54 REPORT 1877. 



from the winter-quarters of the second ship of the Expedition, II.M.S. 'Discovery,' 

 The coal occurs in the side of a narrow mountain-gorge in the form of a slight 

 saddleback, thickest in the centre, and becoming continually smaller towards each 

 end ; the seam was exposed on the N.W. side of the gorge for a considerable dis- 

 tance ; the thickness of the seam at the deepest visible portion was 25 feet. Neither 

 the bottom of the seam nor the underlying strata were visible at any place ; the 

 height, from the top of the seam to the surface of the ground above the gorge, was 

 about 30 feet. Above the coal was a shale containing numerous impressions of 

 Miocene plants. The seam is almost uniform in character and free from clayey 

 veins. The prevailing rock of the surrounding district is a shingly clay-stone, 

 somewhat similar to the red Miocene rock of the Disco Coal-beds. 



The coal has a bright shiny appearance, looking somewhat of a pitchy character ; 

 it is very brittle, but possesses a slight cleavage, sometimes having a conchoidal 

 fracture. When finely powdered it is of a brown colour, which is the case with 

 most bituminous coals. Here and there small particles of iron pyrites were 

 observable. The following is the result of several analyses : — 



Specific gravity 1-29 



Moisture 2-38 



Ash 621 



Sulphur -96 



Carbon 76-95 



Hydrogen 5-43 



Oxygen and Nitrogen by difference . . 8*07 



100-00 



These figures indicate a coal of very good quality, and of very much the same 

 character as the coal from some of the English coal-fields. 



The Arctic coal gives about 65 per cent, of coke, which exhibits a very slight 

 amount of caking. The ash is white and bulky, and contains silica and alumina, 

 with a little free lime, present no doubt in the coal as carbonate, also a very small 

 quantity of iron. The calorific value is high. The coal can readily be obtained 

 by the process of quarrying ; and the author points out the probable use which 

 would be made of it by any future expedition. 



It is probable that this coal is one of those which, although in reality Miocene, 

 approach in their character very nearly to true Carboniferous coals. For the 

 details regarding the position in which the coal is found the author is indebted to 

 Dr. Coppinger, late of H.M.S. ' Discovery.' 



Contributions to Chemical Dynamics. By Dr. C. R. Alder Weight. 



On the Aconite Alkaloids. By Dr. C. R. Alder Weight. 



GEOLOGY. 



Address by W. Penoellt, F.B.S., F.O.S., President of the Section. 



When, as long ago as 1841, the British Association made its only previous visit to 

 Plymouth, some of us, now amongst its oldest members, thought ourselves too 

 young to take any part in its proceedings. If the effects of that meeting are still 

 traceable in this district, it will be admitted, of course, that the seed then sown 

 was of excellent quality and that it fell on good soil. Be this as it may, the hope 

 may be cherished that thirty-six years will not again be allowed to elapse between 

 two consecutive visits to the capital of the two south-western counties. 



