686 General Netes. [ September, 
yet found coal deposits in the permian formation, but the per- 
mian is bordered on the whole south side by the genuine coal 
formation, which covers the latter in almost its entire extent. 
Coal layers two to eight feet thick come to the surface some 
miles off from the boundary, and it may with certainty be assumed 
that stone coal can be reached at a moderate depth near the depos- 
its of iron ore of the permian period. If we cast a glance over 
the mineral kingdom of northwest Texas, and compare the same 
with that of England, we discover there the same appearances. 
In this respect Texas is equally favored, while its coal deposits 
in the earth, together with those of iron ore, embrace a space 
double that of England—/acob Boll. 
GEOGRAPHY AND TRAVELS.' 
THE ASCENT OF THE Binus, In Avucust, 1879.—Of the few 
large rivers to be found on the African continent, the Niger and 
its tributary, the Binué, probably present fewer obstacles to navi- 
gation and afford the most uninterrupted means of access to the 
still unexplored equatorial region. The recent voyage, therefore, 
of the missionary steamer Henry Venn, which succeeded in reach- 
ing a point on the latter stream 140 miles further than has ever 
before been attained by boats is of much importance. We com- 
pile the following account of the trip from papers read before the 
Royal Geographical Society, by Mr. Edward Hutchinson,’ and 
before the Berlin Society, by Herr Ed. Robert Flugel, and also 
rom statements furnished by the latter to Petermann’s Mittheilun- 
ent 
Mr. Hutchinson in his preliminary remarks upon the area 
drained by the rivers Binué and the Shary, discusses the much 
vexed problem of the identity of the Welle discovered by Schwein- 
furth, and which he and Keith Johnston believe to flow into the 
Shary, but which Stanley and Junker consider as belonging to 
the Congo system. 
“ The northern and eastern limits of the area drained by these two river systems 
are nee fairly well ascertained. The travels of Petherick, Schewinfurth, Nachtigal, 
and X 5 
tern slopes of which form. 
the penna grounds of the Bahr el Homr, the Bahr el Gazal, and the White Nile. 
7 lage i ea we are considering, are as yet unknown. hey 
will probably be found to be ranges of hills of no great elevation, running westwards 
1 Edited by ELLIS H. YARNALL, Philadelphia. 
* Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society, May, 1880, p. 289. 
3 Verhandlungen der Gesellschaft für Erdkunde su Berlin, Band vit, No. 3, p- 112 
* Petermanns Mittheilungen, April, 1880, p. 146 with preface, by Dr. E. Behm, 
p. 145. See also number for June, 1880, for account of the voyage of the Henry 
Venn from the mouth of the Binué to Djen, also by Herr Flugel. 
