Coal in Spain. 249 
tributary of the Guadalquivir, but neither has this district 
ever been well explored, nor has any scientific boring been 
attempted. According to several French engineers who 
have visited this spot, the formation where traces of coal 
deposits have been met with, belong to the triassic epoch. 
The coal-field of Villanuero, which is of limited extent, 
covering a surface of scarcely a square mile, lies in silurian 
rocks, and is overlayed by the tertiary formation, under 
which it dips in a southerly direction, and extends perhaps 
beneath the Guadalquivir (see map of Spain). This field 
has been worked for a long time by the “Compania del 
Guadalquivir,’ and by other companies, but without much 
judgment. Numerous pits have been sunk of about nine 
feet in diameter, to a depth of from fifteen to twenty-five 
fathoms. The coal at the bottom has been raised by 
manual labour alone, the pitmen working the seam only 
as far as they thought it safe—without propping the 
galleries; and then abandoning the shaft to dig another 
one whenever they considered there was an immediate risk 
of the ground above giving way. 
The consequences of this absurd manner of working 
these mines is that a great portion of the first seam of 
coal is much deteriorated, and is of more difficult exten- 
sion than if nothing had been done. The place is curious 
to look at, being completely riddled with these shafts and 
pits, and it is positively dangerous to go across the ground, 
even during daylight. 
At present a !arge portion of this property is being held 
mies tor, No Pereire,), of the French Credit Mobilier, 
Proper machinery is being established, and the works are 
beginning to be carried on upon scientific principles. 
These mines are about twenty miles from Seville, and 
the Merida Railway will connect them with the Cordova 
line at Treina. The seams are of no great thickness, but 
five (seams) are known to exist, only one of which has 
been worked in the imperfect manner described, the second 
has scarcely been touched at all. The annual yields of the 
Villanuero mines has been from 5,000 to 15,000 tons Eng- 
lish, but M. Pereire’s mines (“Minas de la Reunion”) will 
soon be in a position to supply much larger quantities. 
The other coal deposits of Spain are, Pola de Lena and 
Mieres, in Asturias; Val de Sabero, in Leon; Guardo and 
Muneca, in Palencia; San Juan de las Abaderos, in Cata- 
lonia; and Hinaressos, in Cuenca. The rest, as far as 
known, are of minor importance. 
