WILLIAM SMITH : HIS MAPS AND MEMOIRS 
165 
ON COAL. BY W. SMITH. 
1830. 
In his notes on Politics, Statistics, &c." (see Appendix E,) 
Smith informs us that at the request of the Editor of The Whitby 
Repository, he had sent some observations on Coal to that Magazine. 
On account of the scarcity of old-time journals of this type, and 
the method then adopted of publishing scientific matter, I have 
had difficulty in tracing these notes.* From the date given by Smith 
it is apparent that his paper appeared in the first series of The Whitby 
Repository, which I now possess. There is an imperfect copy in 
the Bradford Public Library, and this Mr. Butler Wood has also 
kindly allowed me to consult. In the number for December, 1830, Vol. 
6. pp. 370-372, is a note to " Mr. Editor, Sir," from " An Original 
Subscriber," apparently the Editor himself ! This note is hieaded 
Bed of Coal at Robin Hood's Bay." 
The writer informs us that " several| months ago " he was " amus- 
ing himself " by looking into Phillips's Illustrations of the Geology of 
Yorkshire, and he was especially struck with the extraordinary disloca- 
tion of the strata near the Peak and Robin Hood's Bay. Judging by 
the dip of the strata, the position and range of the succeeding strata 
(red marl and magnesian limestone) in approaching the Durham Coal 
field, he was led to think that, near Robin Hood's Bay, " where the 
lowest lias bed was at the greatest elevation above the level of the sea," 
was the point where coal might be tried for with the greatest prospect 
of success. 
The writer stated that " Being in some degree acquainted with a 
gentleman, who is looked upon as one of the first geologists in the 
kingdom, and who I knew was well informed as to the geology of this 
district in particular, I wrote to him .... I was favoured with an 
elaborate and luminous answer, from which I have much pleasure in 
making some extracts." 
Smith is not mentioned, but " one of the first geologists in the 
kingdom," the characteristic " elaborate and luminous answer," the 
* There were two series of The Whitby Repository. The first 
series was issued in 1825-1833, and the second between 1866 and 1868. 
See " Yorkshire's Contribution to Science," by T. Sheppard, 1916, p. 87. 
t Phillips's book was only issued in 1829, the year previously. 
