Intelligence and Micellanies. 359 



ant beds within the reach of a skilful and vigorous research. 

 Your memoriahsts are free to declare, that such is their con- 

 fidence in the numerous indications which are presented, and 

 so strong are their desires to develop a resource of such 

 magnitude to the State, that if they possessed adequate 

 means and were authorised to carry on the requisite inves- 

 tigations by a set of careful borings in the appropriate strata 

 and otherwise, they would not hesitate to employ them, but 

 as has been before stated, they possess no funds to apply to 

 so valuable a purpose. That it is of the utmost value, it 

 would be superfluous on this occasion to attempt to prove. 

 The new branches of industry that would ensue upon the 

 opening of coal mines in the western part of the State ; the 

 arrestation of the rapid destruction of wood fuel ; the abund- 

 ance and cheapness of the finest qualities of coal for domestic 

 and manufacturing purposes ; the augmentation of canal 

 revenue for its transportation ; the stoppage of the present 

 supply from abroad and the exportation of it from our own 

 State ; all these circumstances are of obvious and immedi- 

 ate application to the reasonableness of the proposition, that 

 no further time should be lost in commencing the investi- 

 gation. 



In respect to the present supply from abroad, your memori- 

 alists conceive that they would not do justice to the subject, 

 if the following statements, »vhich they are enabled to make 

 from what they deem sufficient authority, were withheld. 



During the seven years preceding the year 1828, and in- 

 cluding the years 1821 and 1828, five million seven hun- 

 dred and ninety-four thousand one hundred and sixteen 

 bushels of bituminous coal were imported into the United 

 States, the whole of which might as well have been furnish- 

 ed from the coal districts of this State and supplied by the 

 coasting trade from the port of New-York. But this great 

 amount is inconsiderable when we look at the consumption 

 which an increased population and a reduction of the price 

 would in a very short time effect. It is estimated that about 

 eight hundred million bushels of bituminous coal are raised 

 annually for general purposes in Great Britain. 



As to the present annual consumption of coal in this city, 

 the following approximation may be considered as not far 

 from the truth. 



English and Scotch bituminous coal, chaldrons, 20,000 

 Virginia, 20,000 



Lehigh and Schuvlkill Anthracite. 16,000 



