8 Notes on the Quality of Hartley and 



of Hartley shale amounted to 67| per cent. I also experi- 

 mented upon another description of shale, with the following 

 results : — It produced 14,136 cubic feet per ton ; 5 feet gave 

 a light equal to 37'62 candles ; one foot was equal to 902'88 

 grains of sperm ; and one ton gave a light equal to 1,823 '3 lb. 

 sperm candles. In order that you may compare the Hartley 

 shale with Bog Head cannel coal, I now append the value of 

 that coal, as given by the agents in their circular to gas 

 companies, and as published in the journal of gas lighting : — 



Bog Head cannel coal, or Torbane HUl mineral, produces 

 13,500 feet per ton. 



One foot equal to 8| sperm candles, or 1,020 grains. 



One ton equal to 1,9671 4 sperm candles. 



In the Agents' circular it is stated to be equal to 1,990 lb. 

 sperm candles ; but when worked out according to the above 

 description, the result is, as before stated, 1,967'14 lb. 

 Ordinary British Newcastle caking coal is only equal to 

 420 lbs. of sperm candles. 



The other description of shale I experimented upon, 

 although not quite so rich as the Hartley shale, is still of 

 great value ; and thinking that a brief account of the seam 

 from which it was taken would be of interest to the members 

 of this Society, I procured copies of the Reports of William 

 Keene, Esq., F.G.S., Examiner of Coal-lieMs, N.S.W., from 

 which the following are extracts : — 



" Newcastle, 14th January, 1869. 

 " To Michael Fitzpatrick, Esq., 



"Under Secretary of Lands, Sydney, 



" Sir, — I have the honour to forward herewith, for the 

 further information of the Honorable the Secretary for 

 Lands, plan and sections sljowing the great seam opened 

 by me in Anvil Creek, at Greta, in which petroleum oil 

 coal, and other varieties of coal, are found in a thickness 

 altogether of 22 feet." 



The following is a description of a section of the seam 

 opened in the creek, and subsequently proved by a trial 

 shaft at a depth of 40 feet : — 



