378 
TJIE GEOLOGIST. 
the flatness of tlie countiy aroimd Silloth Harbour, lie had assumed that 
the bottom of the basin will exist in that quarter, for appearances of a 
coal-outcrop exist in the neighbourhood of the Criffle mountains in Kir- 
cudbright. In pursuance of this theory he assumed that the coalfield of 
Canobie is similarly circumstanced, for the Eed Sandstone there crops out 
contiguous to the pits, and the nature of the various seams of coal simu- 
late closely upon those of Cumberland. Another corresponding fact at- 
tends the colliery of Kirkhouse, belonging to the Earl of Carlisle, although 
a portion of it also contains coals belonging to the limestone formation. 
He had compared the sandstone in the neighbourhood of Maryport with 
that upon Sir J. Graham's property at ^STetherby, and found that they were 
identical, — that is, the upper portion ; the lower portion of the beds being of 
a much paler colour, and approximating towards the specimens of the ordi- 
nary coal sandstone. The deepest perforation which has yet been made 
in the ]Srew Eed Sandstone was by Mr. Cockburn, papermaker, near AV e- 
therall, who bored in search of water, but failed in obtaining a supply. In 
a letter in August, 1862, he said the hole is standing 600 feet from the 
surface, 50 feet of clay and 550 feet of red rock, which experiment shows 
that the rock is rem^arkably free from water, and that the sinkings would 
in all probability be free from those expensive operations incurred else- 
where. But the most convincing argument as to his theory had been fur- 
nished by the Aspatria Colliery, belonging to the representatives of the 
late Captain Harris, a plan of which, with its connection with the Eed 
Sandstone, was exhibited, showing that sinking took place in the Eed 
Sandstone with a drifting into the main coalfield ; the belief of the ma- 
nagers was that their coal was thrown down and passed underneath the 
'said sandstones ; all around the viUage and down to the Solway exhibiting 
nothing but red rock. Since he first promulgated these opinions he had 
found that many persons in the district had come to the same conclusion, 
although certain geological objections have been started. However, he 
had resolved to submit the foi egoing facts to be canvassed and determined 
by an association of gentlemen so well able to dispose of the subject, which 
is supposed to comprise one of the greatest fields of coal yet untouched, 
and which in future generations may uphold England's greatness, — one 
which may not have been considered in Sir W. Armstrong's able elucida- 
tion as to the dui-ation of our northern coalfields. 
Ox Gold in Wales. By Mr. T. A. Eeadwin. 
Aetificially-peoduced Quaetzites. — Mr. A. Brj^son exhibited spe- 
eimens produced experimentally, the object of which was to prove, from 
the fact that cavities in quartz could not be filled up at a higher tempera- 
ture than 94 degrees, that granite rock had not been fomied at a high 
temperature. 
Ad architect present favoured this theory. He had seen repeatedly distinct water- 
lines in granite, and they might be seen outside the Euston Square Station, London. 
There was reason to believe that certain granites were of an aqueous origin. 
The Antiquity of Man. By Professor Phillips. — He said that one 
of the remarkable fruits of geological investigation was to invest almost 
every point of the earth's suribce with a new interest. The small French 
village of St. Acheul had long been remarkable for the school of Jesuits 
established there ; but antiquarians had discovered that it was near a 
burial-ground of great antiquity. In the course of excavation there were 
discovered the graves of people far more ancient than any known to have 
been buried there. Other memorials were also discovered, and on one 
Jie had obtained from the workmen he read the name of Constantius. 
