382 MINERAL BASON. 



Mineral bai^n the south Side of this linfe they rise southward, till tjtieycome 

 m South Wales, jq thg surface, except at the east end, which is in the vicinity 

 of Pontypool, w^here they rise eastward. 



3. The depths from the surface to the various strata of coal 

 and iron ore depend upon their respective local situations. 



4. The deepest part of the bason is between Neath, in Gla- 

 morganshire, and Llanelly, in Carmarthenshire ; the upper- 

 most stratum of coal here does not extend a mile in a north 

 and south direction, and not many miles in an east and west 

 direction, and its utmost depth is not above 50 or 60 fathoms. 



5. The next stratum of coal, and those likewise beneath 

 it, lie deeper and expand still longer and wider, and the 

 lowest which are attended by parallel strata of iron ore, of 

 which they are in some situations about 16 accompanied by 

 irregular balls or lumps of iron ore, occupy the whole space 

 between Llanmaddock Hill, near the the entrance of Burry 

 river, to Llanbidie, from the Mumbles to Cribbath, from 

 Newton Down to Penderryn, from Castle Coch to Castle 

 Morlais, and from Risca to Llangattock, and in length of the 

 south side of the bason from Pontypool and through Risca, 

 Tinkwood, Llantrissent. Margam, Swansea Bay, and 

 Cline Wood, to Llanmad«lock Hill, and on the north side 

 through Blaenafon, Ebbw, Sirhowy, Merthyr, Aberdare, 

 Aberpergwm, Glyntowy, Llandibie, and the Great 

 Mountain, to Pembrey Hill, near Llanelly in Carmarthenshire, 

 and their depths arc at the center range of strata from 6 to 

 'joo fathoms. 



6. The strata of coal and iron ore running from Pembi-y 

 Hill, through Carmarthen Bay and Pembrokeshire, to St. 

 Bride's Bay, are only a continuation of those in the counties 

 of Glamorgan and Carmarthen, which lie next to and parallel 

 with the north side of the bason, all the remaining strata 

 rising southward ; and the middle ranges on the north side of 

 the baSon, are lost between where they meet the sea near 

 Llanmaddock Hill and the south side of Pembrey Hill, in their 

 course towards Pembrokeshire, in consequence of a contrac- 

 tion of the sides of the mineral bason, or rather by its becom- 

 ing shallower ; for in Pembrokeshire none of the strata of 

 coal or iron ore lie above 80 or 100 fathoms deep, conse- 

 quently all those which do not lie above 5 or 600 fathoms 



in 



