140 Coal- Seams of Van Diemens Land. 



ficient to decide both tlie extent of the several bands and 

 patches of the carboniferous strata, and the number and 

 thickness of the Coal-seams contained in them. 



The following information I have recently received from 

 Mr. Dean of the Kiver Mersey : — 



" The Mersey Coal Company have commenced boring on 

 my land about 400 yards from the house : they bored 30 

 feet, and came into a quicksand, which ran in very fast and 

 gave the miners much trouble ; they then wished to prove 

 that you were in error ; and made an offer to the Company 

 that if they would find them in rations, without wages, they 

 would get the Coal for the Company at the shaft * where 

 the water runs over the top : the men were allowed to leave 

 my land, and are now boring close to the shaft, but have 

 not yet got the Coal." 



This, of course, is a most absurd waste of labour, unless 

 some very large faults exist, of which I could see no evi- 

 dence, close to the shaft in question. 



Mr. Dean adds : — 



" Mr. Williams is hard at work stripping the Coal, and 

 will have a large quantity to ship in the spring. Mr. 

 Johnston has found the Coal cropping '^\ miles south east 

 from Mr. Williams on crown land ; it appears to be the 

 same seam, about 2 feet 2 inches thick, and butts against 

 the yellow Coal." 



(This yellow Coal is the Dysodile, or combustible schist, 

 which has been known to exist for some time on the Mersey : 

 the same kind of schist is found near Syracuse, in Sicily.) 



*' The Mersey Company are now boring close to the Don, 



* This shaft is the one before mentioned by me as having been abandoned 

 owing to the great influx of water. 



