E, W, Binney. 455 



the source of any spring flowing from that part (if such were the 

 case), was totally destitute of petroleum. The only remarkable 

 feature connected with the upper bed of peat is the western 

 portion of it being covered up with a bed of sand, and being 

 probably sometimes subject to an infiltration of sea-water, accord- 

 ing to Mr. Harkness's information. These circumstances, added 

 to the fact of the petroleum being found most plentifully at the 

 edge of the sand, lead the authors to the conclusion that it is 

 produced by the decomposition of the upper bed of peat under 

 the sand. 



^The chemical process by which such singular effects have 

 been produced is a subject more fitted for the consideration of 

 the chemist than the geologist, but the authors suppose that the 

 petroleum is the result of slow combustion in the peat, and has 

 been produced by a process partly analogous to that which takes 

 place in the destructive distillation of wood in close vessels, where, 

 owing to a total absence of oxygen, the combination of hydrogen 

 and carbon, in the form of hydro-carbons, is effected.' 



At a meeting of the Manchester Geological Society, Decem- 

 ber 18, i860, a paper was read on the same subject by Mr. Binney. 

 A note says, *....! cannot suppose but that it must have been 

 produced by a process partly analogous to that which takes place 

 in the destructive distillation of wood in close vessels, where, 

 owing to the limited or total absence of oxygen, the combination 

 of hydrogen and carbon in the form of hydro- carbons is effected.' 



In explaining the decomposition of peat Mr. Binney quotes 

 Liebig's opinions concerning slow combustion, and wishes to show 

 that hydro-carbons may be formed in peat in this way ; but it seems 

 as if Mr. Bowman's views were as clear on the subject as Liebig's, 

 and they were pubHshed in January, 1840, whilst Liebig's preface 

 dates from September of the same year. Liebig does not allude 

 to peat, but to organic substances generally. The views, however, 

 of Mr. Bowman and Mr. Binney are not well supported ; we do 

 not know of any formation of hydro-carbons other than gaseous 

 by the decay of woody fibre. Both seem to have forp;otten that 

 peat contains resinous matter in considerable amount. Still this 

 has always been found very solid, and we cannot wonder that 



