116 



SECTION OF A COAL MINE. 



It is truly deserving of attention, that the vegetable fossils found 

 in distant parts of the world, and under very different latitudes, are 

 nearly identical with those in European coal-fields. The plants in 

 the coal-fields of North America, and even the specimens from 

 Greenland, are analogous to those in the English coal-fields ; and 

 the few specimens that have been obtained from the tropical regions 

 in America, from New Holland, and from India, belong to the same 

 families as those which we find in the coal strata of Europe. Now, 

 if we admit these distant beds of coal to be of contemporaneous 

 formation, we must admit also, that the temperature of the whole 

 globe was, at that epoch, nearly the same, in very different latitudes; 

 or were we to suppose that these coal-fields were formed iii different 

 epochs, we must still grant, that northern latitudes have once enjoyed 

 the same temperature, as countries now do under the equator. 



Before concluding these observations, I may be permitted to re- 

 mark, that, however ancient the formation of coal and ironstone 

 may have been, the frequent occurrence of these minerals together, 

 both destined in future time to give to man an extensive empire over 

 the elements, and to contribute largely to his means of civilization 

 and comfort, cannot fail to impress the reflecting mind with evidence 

 of prospective designing intelligence.* 



* I here subjoin a section of the Ashby-de-la-Zoiich coal-field ; if ever we arrive 

 at just conclusions respecting the origin of coal and ironstone, it must be by an ac- 

 curate examination of the strata in which they occur, and the relation of these 

 strata to each other j an investigation hitherto much neglected by geologists. 



SECTION OF A COAL MINE, ASHBY WOLDS, LEICESTERSHIRE. 





Yds. 



Ft, 



In. 







Yds. 



Ft. 





Soil and Clay, - 



2 



0 



0 



5 



i Ironstone, 



0 



0 



1 



Blue clunch with iron- 











Blue bind, 



0 



1 



6 



stone, - - - 



1 



2 



5 



6 



1 Ironstone, 



0 



0 



1 



Coal, ^ - - 



0 



1 



G 



Blue bind, 



0 



1 



6 



Blue bind, 



1 



0 



0 



1- 



Ironstone, 



0 



0 



1 



Stony bind, 



0 



1 



2 





Blue bind, 



0 



1 



6 



Grey stone, 



0 



0 



4 



8' 



Ironstone, 



0 



0 



1 



Stony bind, 



1 



0 



9 





Blue bind. 



2 



9 



0 



Grey stone, 



0 



1 



9 





Coal, 



1 



0 



0 



Blue bind, 



3 



2 



1^ 





Blue bind in two beds, 



9 



0 



0 



Greystone, 

 Rubly bind. 



0 



1 



1 





Stony bind. 



1 



1 



0 



0 



2 



0 





Grey stone. 



3 



0 



0 



Blue bind. 



4 



0 



0 



9 



Blue bind. 



0 



1 



6 



Black bat, 



0 



2 



0 





Ironstone, 



0 



0 



2 



Blue bind with iron- 









lo- 



^ Blue bind. 



0 



1 



6 



stone, - 



1 



1 



0 



Ironstone, 



0 



0 



2 



Coal, . _ . 



0 



1 



5 



ll 1 



' Blue bind, 



0 



1 



6 



Blue bind, 



3 



1 



0 



Ironstone, 



0 



0 



2 



Blackbat and black bind, 0 



2 



3 



12 



Blue bind, 



0 



1 



6 



Stony bind, 



2 



2 



G 



Ironstone, 

 'Blue bind, 



0 



0 



2 



Blue bind in two beds, 



6 



1 



0 



13 ■ 



0 



1 



6 



Black bat, 



0 



2 



0 



Ironstone, 



0 



0 



2 



Blue bind. 



3 



0 



0 



14- 



Blue bind. 



0 



1 



6 



Ironstone, 



0 



0 



1 



Ironstone, 

 Blue bind. 



0 



0 



2 



Blue bind, 



0 



1 



6 





1 



2 



9 



Ironstone, 



0 



0 



1 



15 



Ironstone, 



0 



0 





Blue bind, - «• ■ 



0 



1 



6 





Black bind, 



1 



1 





