[ 629 J 



XLV. 



AN ANALYSTS OF THE PALAEOZOIC FLOOR OF NORTH-EAST 

 IRELAND, WITH PREDICTIONS AS TO CONCEALED COAL- 



FIELDS. 



By W. B. WRIGHT, B.A., F.G.S. 



[Communicated by permission of the Director of the Geological 



Survey of Ireland.] » 



(Plate LIV.— Map.) 15 -jl)2' 



Read February 25. Published October 17, 1919. 



In September, 1917, the Geological Survey of Ireland forwarded to the 

 Department for the Development of Mineral Resources, Ministry of 

 Munitions, a memorandum setting forth certain geological considerations, 

 which point to the probable existence of extensive concealed coal-fields in 

 the north-east of Ireland. A scheme of exploration was also outlined, and 

 sites were selected for putting down boreholes. 1 As a result of this the Depart- 

 ment decided to take action in the matter, and an agreement having been 

 entered into with the proprietors of the mineral rights, the first bore was 

 started on December the 17th, 1918, and arrangements are now being made 

 with regard to a site for the second. 



In the meantime new evidence has been brought to bear on the problem, 

 and it is now considered possible not only to define more accurately the 

 original areas in which the Survey regarded coal as likely to be found, but to 

 extend the reasoning to the prediction of a further extensive coal-field in the 

 north of Antrim and the adjoining portion of Londonderry. The complete 

 discussion of the subject is set forth in the following paper. 



General Statement of the Problem. 



For the purpose of this paper it is sufficient to consider the stratified 

 rocks of the British Isles as composed of two subdivisions to which we pro- 

 pose to refer for simplicity as the Palaeozoic floor and the Mesozoic cover. 



1 This scheme, which was first outlined by the author in a lecture before the Royal 

 Dublin Society in February, 1917, was brought to the attention of the Department for 

 the Development of Mineral Resources by Mr. B. H. Cunningham-Craig. 



SCIENT. PEOC. E.D.S., VOL. XV., NO. XLV. 5 G 



