26. Rock-binds, 2 



27. Parting, (7) emitting in- 



flammable damps, .... 



28. Rock-binds, 7 



29. Kind clunch, 1 



30. Broach coal, (8) 3 



31 Black clunch, 7 



32. Coal, 1 



Feet In. 



Penny-earth, (9) with iron- 

 stone, 7 



Clunch-binds, 26 



Clunch, with iron-stone,.. 2 9 



Rock-hinds, 17 



Clunch, with iron-stone,. . 14 



Rock-binds, 16 



Strong rock, 4 



Rock, with laminae of coal 4 



Strong rock, 4 



Clunch parting, 10 



Chance coal, (10) 9 



Clunch-binds, ....4 



Rock, or rock-binds, .... 8 10 



Clunch and iron-stone, . . 2 9 



Black batt, (11) 6 



Chance coal, 10 



Catch earth, a clunch, . . 2 9 



Black batt, 7 



Main coal, 31 6 



Total, 360 3 



(\) Roach is ferruginous clay, of a coarse quality, differently coloured and 

 veined. 



(Z) The rock is white, composed of siliceous earth, with a smaller proportion 

 of argillaceous. Next to this are the rock-binds, which, having more argillace- 

 ous earth, are softer than the rock ; then the clunch-binds, which have still less 

 siliceous earth ; and lastly, clunch, which has the least, and is Ihe softest. The 

 clunch and clunch-binds shiver into flakes when exposed to the weather. The 

 rock-binds, and still better, the rock, retain their texture. The rock is subject 

 to cracks or fissures, through which the water flows, and it is chiefly from these 

 fissures in rock that the water in mines issues : thin laminae of coal often lay 

 horizontally in the rock, and frequently there is thin coal in the form of broad 

 leaves of aquatic plants running m all directions through the rock. 



(Z) Clunch is a smooth soft earthy matter, which soon shivers into flakes.' 

 When of a reddish or yellowish colour, the colliers call it wild ; but when of 

 its proper bluish or greyish colour, it is said to be kindly, by which the colliers 

 mean the latter indicates coal. Those called wild, being irregular and acci- 

 dental clunch, generally contain balls of iron stone. 



(4) Smutt is a mixture of coal and clunch. 



(5) This coal is too thin to get for use. 



(6) Fire-clay, called also pipe-clay, from its having been made into tobacco- 

 pipes, for which it is not now used, not being white enough. 



(7) A Partiny is a small quantity of clunch, or soft earth, separating thicker 

 beds from each other : from these interstices between the strata generally pro- 

 ceed the inflammable gas, or air, that incommodes the miners. 



(8) Broach-coal is of very good quality, and is sometimes got, but generally 

 neglected, not being thought thick enough to pay the expence. 



(9) Penny-earth is a clunch which contains a good many nodules of iron- 

 stone, for the sake of which pits are sunk at Wednesbury. 



("10} Chance-coal is a name given to accidental masses of coal, which are not 

 regular strata. 

 (11) A smooth schistus, rendered black from its vicinity to the coal. 



