110 OUR COAL AND OTJE COAL PORTS. 



composed of the most durable of all rocks — namely by the red 

 granite of Syene, which has its exact parallel in the well-known 

 quarries of ancient " Syene," at the first cataract of the Nile, 

 beyond Thebes ; the Egyptian differing from ours at Gabo and 

 Cape Howe only by being coarser- grained. From this time-defy- 

 ing rock of Syene came the great monoliths of the ancient 

 Egyptians, in the wholly unworn shapes of Pompey's Pillar and 

 Cleopatra's Needles. 



Of such stone is our extreme south boundary composed. It 

 is a rock which, by reason of its being composed of felspar and 

 and hornblende only, is so massive and hard, and is, of all other 

 rocks, the one which is freest from fractures or clefts ; and there- 

 fore is the only kind of stone from which the Egyptians could 

 have formed and transported their wonderful monuments, which 

 Avill remain unchanged to the end of time, and are already over 

 2,000 years old. 



Our northern territory towards Queensland carries on coal 

 measures from Port Stephens inland, and in patches all the way 

 to the Clarence and Richmond Rivers, where shipments may be 

 made. 



Beyond our northern boundary with Queensland, coal passes 

 through the whole of that Colony in disjointed patches, right ou 

 to Gladstone and Eockhampton at least. As yet, however, 

 Queensland cannot avail of its wealth in coal as we do, nor is 

 that grand Colony ever likely to be able to do so, because of the 

 relative positions of the existing coal measures with the peculiar 

 ports of that country. The continuation of the Ipswich Railway 

 to Brisbane, may, however, lead to some important results in the 

 delivery of coals from Ipswich, Goodna, and the Bremer River, 

 if deeper and better seams are found than those yet worked. 

 Some coal may also come down the Toowoomba Railway line 

 from the neighbourhood of Helidon ; and, if modifications to the 

 line are made from Warwick downwards, by means of more 

 " loops," it is not improbable that the superior coal from Allora, 

 near Warwick, may be able to bear the freight to Brisbane. 

 Also, I would mention that should the coal that has lately been 

 found near Gladstone be within a payable distance to bring 

 it by rail to the head of the tidal waters at the limestone falls on 

 the Calliope, it might lead to some important results, as it could 

 be brought down from the falls in barges and in vessels of light 

 draught, and be conveyed to ships lying in Port Curtis. 



Having dealt generally with the coal measures along our coast, 

 I have yet to impose upon you some remarks upon the all-impor- 

 tant consideration of Port Jackson, as being the means at com- 

 mand for increasing our coal export to a practically unlimited 

 extent. 



