an President, to the Geological Section. 463 



forces, which had made its mark on the structure of our Island even 

 at that early date. 



At this point I ought to quit the Palaeozoics; but there is just one 

 subject of interest which claims a momentary attention, viz., the 

 probability of finding workable coal east of the proved Somersetshire 

 field. I avoid the question of coal south of the Mendips as being 

 too speculative, on account of the chances of deterioration of the 

 Coal-measures in that direction. But in view of the forthcoming 

 meeting of the British Association at Dover, the question of finding 

 coal to the eastward of Bath becomes a specially interesting subject 

 for discussion. It is also a matter of some consequence whether the 

 hidden basin or basins belong to the meridional or to the east and 

 west system of flexures. The latter is most likely to be the case.^ 

 The Vale of Pewsey has been mentioned as a suitable locality for 

 boring along the line of the recognized axis. 



But prospectors should bear in mind the warning of Eamsay, 

 that the basins containing coal are but few in comparison with the 

 number of basins throughout the Palgeozoic rocks. No doubt the 

 line indicated is more favourably situated for coal-exploration than 

 the Eastern Counties ; where, for instance, the Coal Boring and 

 Development Company has lately gone into liquidation. The un- 

 suitability of East Anglia as a field for coal-prospecting was insisted 

 on in my second anniversary address to the Geological Society,^ and 

 the results seem to have been very much what might have been 

 expected. If coal is to be found beneath the Secondary rocks the 

 line of search should be carried through the counties of Kent, 

 Surrey, Berkshire, and Wiltshire, though the three latter counties 

 have hitherto been content to leave their underground riches un- 

 explored. The Kent Coal Exploration Company is doing some good 

 work with a reasonable chance of success ; though if they wish to 

 find coal sufficiently near the surface they had better adhere as 

 much as possible to the line of the North Downs, since operations 

 on the Sussex side are only too likely to be within the influence 

 of the Kimmeridgian gulf, which was proved to exist at Battle 

 (Netherfield). Mr. Etheridge. I hope, will have something to tell 

 us as to the progress of the Kent Collieries Corporation, who now 

 carry on the work at Dover. 



Secondary Mesozoic Rochs. 



Commencing a totally different subject, I must now direct attention 

 to the ' red beds ' and associated breccias so characteristic of Eastern 

 Devonshire. These rest in complete discordance on the flanks of 

 the Paleozoic highlands, and must be regarded as forming the base 

 of the Secondary rocks of that district. 



1 The boring at Burford, where coal was found at a depth of 1,100 feet, below 

 a surface of Bathouian beds, at a point thirty-five miles E.N.E. of the extreme end 

 of the Bristol Coalfield at "Wickwar, is not included in this category ; since it must 

 belong to the meridional system, and is altogether outside the prolongation of the 

 axis of Artois. 



* Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc, vol. l (1894), p. 70. 



