1865.] Mining, Mineralogy, and Metallurgy. 481 



of Mining Eecords for the Colonial Government, and has had, there- 

 fore, abundant opportunities of investigating the range of fossils 

 through the different beds amongst which the coal occurs. He states 

 that Glossopteris and Vertebraria (which Professor M'Coy considers to 

 prove their Mesozoic age) occur from the top of the Coal-measures 

 almost to the bottom ; associated with these plants, in some of the 

 lower beds, are Pachydomus, Bellerophon, Spirifer, Fenestella, and Ortho- 

 ceras, while a Heterocercal fish occurs higher up, and Lepidodendron 

 is found still lower down. The admixture of the Palaeozoic fossils 

 with the so-called " Mesozoic " plants appears clearly established ; 

 there is no doubt about the age of the former (in a broad sense), 

 whereas the plants do not form a very safe guide, so that at present 

 the Coal-formation of New South Wales must be looked upon as 

 Palaeozoic. 



The Annual Report shows the Society to be in a remarkably 

 floimshing condition, seventy-five Fellows having been elected during 

 the year. Amongst the new Fellows we cannot help noticing the large 

 number of Civil Engineers (including Mr. M'Clean, Pres. Inst. C.E.) ; 

 and we are glad to observe the names of several Clergymen, amongst 

 which that of the Eev. H. H. Winwood will be familiar to Members of 

 the British Association. The list also includes the names of many local 

 Geologists of good repute, especially Mr. W. W. Stoddart, the Rev. 

 R. Boog Watson, Mr. H. B. Brady, Mr. George Maw, Dr. Rubidge of 

 Port Elizabeth, and Dr. Atherstone of Graham's Town, while Mr. S. 

 V. Wood, junior, has more than a local reputation. We hope that 

 Geology and Science generally have found a new advocate in another 

 new Fellow, Mr. Reginald Yorke, M.P. for Tewkesbury, and a new 

 investigator in the Hon. A. Strutt, this year's Senior Wrangler. 



£ VIII. MINING, MINERALOGY, AND METALLURGY. 



Mining. 



The most remarkable event of the quarter has been the introduction, 

 by Lord Kinnaird, of the "Metalliferous Mines Bill" to the House 

 of Lords — and its withdrawal on the evening appointed for the second 

 reading. It will be remembered, that Lord Kinnaird was the Chair- 

 man of the Commission appointed to inquire into the health and safety 

 of the miners working in metal mines. The inquiry instituted by this 

 Commission was an extensive one — and most laboriously have they 

 worked. The result — which has been published in three thick blue 

 books — is summed up in six resolutions, which were submitted, 

 unanimously, by the eight Commissioners to " Her Majesty's most 

 gracious consideration." These may be stated briefly to be — that 

 metal miners die young, and that this is due to imperfect ventilation 

 and to the exertion of climbing on ladders from great depths. That 

 sufficient caution is not employed in the mines — that abandoned shafts 

 are left unfenced and are " a cause of serious danger, not only to the 

 miner, but to the public." The employment of boys underground at 



VOL. II. 2 L 



