460 
Carboniferous Formation of 
mineral, was not deemed worthy of notice as security by parties 
who are willing enough, in general, to obtain possession of land, 
or any other property, on advantageous terms. Others, however, 
think the statements which have been made respecting the carbo¬ 
niferous formation are exaggerated, and that there is not so great 
an abundance of mineral fuel in the colony as has been asserted. 
The object of this notice is not to debate that question, which 
has already been sufficiently illustrated by the occasional observa¬ 
tions of explorers; in the journals of Mitchell, Sturt, Leichardt, 
King, Stokes, and Jukes; and in contributions to the Geological 
Society of England, and to the Tasmanian Society. But especially, 
in the report of the select committee of the legislative council of 
New South Wales in 1847, an inquiry was instituted into the 
details of the question ; full extracts from the evidence relating to 
which were published afterwards in the columns of the Herald. 
The particular object now in view, is not to revise that evidence, 
but to place before the general reader some further information 
connected with the subject, so far as relates to a portion of the 
evidence of one of the witnesses examined by the committee; 
and this because, independent of any satisfaction arising from 
confirmation of an opinion from without, there are other reasons 
which may make an abstract of fresh matter acceptable to some, 
who take a wider view of the question than that opened by com¬ 
mercial relations. There must be many, who caring little or 
nothing for coal beyond its culinary use, are still interested in any 
clear development of the physical age and conditions of this 
great country. 
In the answer to the 8th question put by the Coal Inquiry Com¬ 
mittee to the Rev. W. B. Clarke, occur these words, alluding to 
certain fossils found in or under the carboniferous beds of New 
South Wales: “I do not mean to imply that they are on the 
exact horizon of the greater part of the carboniferous formation 
of Europe, for I believe them to be as old as, if riot older than, 
the lowest beds of that formation .” 
In order to test the truth of this opinion, at variance with that 
of some who have imagined that New South Wales is a country 
