196 
[Assembly 
ancient, and in those more modern than the great coal deposition. 
There, from the whole series of rock formations being complete, this 
most important fossil substance gradually acquires a maximum, 
then diminishes to a minimum, passing from plumbago to anthra- 
cite, thence to the bituminous, through its various varieties, to the 
acetous bituminous, thence to fossil wood and peat, and finally ter- 
minates in the perfect vegetable. 
From the occurrence in several localities in New-York of pe- 
troleum, or liquid bitumen, and of numerous places where carbu- 
retted hydrogen rises in bubbles from the water courses, no small 
expectation has existed of finding coal in profitable abundance in 
this State. These substances, however, are not certain guides; 
they indicate the presence only, not the quantity, appearing alto- 
gether to be wanting in some of the richest coal districts, whether 
of Europe or this country. They seem both in this State, and in 
the south-western country, to be connected with beds of marine 
shells, and with salt water; as though the materials from which 
they were formed had been wafted from the land, and deposited 
rather with oceanic than with terrene products. So constant, for 
example, is the accompaniment of carburetted hydrogen with salt 
water on the borders of the upper part of the Ohio river, that the 
presence of this gas is considered a sure indication of the presence 
of salt water. 
As the discovery of coal is an object of primary importance to 
the State, from the rapid extension of its population, and equal, if 
not greater diminution of its once dense forests, more attention was 
given to this subject than to any other, and we are prepared to 
give an approximative report as to coal; but a final one, as respects 
the bituminous coal of Pennsylvania. To accomplish this object, 
great attention was given to the rocks of the border counties, many 
reputed localities of coal were visited, and in order to be certain 
of the relationship of position which the rocks of these counties 
held to the coal series in Pennsylvania, the rocks were traced to 
the two nearest localities, that of Blossburg, in Tioga, and Whites, 
in Warren county. 
From the examination so made, the following are the reasons why 
the bituminous coal series of Pennsylvania, does not extend further 
north than about the 42d degree of latitude, though we do not as- 
sert, much less attempt to prove, that masses, partial as to the 
