Coal in Canada. 221 



Silurian recks themselves. Prof. Chapman further informs us, in 

 a letter published in a Toronto paper, that the clays are not coal 

 measure fire-clays, but the ordinary tertiary clays, and that the 

 red sandstone of the boring section is merely a boulder of syenite, 

 and the ironstones, said to be found, iron pyrites. Were it not 

 that we are aware of the many uncertainties of such explorations 

 and of the probability that the parties concerned may misrepre- 

 sent their own case, we should thus, on the evidence adduced by 

 themselves, be disposed to regard the whole affair as an absurd 

 practical joke. Prof. Chapman we observe has boldly taken this 

 ground, but as in such cases all possibilities should be fully al- 

 lowed for, and as we cannot perceive in the published accounts 

 any indication on the part of the persons reporting the discovery, 

 of that familiarity with the structure of coal-measures and the ope- 

 ration of boring for that mineral, which could alone give value to 

 their testimony, we are willing to take the most charitable view 

 possible, and even to suppose that, contrary to all probability, they 

 may have, by a rare and marvellous accident, discovered coal in 

 circumstances hitherto unheard of, and therefore beyond all ra- 

 tional anticipation. 



In concluding this article it may be useful to group together a 

 few general statements which may serve to prevent misapprehension 

 on the subject. 



First. Geologists do not assert that no coal can exist in Ca- 

 nada. They only maintain that all the facts hitherto known to 

 them afford no indication that it does occur. 



Secondly. The occurrence of coal in any locality or geological 

 formation not known to contain the mineral, would not effect 

 theoretical geology. It would only extend the amount of facts 

 available for the construction of the theory of the science. 



Thirdly. Geologists thus hold no "theory" depending on the 

 non-occurrence of coal in Canada or in the Lower Silurian rocks ; 

 and in respect to the latter they would be very glad to obtain 

 so interesting a fact as the evidence of terrestrial vegetation in 

 that period. 



Fourthly. Should coal be found in any part of the Silurian dis- 

 trict of Canada, the fact would be one of those comparatively rare 

 cases to be accounted for in some of the ways stated above ; but 

 geologists will be slow to credit it unless accompanied by evidence 

 of the presence of some of the usual accompaniments of coal, either 



