GILPIN — PICTOU COAL FIELD. 97 



miles wide, yet unexplored. The comparison made in the report 

 of the Geological Survey of Canada, of some of the strata in this 

 section, with sandstones immediately overlying the conglomerate 

 below New Glasgow, is not borne out by Prof. Dawson's research- 

 es, he being inclined from fossil evidence, as shown by his paper on 

 the transition of the Carboniferous into Permian, read last year 

 before the Geological Society of London, to consider the latter an 

 extension of the upper part of the Middle or Productive coal 

 measures. From the facts gathered relative to the structure of the 

 Pictou Coal field, these measures as suggested by the Geological 

 Survey report, are probably lower than those containing the Albion 

 Main and Deep seams. The fact however of the extension of the 

 Bear Creek synclinal across this district, and that the amount of 

 dislocation caused by the McLeod fault is not of serious moment, 

 are important considerations. The reverse or southerly dips and 

 the presence of coal, point out the existence of seams of the Albion 

 or Lower group at this point, and the width between the two faults 

 would allow of a development, little if at all, inferior to that attain- 

 ed by the seams of the middle or iUbion synclinal. 



The question then arises why explorations have not been made 

 commensurate with the size of this district, and the importance of 

 ascertaining the presence of workable coal seams. A considerable 

 part of this space between the southern and McLeod fault is owned 

 by a company which naturally is not at present solicitous about 

 its contents, as their valuable working areas in other parts of the 

 field afford it full occupation. The dull state of our Coal trade is 

 also an evident reason why the attempt proposed a short time ago 

 to employ the diamond drill in that part of the district held by other 

 parties was not carried out. 



There is, however, as far as our present knowledge extends, no 

 reason to doubt that this will eventually prove a very valuable addi- 

 tion to the present working limits of the Pictou Coal Field, and that 

 its extent is ample enough to afford room for the investment of 

 capital in several large Collieries. 

 7 



