14 W. Whitaker— Coal in 8.E. of England. 



now and then come from Dover, practically nothing is known, 

 beyond the very small circle of the highly privileged few, of what 

 has been found there. Since the above was written however a 

 welcome announcement has appeared that Prof. Boyd Dawkins 

 hopes before long to let anxious geologists know something about 

 the matter. Ma} r he have something fresh to tell us ! l 



As a geologist I must decline to be in any way bound by the 

 lamentable failure, or one may say the heartrending absence, of 

 commercial enterprise amongst my fellow-Englishmen. I have 

 elsewhere given a lengthy account of what has been published on 

 the subject of the old underground rocks of the London Basin, 

 and, in summing up the general conclusions that, to my mind, may 

 fairly be drawn, as to the possible occurrence of Coal Measures, have 

 ventured to say, "it seems to me that the day ivill come when coal 

 will he worked in the South East of England." 2 



I am glad to say, however, that there is now an opening for the 

 development of enterprise in the scientific investigation of the deep- 

 seated geology of south-eastern England. Mr. J. T. Day, F.G.S., 

 impressed with the importance of the question, " Is there Coal 

 under the London Basin ? " has issued a circular, from which the 

 following extracts are taken: — 



"This question has frequently been asked, but no systematic 

 attempt has ever been made to answer it." 



" If it should be found that coal does exist at workable depths, and 

 within easy reach of the metropolis, the value of the discovery . . . 

 would be enormous." 



" With the view, therefore, to a systematic investigation of the 

 matter, it is proposed to raise a fund of 2000 guineas to meet the 

 cost [of trial-boring]. This fund will be presided over ... by 

 a committee to be selected from amongst the subscribers." 



" Promises of support . . . should be sent to ... J. T. D," 

 [12, Albert Square, Stepney, London, E.]. 



Cash is not asked for, only promises, to be redeemed when a 

 settled plan has been arrived at. Presumably before starting any 

 work a strong committee of experts would be consulted, and it 

 should be mentioned that both Prof. Prestwich and Prof. Judd are 

 in favour of the scheme. 



All those who take an interest in the question should communicate 

 with Mr. Day, who wishes it to be understood that his proposal is 

 not put forward on commercial grounds, although it appeals to 

 commercial instincts as well as to the wish for further knowledge 

 in a very important matter. 



Such being the state of the case, I am anxiously awaiting the 

 appearance of " commercial enterprise," coupled with scientific 

 inquiry. 



1 Trans. Manchester Geol. Soc. vol. xx. p. 352. 



2 The Geology of London, etc., vol. i. p. 46 (1889). Eeviewed in Geol. Wag. 

 Dec. 1889, p. 568. 



