30 
then they would have the plans drawn and the sections cor- 
rectly taken. If the Northern (or Leeds) line mentioned 
in the report were chosen, it would go through the unpro- 
fitable part of the Lancashire coal field, and it would be 
150 yards below the Shefiield coal about Ormskirk. It 
would not suit either the line or dip of Lancashire. In 
that county the dip was generally to the South-West, so 
that to follow the proposed North line they would take the 
range of the coal instead of the dip. The Southern (or 
Sheffield) line suggested would cut out the Lancashire coal 
field neaily altogether, and would extend into Flintshire, 
and into the Silurian or Slate system of Wales. The Middle 
(or Barnsley) line which had been pointed out, was not, 
perhaps, the best that could be chosen, but for the reasons 
he had stated it was preferable to either of the others. 
Perhaps the best plan would be to take a line from the 
central axis near Salter's Brook to Mottram, and then 
diverge into two lines, so as to embrace the whole of 
the great Lancashire coal field. On the Lancashire 
side there would not be more than fifty miles of coal 
field to traverse, which would give only five miles to each of 
ten persons, instead of seven, as on the Yorkshire side. 
With respect to the sections, he thought that they ought to 
represent the "cleet" of the coal amongst the other 
particulars. In the Lancashire coal field, some of the dif- 
ferent beds were not to be identified by either fossils or any 
thing else, so that the cleets, which in Lancashire were very 
useful, might not avail in Yorkshire. The pecten, which 
Mr. Teale had stated was to be found only over one descrip- 
tion of coal in Yorkshire, was distinctly found over three 
kinds in Lancashire. Therefore, neither salt water nor fresh 
water shells would serve them in Lancashire to the same 
extent as in Yorkshire, but still they might be useful. 
Mr. Embleton thought that the meeting ought not to 
separate without coming to some understanding with the 
Manchester gentlemen as to the line of section to be 
adopted. If not now determined, it would be left till the 
March meeting, and then those gentlemen might not be 
present. For himself he should prefer the centre or Barns- 
ley line before any other that had been mentioned. 
Mr. Bull thought that a line a little more to the north 
than the Barnsley line would take in a greater breadth of 
coal ; in that case it would embrace the vale of Calder, 
where he knew there was a good deal of matter of interest 
to the geological inquirer. Mr. Bull also made some sugges- 
tions as to the scale upon which the sections should be 
drawn but we did not hear his observations distinctly. He 
