of the North of Ireland. " 155 



one from the other, viz. at Coal island and Dungannon ; with the 

 latter I am totally unacquainted : it is I believe, by far the most 

 extensive of the two : whether they may be considered as connected 

 and thus constituting but one single formation, I do not pretend 

 to say. 



The coal formation of Coal island is in an open part of the 

 country, though with a gently waved surface. The whole extent 

 of the coal district or Pounds as it is called, does not exceed as 

 I was informed, four hundred yards square. 



The works in this district appear to have been prosecuted 

 formerly with more activity than at the present period, some of 

 the pits being now abandoned ; several however still remain, but 

 they seem to be conducted with little of capital or of spirit. The 

 steam engine has not yet been introduced ; the power of horses 

 only is employed to raise both coals and water, which last is 

 unfortunately very abundant. In one pit called the Mary Anne, 

 which I visited, 150 barrels were computed to be drawn out every 

 day. None of the pits (so far as I was informed) exceed 75 yards 

 in depth : the quantity of coals raised daily in the Mary Ann pit 

 amounted to thirteen tons, though no more than thirty colliers 

 were employed. The coals are said not to cake, they are appli- 

 cable to all domestic purposes, and are I believe mostly consumed 

 by the inhabitants of the adjacent part of the country, notwith- 

 standing a bounty allowed by government to send them either to 

 Newry, Belfast, or Dublin. 



Several seams of coal occur, the main bed is nearly six feet In 

 thickness ; Its general direction is north-west and south-east : the 

 dip of the strata is here towards south-west. At Dungannon, as 

 I was informed, this direction becomes reversed. 



u 2 



