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for the future, became alarmed, and began to ask is it possible for 

 our coal mines to continue to supply this vast quantity of fuel ? 

 and if so, how long will the supply last ? 



Many vague and indefinite guesses were made in answer to this 

 question, until the Government had to appoint a commission of 

 enquiry into the probable extent and duration of our coal fields. 

 They reported in 187 1, but the evidence they received was con- 

 flicting. Professor Hull estimates the coal fields will last 1000 

 years ; while Professor Jevons calculates that they cannot last 

 longer than 100 years. This seems to have caused a panic among 

 colliery owners, and as the demand for Coal had overtaken the 

 possible supply, and the latter was limited by miners' strikes and 

 short hours, the price of Coal went up rapidly, and will probably 

 never again reach its former level. 



This has produced two very good results — 1st, an endeavour to 

 economise our fuel so as to prevent waste; and 2nd, a desire to 

 search for Coal wherever there is a chance of finding it ; and in this 

 country the old popular errors regarding the existence of extensive 

 coal fields were revived. There seems to be a very strong belief 

 commonly entertained throughout the whole country that we have 

 plenty of Coal, but that the Government, or interested mining agents., 

 invariably buy off speculators and prevent the mines being worked; 

 this mischievous error it is almost impossible to eradicate. Like 

 the mistaken notions regarding water, Coal is supposed to be con- 

 stantly present at certain depths, and that it would be found any. 

 where if a shaft is sunk deep enough; and there are some misty 

 ideas entertained regarding the connexion existing between Coal, 

 Limestone, and Sandstone. 



Mr. Gray then explained the geological origin of Coal, Lime- 

 stone, and Sandstone, showing these were rock beds of the earth's 

 crust common to all formations, and not necessarily connected with 

 each other or confined to any particular zone, and that Coal, like 

 Limestone or Sandstone, occurred in all formations from the 

 Silurian Period to the Tertiary ; but, that as the accumulation of 

 Coal in large quantities depended upon certain conditions which 

 seem to have existed chiefly in the Carboniferous Period, we find 



