Coal-fields and Population. 603 



In my report as a member of the Coal Commission 

 (1871), I have shown that under Permian and New 

 Eed strata, north of the Bristol coalfield, there may 

 probably be about 55,000 millions of tons of coals 

 available, at all events under 4,000 feet in depth, and 

 to this Mr. Prestwich has added 400 millions of tons 

 for the Severn Valley on the south side of the estuary. 



The busy population that now covers the coalfields, 

 and to which so many railways converge, may there- 

 fore some day spread over adjoining agricultural areas, 

 and render them as wealthy, smoky, and repulsive to 

 the outward eye as many visible coalfields now are. 

 Between the mouth of the Plrth of Clyde and the 

 mouth of the Firth of Forth the whole country is one 

 great coalfield, and this is the part of Scotland where 

 the population is thickest. Bordering Wales and the 

 mountains of Lancashire and Derbyshire, on the east 

 and west, are three great coalfields, and these districts 

 also contain dense populations. Further north lies the 

 great Newcastle coalfield, where, again, the population 

 is proportionately redundant. All the central part of 

 England, which is dotted over with coalfields, teems 

 in like manner with inhabitants. The South Wales 

 coalfield, which is the largest of all, however, does 

 not, except in places such as Swansea, Llanelly, Dowlais, 

 Merthyr Tydvil, and other centres, show everywhere the 

 same concentration of population. A great part of this 

 area has till lately not been opened up by railways, and 

 the coal has been heretofore not worked to the same 

 extent as in the coalfields of the middle and northern 

 parts of England, which have been extensively mined 

 for a longer period. 



Some years ago, after the publication of Mr. Hull's 

 'Coalfields of Great Britain,' Professor Jevons, in a 



