46 Structure of a peculiar Combustible Mineral, 
Did yoii get illustrations ? — Yes, I have illustrations. (Produces same.) 
I think you will come to a better understanding of the thing from those 
illustrations than from the specimens. 
Explain what that is (referring to illustration shown to the jury). — This 
is a section of the Torhanehill mineral, or rather a granular section, and in 
it you will observe some yellow matter that burns — whether bituminous or 
resinous you must go to the chemists for. The black part is the strictly 
mineral part. 
What is the mineral matter to which you refer ? — It is the dark granular 
matter. 
Lord-President. — I understand that these illustrations show the bitumen 
and the mineral at different places ?— Yes, my Lord. 
Mr. Macfarlane. — Now, then, do the illustrations of your coal investi- 
gations exhibit a different appearance ? — Decidedly. 
Now, you say the mineral substance there is granular, is it so in the 
coal? — Not at all, except when visible to the naked eye. In coal, you 
can see mineral structure by the naked eye, but to that I do not allude ; 
but under the microscope you can tell that is a totally distinct thing from 
the coal itself. What I mean is, that in specimens of coal you can often 
see crystallized matter with the naked eye. 
Is that extraneous ?— I would say so. 
But when subjected to the microscope ? — It exhibits a totally different 
structure. It is not granular ; it depends entirely on which way the 
specimen of coal is cut. If cut in one direction you will either see a 
cellular or fibrous appearance. 
Indicative of what ? — W oody tissue. 
You have, I suppose, made sections in all the specimens of the Torhane- 
hill mineral — in all the various ways you have made sections of the coal ? 
—Yes. 
And you have found in all the different sections a decided difference, 
showing them in your mind to be different substances ? — Certainly. 
Then, judging from all your experience and investigation, do you con- 
sider this Torhanehill mineral to be a description of coal or not ? — Certainly 
not. 
Have you any illustrations of coal there ? — Yes, I have a most remark- 
able illustration — perhaps the jury will understand better by this than 
anything else. I have here a section of the mineral and coal in juxta- 
position ; this has been cut by Mr. Bryson, lapidary, and you will be 
enabled to see whether coal or mineral. The woody section is shown by 
the dark colour, the mineral by the other. 
Are those illustrations of longitudinal, or transverse sections, or what 
sections ? — That of coal is longitudinal, and of the mineral it is supposed 
to be the same, because they are in juxtaposition. 
Suppose a transverse section — what difference? — In the Torhanehill 
mineral a section at right angles would present precisely the same cha- 
racter, but the coal would present another character, that character being 
shown in this lower drawing (exhibiting it to the jury). You will notice 
that the coal runs through that mineral. You can trace it by its minute 
tissue. 
You examined some of the Scotch varieties of coal? — Yes, many 
varieties. 
Did you examine the Methil ? — Yes, of two kinds, I believe known by 
the names of the brown and the black. 
Did you discover vegetable structure there ? — Yes. 
Decidedly in both ? — Decidedly in both. 
And in that respect different from this Torhanehill mineral ? —Certainly. 
