OUR COAL AIS'D COAL POETS. 133 



maximum point of 1,250 feet. This survey requiring two days, 

 we descended the mountaiu to Stanwell Park, by my first; 

 proposed descent, after taking the measurements of seven miles 

 of the road. During our survey we had commanding views of 

 the whole of the wild and utterly valueless and unproductive 

 country before us, from off Madden's Plains towards Appin by 

 the one line of ranges, and towards Liverpool by another. 



Next morning, very early, we returned up the -mountain to 

 where we left off the previous day, and completed the whole of 

 this interesting survey to the ferry at Greorge's River by 4'30 in 

 the afternoon. 



Here we crossed this fine river, which I regard in the light of 

 another great national friend, at present in salt- water disguise ; 

 but when affiliated with the Illawarra proposed railway, in 

 manner briefly advocated by me in my first paper read before 

 this Society, it should become only second to it in importance to 

 Sydney in its rich consequences. 



George's E-iver being passed we found a conveyance which 

 soon took us to Cook's Eiver and Sydney. 



And now, finally, and to summarise the result of Mr. Stephens' 

 experienced eye, and of our reconnaissance survey by aneroid 

 measurements, the consequences of the probable adoption of this 

 improved proposed and double and hroad gauge railway line will 

 be to give an excellent coal traffic line. The gradients throughout 

 the 48 miles to Wollongong will not average more than 1 in 200. 

 Half the route will be at 1 in 400, and the very worst part of the line 

 will not be worse than 1 in 80, and that only for three miles on the 

 "Wollongong side of the Bulgo tunnel, which tunnel will be nearly 

 half-way to Sydney ; and at this point will be the highest elevation 

 of 850 feet over the sea. Eroni Wollongong to the Bulgo tunnel the 

 gradients will be nearly all upwards, whilst those from Bulgo to 

 George'sEiverwill be nearly all downwards — so that the coal trains 

 can come on to Bulgo half-full in number of trucks, and complete 

 their loading, up to 300 to 500 tons probably, according to engine 

 power, on the downward side of the Bulgo tunnel, by the new 

 line being fed by the illimitable supply of coal (some of it within 

 twenty miles of Sydney) that can be easily raised by shafting for 

 miles along the Port Hacking Creek, and by working the coal at 

 the dip with its easterly rise of 1 in 30, and light northerly dip of 

 1 in 120, barring the consequences of so-called " faults," an 

 extraordinary one, of which such "faults" exists at Coalcliff" to 

 the extent of 169 feet, and which has caused quite a bouleverse- 

 ment there of the usual dip of the strata, having produced for the 

 proprietors a highly advantageous north-easterly dip there, for a 

 probably short distance only. 



I need not enlarge on the certain commercial results of such 

 an undertaking, whereby we shall be able to encourage the con- 



