38 



PROCEEDINGS 



OF 



THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



POSTPONED PAPER. 



On the Possible Extension of the Coal-Measures beneath the 

 South-Eastern Part of England. By R. Godwin- Austen, 

 Esq., F.R.S., F.G.S. 



[Read May 30, 1855* ] 



[Plate I.] 



Contents. 

 Introduction. 



A. Nature of the evidence which serves to determine the form of the surface of 



the Coal-growths. 

 1. The British area. 2. Belgian area. 3. The Boulonnais. 4. Franco- 

 Belgic sections. 

 Results. 

 Inferences from the relative positions of the subordinate members of the 



Carboniferous series. 

 1. Old Red Sandstone. 2. Mountain Limestone. 

 Outline of the geography of Western Europe during the Coal -growth 

 period. 



B. Axis of Artois. 



C. Relations of overlying Secondary Formations. 



1. New Red Sandstone. 2. Oolitic series. 3. Wealden series. 4. Creta- 

 ceous series. 5. NummuUtic group (lowest beds of the Northern facies). 

 General inferences. 



Introduction. — The views contained in the present communication, 

 and which are essentially speculative, require the admission of certain 

 generalizations, from which, however, competent geologists will not 

 perhaps be disposed to dissent. 



I . The early palaeozoic strata, like all others, were formed by the 

 gradual accumulations of coast-line waste; and, so far as the evidence 

 goes which is to be derived from the districts hitherto observed, the 

 nature of the change from the older to the newer palaeozoic groups 



* For the Proceedings of this evening's Meeting, see vol. xi. p. 532. 



