90 Mr. F. Fons ter's Observations on the South Welsh Coal Basin. 



within 2i miles of the North Limestone. Two other Rivers, the Avon 

 and the Ogmore, extend from the south edge nearly to the centre of 

 the Basin. 



7th. The Vale of the Taafe, extending inland from Cardifl^ 

 intersecting the south edge of the Basin, near the Great Garth Hill, and 

 stretching across it to Dan-y-Graig ; along this valley runs the Glamor- 

 ganshire Canal, foi'ming a communication between the great Iron works 

 at and near Merthyr, and the sea at Cardiff. 



8th. The River Roraney, the boundary between the counties of 

 Glamorgan and Monmouth. 



9th and 10th. The Vallies formed by the Elwy and Sirhowy Rivers, 

 which run in north and south lines, nearly parallel to each other, 

 across the Monmouthshire part of the Basin ; they are accom- 

 panied by canals and railways, connecting them with the River Uske. 



Of these outlets the first five are navigable within the edge of the Coal 

 Basin, as is also the River Avon. These principal rivers, together with 

 their tributary streams (which generally run in the water-level line of 

 the strata and often between two ranges of Freestone, in vallies exca- 

 vated in the interposing Shale beds), so intersect this extensive and 

 elevated district, as to render the seams of Coal to a considerable depth 

 available by levels, and afford the additional advantages arising from 

 a convenient access to the various ports by means of canals and rail- 

 ways. 



QUALITY OF THE DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF WELSH COAL. 



In point of quality the Coal seams of this extensive district, in their 

 leading characters, embrace every variety, with the exception, perhaps, 

 of Cannel Coal, known to occur, in what is termed the independent 

 Coal formation j these varieties may, for distinction's sake, be divided 

 into three distinct classes^t is necessary however to observe, that 

 these different classes run by insensible degrees into each other. 



1st. Stone Coal, Anthracite, or Glance Coal, technically, "hard 

 Coal" : — Under this head, I propose to include all the varieties, which, 

 when heated with the exclusion of air, as in a coke heap or coke oven. 



