Fossil Coal . 
In Society , February 23c/, 1814. 
Resolved , That this society deem it highly important to 
make researches for the discovery of Fossil Coal, and that a 
committee be appointed to endeavor to procure pecuniary 
aid for this purpose, and in concert with the donors, to ap¬ 
point some suitable person or persons to make the requisite 
investigations. 
Messrs. Brownell, Spafford, Rodgers, Low, Noyes and 
Bruce, were appointed a committee. 
A true copy, 
T. ROMEYN BECK, Rec. Sec'ry . 
CIRCULAR. 
Gentlemen, 
“ The Society for the Promotion of Useful Arts, 
Sec. 5 ’ taking into consideration the great benefit that would 
result to the people of this state from the discovery of Fos¬ 
sil Coal in the vicinity of its navigable waters, appointed 
a committee to consider and report on the most practicable 
means of effecting so desirable an object.'—This committee, 
after proper enquiry and deliberation, reported as their 
opinion, that, if sufficient funds could be procured for de¬ 
fraying the expense, the course most likely to be attended 
with success would be “ to employ some person or persons 
skilled in mineralogy to survey the country in the vicinity 
of the navigable waters of the state, and if any district should 
be found, which, from its geological structure and forma¬ 
tion, indicated the existence of coal, that suitable persons 
should be directed to make the necessary borings to- ascer¬ 
tain the fact.” 
Two other expedients suggested themselves to the com- 
B b 
