24 
Sedimentary Formations 
coal in Victoria, and he asserted over and over again, that no 
Paleozoic coal existed in Australia. The following answers 
speak to that point — 
b 722 " (Answer). The members of tlio Mining Commission Imre an impres¬ 
sion that, as the coal deposits to be expected there [Cape Paterson] 
“ geologically arc not the same as those of the great- coal fields of England, 
but are of similar character with the coal deposits of New South Wales and 
Tasmania, therefore it is unlikely /hat they will he of commercial value ; and 
as scientific men they would not on their own responsibility, recommend the 
expenditure of public money there." 
727. " (Q.) Considering that the information (? formation) of the Cape 
Paterson Coal Fields is similar to those of New South Wales and Tasmania, 
you are of opinion, that as an economic question you would advise no 
further prosecution of any surveys in that locality ? (A ) That- is my opinion.” 
744. " (Q,.) You would not advise the prosecution of any further inquiries 
for the discovery of coal ? (A.) No recommendation to that effect would 
emanate from myself or the Commission." 
747. "Such coal fields, i.e. those of Paleozoic age do not exist in this country*, 
(i.e. in Australia). “ That is a point which I wish clearly to show, and I think 
it is one which 1ms never been clearly shown to this committee before." 
758. “ I know you are not to expect the old Palaeozoic coal fields in this 
part, of the world." 
759. "(Q.) Do you contend that the Mesozoic coal fields are not suitable 
for the different purposes of commerce?" (A.) "They are not so suitable as 
the Palaeozoic, they are not so extensive, the beds are not so thick or workable, 
nor is the quality so good over any workable area." 
767. " (Q.) If a coal field at Cape Paterson was discovered equally good 
with the Sydney coal fields, would you consider it worth working ?" (A.) 
“ My individual opinion is that it would not he worth working 
771. (Of Cape Paterson) " (A.) Of course the Members of the Mining Com¬ 
mission do not wish to attach any scientific weight to their evidence in a 
commercial point of view, they merely choose to say, that as men of science , 
no recommendation would emanate from them to undertake extensive works 
there, because the tit most you could expect would bo such a coal bed as you 
have at Sydney.” Once more; " 769 {By Captain Clarke.) (Q.) The Virginian 
coalfields of the character you describe as being similar to those here, arc 
worked nt 775 feet depth ? " "(A.) Yes; but the beds there uro not to be 
compared to the palccozoic coal beds.” 
No doubt the Professor was right in the last answer. But 
Professor Newberry is quoted, in the Report of 1872, as stating 
that — “ Largo portions of tho coal basins of China, including 
beds both of anthracite and bituminous coal, arc usually excluded 
from the Carboniferous formation. So large is this coal-bearing 
area, indeed, that when joined to the Triassic, Cretaceous and 
Tertiary rocks of North America, they quite overshadow tho Car¬ 
boniferous coals of Europe and the Mississippi Valley, and 
suggest tho question whether tho name given to the formation, 
which includes the most important European strata, has not been 
somewhat hastily chosen..** (p. 8.) 
Now, reconciling these quotations if we can, what is to be done 
with another passage in p. 9 of the Report? In it the reporter, 
having arranged the order of our New South Wales beds after 
