MINERALOGY OF ARRAN. 349 



In these the Cock coal is included. It is confined within Coal. 

 an angular space, formed by two ledges, or edge-seams of 

 limestone, one from north-east, the other from south-east, 

 which meet at right-angles. To the north and south of 

 these ledges of limestone, though the white sandstone ex- 

 tends a long way, and includes numerous beds of black 

 bituminated shiver and blaes, no stratum of coal has been 

 found. 



There are three or four seams of coal running parallel ^^"j^f 

 from north to south; the principal, or main seam, being years ago. 

 about fourteen feet in thickness. They dip nearl " to- 

 wards north-east, at an angle of 45°. Pits were sunk, 

 and efforts used to work this coal, about fifty years ago; 

 but as there is no harbour to export by sea, and a road 

 must be cut several miles through rocks, a salt-pan was 

 built, to consume the coal in the manufacture of salt. 

 The undertaking seems not to have succeeded, and was 

 soon abandoned. 



The coal is of the same species with that at K ilkenny in A blind coal 

 Ireland ; and there are similar strata in Ayrshire, in Fife- Kilkenny of 

 shire, and various parts of Scotland. It is blind coal, of uncommon ex- 

 uncommon excellence. It is not so apt to fall into powder cellence - 

 as most other species, and, when fresh dug, it exhibits a 

 metallic flustre. It is hence called glance coal by some ; 

 but this word does not distinguish it from some of its own 

 varieties, which have no lustre; nor from some species of 

 bituminated coal, which have a shining appearance. The 

 word blind coal is more expressive of its peculiar property, 

 in emitting neither flame nor smoke; as it consists of 

 carbon, without any impregnation of bitumen. 



I could not learn that the working of this coal was Why discon* 

 abandoned, because it * soon disappeared,' as stated by 

 Mr. Jamieson, p. 101; but that, from its inaccessible 

 situation, they could not work it Avith profit. Boiling 

 salt could hardly absorb their refuse, far less such a quan- 

 tity as would keep the pit constantly going. It is well 

 known, that if there be not a demand sufficient to absorb 

 all that is turned out, no coal can be worked with profit; 

 and that the working cannot be abandoned and resumed, 

 according to the fluctuations of the demand ; because, in 



that 



