Mr. F. Forster's Observations on the South Welsh Coal Basin. 97 



strength and durability for smiths' purposes, and in no case producing 

 Coke equal to our best coking Coals ; many seams of this Coal possess 

 the important property of being more free from Sulphur. Considerable 

 quantities are used, being fii'st mixed with the small of Free-burniug Coal, 

 in the reduction of Copper Ore, and when it can be procured, the Coke 

 of Bituminous is mixed with the Coke of Free-burning Coal, for smelt- 

 ing Iron. Large quantities are also exported to Ireland and to Corn- 

 wall for manufacturing and domestic uses ; but the large proportion 

 of earthy matter in this Coal, (generally about 3 per cent., while the 

 best Newcastle Coals do not contain more than 5^ per cent.) renders it 

 disagreeable for the latter purpose. 



For the sake of more easy reference, I have arranged, in the form of 

 a table, a statement of the products afforded by the distillation and in- 

 cineration of all the different varieties of Stone Coal, Free-burning and 

 Bituminous Coals, that I have had an opportunity of assaying. This 

 table will be found at the end of this paper. 



DISTRIBUTION OF THE DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF COAL 

 OVER THE MINERAL BASIN. 



Commencing at the western extremity of the Coal-field in St. Bride's 

 Bay, and proceeding eastward, it will be found that the whole of the 

 Coal seams extending through Pembrokeshire, both on the north and 

 south sides of the Basin, consist of Stone Coal. Passing across Carmar- 

 then Bay, and continuing to proceed eastward along the centre of the 

 Basin, it will be found that the seams rising northward, near the centre 

 (with one or two exceptions), are Free-burning Coal, underlaid by 

 by others, passing gradually into Stone Coal, further northward ; while 

 the seams rising to the south, consist entirely of Bituminous Coal, their 

 quantity of bitumen increasing as they recede from the centre to the 

 south edge of the Basin. The gradual change of quality that takes 

 place here will be fully explained in referring to the section. On pro- 

 ceeding further eastward towards Swansea, the respective qualities of 

 the seams, on each side of the centre, are still preserved. Beyond this 

 point the exact position of the centre of the Basin has not been so 



VOL. I. o 



