650 Scientific Proceedings, Royal Dublin Society. 



should also be remembered that the Bally castle section may represent merely 

 the lower portion of the limestone coal series, so that there is a fair likelihood 

 that other seams may be discovered. 



Should success attend the present operations in the neighbourhood of 

 Lough Neagh, there can be little doubt that the exploration of the other areas 

 will follow without much difficulty. In the event of their failure from one 

 cause or another - , it is well in conclusion to issue a word of warning. Two 

 holes should not be regarded as sufficient evidence on which to condemn the 

 search as hopeless. To the individual the expense of deep boring may seem 

 great ; but from a national point of view it is, in comparison with the issues 

 involved, almost negligible. This is not an occasion on which to enter into 

 the relative merits of State and individual enterprise ; but it should be 

 remembered that there are more things to follow on the discovery of exten- 

 sive coalfields in Ireland than a mere accession of wealth to certain landowners 

 and capitalists. 



