CHINA, MONGOLIA, AND JAPAN. 



17 



top e, and working back the coal is won from above and below the gallery at the 

 same time, the refuse smaU coal, here about four-tenths of the whole, serving as a 

 support g, in place of that extracted. The water is carried out by the inclined 

 shaft h, fig. 2, the work being done by blind men, one of these standing in each of 

 the hoUowed out steps c, and bailing the water from his step to the one above him. 



The coal is drawn out on sleds, by men, through b and a, only one-half the 

 breadth of h being cut into steps for drainage. 



Chingshui Mines. — These mmes are in a narrow valley, about five miles W. N. W. 

 of Chaitang, in the midst of the porphyry mountains. There seem to be several 

 seams, but the confusion caused by the numerous dykes of porphyry is very great. 

 In two of the seams the roof is formed by these dykes, at least for a considerable dis- 

 tance, while others are cut through by them, and in places only fragmentary portions 

 of a seam, and its accompanying beds are left. Fig. 4 gives a general idea of the 

 relation between some of the seams, and the porphyry as seen in the side of a moun- 

 tain valley. Fig. 5 is a section of a fragment of the coal series only a few square 



a. Porphyry. 6. Coal series, c. Coal seams. a. Porphyry. 6. Coal series, c. Coal seam. d. Creek rubble. 



rods in extent, cut off" on one side by the porphyry, and on the other by the creek. 

 The coal of this locality is very bituminous, and I failed, during my short visit, to 

 find any indications of the metamorphism, often observed in the action of dykes 

 on coal, especially where basalt has broken through tertiary brown coal forma- 

 tions. 



The coal of the second seam from, the right, Fig. 4 c,^ is very brilliant, clean, and 

 firm, breaking with a cubical fracture. It is very inflammable and melts and cakes, 

 burning with a long flame, and leaving considerable ash. 



Spec, gr 1.38 



Parts of lead reduced by oue part of coal . . . . 29.00 



Units of heat 6670.00 



Percentage of ash . . . . . . . . 12.00 



The seam from which this coal was taken had been worked about 500 feet on an 

 incline, untU stopped by water, and averaged between 7 and 8 feet in thickness. 

 The fuel was best in the middle of the seam, and improved with the increasing 

 depth. The proprietor worked two shifts of thirty men each, viz., eight miners, 

 six carriers, ten water raisers, four men at mouth of mine, and two overseers. 

 One miner produced, per shift, 1500 catties (about 1900 lbs.), of which two-thirds 

 was coarse coal, and one-third fine. 



3 April, 1866. 



See Appendix No. 2. 



