Coal' Seams of Van Diemen's Land. 125 



shores of the estuary, — thus wasting both time and 

 money. 



In the several bores and shafts A B C D, a thickness of 

 nearly four hundred feet of coal-measures has been proved, 

 in which only one seam of coal of a workable thickness 

 exists. 



This seam could however, I think, be worked over an area 

 of at least 300 acres : this, taking the seam at 3 feet, and 

 the cubic foot of coal at 56 lbs., would give something like 

 900,000 tons of Coal. The seam is said to be 5 feet, but it 

 has never been cut except with boring rods at B and C on 

 the plan. 



The largest workable area would probably be on the west 

 bank of the estuary, where no works have hitherto been 

 executed, the land being a Government Township Reserve. 



In the area above described no shaft would, I think, 

 require t6 be carried more than 200 feet in order to obtain 

 Coal. I was unable to obtain specimens from which the 

 quaHty of the Coal could be judged ; but Captain Vicary 

 states that it is an excellent bituminous Coal, ignites freely, 

 and burns with a bright flame. Such being the case, and 

 considering the proximity to the shipping-place, some addi- 

 tional outlay in this locality would, I think, be desirable, 

 and would, if properly expended, in all probability result in 

 the discovery of a workable Coal-field. 



4.— THE DOUGLAS RIVEE. 



From the Schouten Island to about three miles north of 

 the Douglas River Company's Jetty at Waub's Harbour, the 

 coast-line is entirely occupied by granite ; thence for about 

 six miles along the coast to near Long Point we find the 

 sandstones of the Coal-measure series exposed at intervals, 

 occasionally rising into low clifis, or forming low shelving 



