Coal- Seams of Van Diemen^s Land. 139 



105,000 tons of Coal, deducting \ for loss in various ways. 

 This, taking the value to the producer at ten shillings per 

 ton, would give ^52,500 as the nett proceeds of the under- 

 taking. 



Such being the case, I should advise that before any 

 great outlay be incurred a series of bores should be executed 

 accurately to prove the workable area of the 2 feet 4 inch 

 seam ; and also a bore from the bottom of the present shaft 

 to prove the existence, or otherwise, of other seams under- 

 neath the one already discovered. 



From the very faulted character of the country on the 

 Don and Mersey, I do not think that a Coal-field of any 

 great extent will ever be discovered : there are, however, a 

 number of narrow bands and patches of various sizes of the 

 Coal-measure series, which have been preserved from denu- 

 dation with the Coal-seams they contain by being dropped 

 down between lower beds by faults crossing each other in 

 all directions. I have attempted to show this in Section 

 and Diagram PI. V. 



What the thickness or number of seams below the 2 feet 

 4 inch seam in these narrow bands and patches may be has 

 as yet never been proved, owing to all the deep sinkings 

 and bore-holes having been executed at random, and always 

 unfortunately in the underlying fossiliferous strata. 



This, of course, is a very important question to decide, 

 and one which must be determined before the workable 

 value of the Mersey and Don Coal-fields can be accurately 

 estimated. Less than half the money which has already 

 been uselessly expended had the works been executed under 

 proper superintendence, and with due regard to the geolo- 

 gical features of the country, would have been amply suf- 



