648 
Proceedings of the Royal Society 
III, On the Influence which the Absorptive Poiver and Solubility of 
Carbonaceous Deposits exercises upon the Growth of Coal Seams. 
(1) . Eecapitulation of those facts already stated affecting the 
question at issue. 
(2) . Application of these phenomena. 
In applying these various phenomena to explain how certain of 
the properties of the coal have been attained, the subject will be 
treated in the following manner. The first of the division is — 
a. Absorption applied to increase the Compactness of Coal-Seams. 
b. Absorption applied to increase their thickness. Two objec- 
tions answered. 
c. Absorption applied to convert Carbonaceous Clays into Bitu- 
minous Shale or impure Coal. 
d. The lustre, hardness, and coherence of Coal possibly due to 
the exercise of its absorptive power and its partial solu- 
bility in water. 
e. The absorptive power and solubility of Coal applied to in- 
crease the structural and chemical differences of adjoining 
parts. 
Summary of Facts. 
In summing up the several parts we find the absorptive power 
of the coal enables it to arrest those organic matters contained in 
common water, and a continual supply of such being kept up by 
the flow of the water down to the level of the sea, carrying the 
necessary material, w^e may have the compactness of the same 
largely augmented ; all losses entailed by decomposition made good 
by interior absorption, or by a surface absorption, and thus these 
matters may be applied to build up the seam to a greater thickness. 
In the one case we require no miraculous interposition of pressure 
to remove the vesicularity which decomposition entails in the in- 
durated mass ; and in the other, in surface absorption, we reduce 
the difficulty we have in accounting for the remarkable thickness 
which has been attained by certain coal-seams. 
These additions would be singularly free from earthy impurities 
of any kind, and therefore, no matter how great a thickness the 
