NOTES ON MINERAL FUELS OF CANADA. — ELLS. 69 



of the areas thus tested. iVmong the pri'ncipal petroliferous 

 rocks in the eastern provinces are deposits of bituminous shale 

 which are found in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and in 

 Gaspe. Oil springs are seen at a number of points in the 

 areas occupied by these rocks, and in part these shales are so 

 highly charged with bituminous matter as to yield by dis- 

 tillation from 30 to over 100 gallons of oil per ton. Some of 

 these form a good fuel, burning readily in the grate or fur- 

 nace, the great drawback to a perfect combustible being the 

 very large amount of residue or ash. 



In the nresent stage of oil distillation as conducted in Scot- 

 land, German}-, France, Australia, New Zealand, and else- 

 w^here, there would appear to be a good opportunity for success- 

 fully exploiting these bituminous shales for the manufacture of 

 petroleum by distillation, since in the several countries just 

 mentioned, this industry is carried on extensively and profit- 

 ably on material much less rich i'n bituminous matter than the 

 shales of our own country. 



In natural gas, w^hich is an industry of comparatively recent 

 development in Canada, the advance in production has been 

 very rapid. Large quantities have been found in western 

 Ontario, much of which is piped to the cities of Detroit and 

 Buffalo adjacent to Lake Erie. Natural gas has also been found 

 in somewhat limited quantity as yet in Quebec, in the St. Law- 

 rence Valley, and at several of the borings for oil in the eastern 

 provinces. But little attention has, however, been paid to this 

 industry in this part of the Dominion. 



In the great north-west, however, the indications for large 

 developments of gas are favourable. Thus at Medicine Hat, 

 and at other points along the Canadaia'a Pacific railway, at 

 Edmonton, and further north along the upper Athabaska river, 

 it has been found, and in some places has already been applied, 

 to the purposes of lighting and heating. At the last named 



