196 



THE CONCEALED COALFIELDS OF 

 YORKSHIRE, DERBYSHIRE, AND NOTTINGHAMSHIRE.* 



Prof. P. F. KENDALL. F.G.S. 



The first question put to me for answer is the following : — 



1. Is there any reason for reducing- the area of the con- 

 cealed coalfield as estimated by the last Royal Commission ? t 



To this I answer — No, but on the contrary, there are positive 

 proofs of its extension beyond the limits then assig'ned. 



2. What portion of the concealed coalfield has since been 

 so far explored as to have passed from the unproved to the 

 proved, and to be included within the returns of the district 

 commissioners ? 



Great developments have taken place on the western side of 

 the concealed area and large pits are now in operation beneath 

 the Permian rocks and some even beneath the Trias. Exten- 

 sions of the field in a southerly and easterly direction have also 

 been definitely established and the seams proved by bore-holes 

 at Ruddington and Edwalton, and South Scarle, in Nottingham- 

 shire, at Haxey (South Car) in Lincolnshire, and at West Bank 

 in Yorkshire. 



The area which has been regarded as proved by these works 

 I have estimated at 570 square miles, and deducting this from 

 the 900 square miles of the early estimate, there remains 330 

 square miles of the area still unproved. 



3. How far is it necessary to modify the estimate of the 

 amount of available coal in this unproved portion in the light 

 of present knowledge as to the depth at which the Coal Measure 

 lies and the thickness and distribution of the seams? 



It is impossible to give a categorical answer to this question, 

 as the 187 1 estimate was couched in such general terms that it 

 is impracticable to determine to which part of the concealed 

 area a particular estimate applies, and therefore to say whether 

 the basis of calculation has or has not been satisfied. Moreover, 

 no map upon an adequate scale or with a definite boundary 

 accompanied this part of the report. 



* Summary reprinted trom the Final Report of the Ro3'al Commission 

 on Coal Supplies. Part IX. Report of the Geolog-ical Committee upon the 

 Resources of the Concealed and Unproved Coalfields of the I'nited 

 Kingdom. London (Blue Book). 1905. By permission of the Controller 

 of H.M. Stationery Office. 



tin 1871. 



Naturalist, 



