508 British Association Reports. 



by a map of the world, on whicli are marked all the coal-fields as 

 yet known. 



Many interesting questions are discussed ; we will, however, 

 confine ourselves to quoting some of the general conclusions which 

 are deduced : — 



1. That it is at present utterly impossible for any one to define 

 the boundary, either vertical or horizontal, of our coal strata, and 

 therefore no estimates that can at present be offered are fit data for 

 calculation ; but that it is highly probable our resources are far in 

 excess of the views of our most sanguine geologists. 



2. That, looking at the coal resources of other countries, our 

 exports are not likely to prove a permanent drain upon our re- 

 sources, and our ocean steamers will probably ere long obtain 

 cheaper supplies for their homeward voyages than they at present 

 draw from English collieries. 



3. That any considerable increase in the cost of coal is likely to 

 interfere materially with our iron trade, more especially the raw 

 material ; and that it is not unlikely that we may not only have to 

 submit to the loss of our export trade, but may even find it more 

 economical to import various forms of iron, crude and manufactured, 

 from foreign countries. 



4. That there is no element of certainty in the continued increase 

 in our consumption of coal for heating and lighting purposes, 

 especially the latter ; and that it is probable that the use of gas 

 (which now takes about one-eighth of our whole supply) will, in 

 time, be superseded by better lighting agents, just as it has to a 

 large extent superseded candles. 



5. That the most valuable staple manufactures of Great Britain 

 absorb a comparatively insignificant portion of our whole coal re- 

 sources, and it is to be hoped that any enhancement in the price of 

 coal will be more than compensated by increasing material pros- 

 perity, enabling the manufacturer without inconvenience to pay such 

 an extra cost of fuel. At any rate it is clear that a very great 

 absolute increase may and probably will take place in om- general 

 home production and foreign barter trade in valuable manufactures, 

 with hardly a perceptible effect upon our coal resources. 



i^Ei^oiaT's j^is^T^ i^oBOCSEiDiisrca-s. 



I. — British Association for the Advancement of Science. 



Nottingham, August, 1866. 



ADDRESS TO THE GEOLOGICAL SECTION OF THE BRITISH 



ASSOCIATION. 



By Professor A. C. Ramsay, LL.D., F.R.S.i 



SINCE I last had the honour of acting as president of the Geolo- 

 gical Section a custom has crept in of opening the meetings of 



^ This address was Tsry imperfectly taken down in shorthand, and the speaker has 

 since corrected it, and supplied the omissions of the reporter, to the best of his ability, 

 from memory. 



