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known to require that I should stop to enumerate them here, 
the several beds of Sandstone Rock, known as the Cudworth 
Rock, the Oaks Rock, and the Woolley Edge Rock, which, 
by their escarpment, contribute so much to the boldness and 
beauty of the South Yorkshire scenery. Descending below 
the Barnsley Bed, the next important member in the West 
Riding Section, which claims especial notice at the present 
time, is the "Silkstone Seam," lying at varying depths, 
from '300 to 400 yards below the Barnsley. Until a few 
weeks ago, this seam could only claim to be known at its 
practical outcrop. The spirited enterprise which has recently 
been attracted to the South Yorkshire District, has, however, 
met with a species of reward, the importance of which it 
would be difficult at this moment to over-estimate. 
The "Silkstone Coal" may safely be said to have acquired 
a household name and reputation throughout the United 
Kingdom. The purit}^ of its mineral composition, and the 
generous thickness of the seam, combine to make it one of 
the grand hopes of South Yorkshire. No wonder, then, that 
as in the instance of its sister bed (The Barnsley), scientific 
skill should be exhausted in tracing it beyond, and to the 
north, of our imaginary line of transition, and that in 
the "West Yorkshire section, we should be led with pro- 
priety and truth, to recognise one amongst its numerous 
members, which we could fairly affiliate as the true repre- 
sentative of the Silkstone bed. I may remark, parenthetically, 
that the 'parent name of this bed is scarcely to be controverted. 
Its natural outcrop in the village of Silkstone, would doubtless 
afford the first opportunity of ascertaining its qualities, and 
hence it obtained its primary" definition and name. 
I know that the task of carrying this important identifica- 
tion into the West Yorkshire district, is confessedly accom- 
plished, and more than one instance exists, of important 
commercial results being realised, from the assumed identity 
