AT SUBEROE, FAEOE ISLANDS. 625 



it is very probable that such a seam or seams do exist) is about 5500 

 acres, viz. the northern district about 5000 acres, and the southern 

 about 500. 



Coal has been found in isolated places in other parts of the island, 

 but in quantities so small as to require little notice as regards com- 

 mercial value. 



Quality of Coal. 



There are two sorts of coal found in the seams — one a bright hard 

 coal, breaking with a conchoidal fracture, very hard, and at times 

 presenting a woody structure ; in outward appearance it is very 

 similar to cannel coal. The other coal is like ordinary English house- 

 coal, breaking in parallel lines of fracture, presenting a bedded struc- 

 ture and not so hard as the first named. The whole of the seams 

 may be termed coal of the Lignite quality ; and its commercial value 

 will be best understood by giving an analysis of both kinds of coal. 



Bedded coal. Bright pitchy coal. 



Carbon 51-71 6820 



Hydrogen 449 5'02 



Ash 25-70 2-48 



Oxygen and Nitrogen 18'10 24-30 



100-00 100-00 



The calorific value, taken by Thompson's apparatus, gives the 

 amount of water converted into steam by 1 lb. of the coal as 

 follows : — 



lb. 



Bedded coal 9-35 



Bright pitchy coal 9-60 



Population, 



The population of the whole island is about 2000 persons. The 

 natives of Siideroe are by occupation fishermen, and the great quan- 

 tity of peat which lies within a few yards of their dweUings is an 

 additibnal reason for their taking very little interest in the coal. 



The population of the small villages near the coal-fields was as 

 follows in 1873 :— 



Trangisvaag 143 



Tverra 83 



Prodebo 101 



Ordevig 88 



Qvalboe , 362 



777 

 Working of the Coal. 



Should the coal be worked in large quantities, either for the islands 

 or for exportation, it would be necessary to import nearly the whole 

 of the labour required ; the Paroe men would be more troublesome 

 than useful. 



The coal-seams lie so favourably for working that no shafts would 

 be required ; and the whole of the district I have explored could both 



QJ.G.S. No. 144, 2v 



