138 COAL-FIELD OF CLACKMANNANSHIRE. 



These beds of coal are in thickness, no less than 

 100 feet : this is a mass of combustible matter, in 

 the form of coal, unparalleled in the world, so far as I 

 know. The greater part of this field contains only- 

 five beds of coal ; but, at the place where the section 

 is taken, these five coals have most evidently over- 

 lapped each other, as represented Plate V. Fig. 3. 

 The sections, Fig. 1. and 2. Plate VII. shew distinct- 

 ly all the phenomena of this remarkable coal-field. 

 The original general section was made by a Mr 

 Watson from England, and does him great credit, 

 as being the result of much labour and patient in- 

 vestigation. Mr Houston of Johnston, the present 

 proprietor of the colliery, most politely permitted 

 me to take a copy of the sections. I have been fre- 

 quently at this colliery, and have examined all the 

 mining operations, which are wonderful. Of late, 

 coals also of great thickness have been discovered 

 under the high greenstone cliff, represented in the 

 section, Fig. 2. Plate V. A section of the Cliff, 

 and coals thus discovered, is represented Plate VII. 

 Fig. 2. From this recent discovery, we would be 

 led to conclude, that the high cliff, and the green- 

 stone in the lower part of the country, had at one 

 time been united, and that the coals now discover- 

 ed, are the same as those which have been already 

 wrought. 



Brora coal-field is remarkable, not only in being 

 far disjoined from the main coal-field of Scotland, 

 but, in particular, for the few beds or strata above 



