1871.] KrNGSMILl — CHINESE " LOESS." 383 



the forests which have nourished these by no means insignificant 

 coal-fields, whether we describe them by their horizontal or vertical 

 extension. The small island of Takosima, which contains in a 

 thickness of about 450 feet three beds of coal, averaging from 6 to 

 8 feet in thickness each, is an instance of the latter. The great 

 length of the chain, some 50 degrees of latitude, is sufficient proof 

 of the former. 



The mechanical structure of the beds forces us to believe in the 

 near proximity of a continent during their deposition. Sandstones, 

 conglomerates, and coal itself may all be accepted as proofs of littoral 

 conditions. Shut out from the west, we must therefore turn to the 

 east as the probable source whence these beds derive their immediate 

 origin. In this surmise we have, however, other gi'ounds of proba- 

 bility to argue from. Darwin's theory of fringing coral-reefs mark- 

 ing a period of depression has long been accepted by many of the 

 most able of geologists. Assuming it as proved, we are almost of 

 necessity led to the belief in a great Pacific continent during com- 

 paratively recent geological time. If we assume that its depression 

 was coincident with the elevation of the remarkable volcanic chain 

 of the west Pacific islands, we may assume that these marked its 

 western shores. Along these shores the greatest Tertiary coal-field 

 in the world was deposited, while at a distance the finer sediment 

 of its streams was thrown down over Eastern Asia in the form of 

 Loess. 



Geologists have been ready enough to accept great depressions 

 during the Tertiary epoch, but have hitherto hesitated in pointing 

 out the necessary counterbalance which must have existed between 

 the areas occupied by land and water. I have therefore, at the risk 

 even of being thought to a certain extent an innovator in the science, 

 pointed out a few of the facts which have influenced me in placing 

 the counterbalance within the limits now occupied by the Pacific 

 Ocean. 



Discussion. 



Prof. Ramsay remarked that the author had not proved that the 

 Loess he described was reaUy stratified. He could not agree with 

 his views of the inland escarpments he mentioned having been old 

 coast lines. It was only accidentally that sea clifis had any con- 

 nexion with the line of strike of the strata, whereas inland cliffs 

 always followed the strike. He thought the phenomena were rather 

 in accordance with a long exposure of the land to subaerial in- 

 fluences than with the Loess having been of marine origin. Even in 

 England, in those parts which had long been free from marine 

 action, beds of brick-earth had been formed. He also instanced the 

 plains of Picardy as exhibiting a vast extent of such subaerial beds. 



Prof. T. E,TjPEiiT Jones thought that the area treated of by Mr. 

 Kingsmill was too large to have its geology explained merely by re- 

 ference to rain-wash and valley deposits. Whatever his low-level 

 Loess might be, the higher accumulations of loamy deposits, stated 

 to be 1000 feet thick at an elevation of 3000 feet, and regarded by 



