Through all these various Strata have perpendicular Shafts or Pits been sunk: but this bottom or very deep Coal will, perhaps continue to repose for ages, on account of the super-abundance of those measures which lie nearer to the surface.

While the miner, in his useful calling, thus contributes to enrich his country, he aids the Geologist in an investigation of the secret processes which Nature adopted in the early ages of the world. He proves to us that the various rocky and fossil substances, through which he penetrates, have not remained unbroken and undisturbed previously to his exploring them; but that, subjected to mighty operations, which exceed our conceptions, the different strata have been torn, and shattered, and rent in a most wonderful manner. Here they have been heaved up from their original station; and there they have been cast down; the whole depth of each stratum having been raised, or sunk, or rent together! If we admire the power of Man, that detaches, by mechanical contrivances, a few tons from a solid body, how can we duly estimate that force, which, bursting through the barriers of Nature, with all their cohesion and magnitude, rends in pieces the rocks,

as easily as if they were tow? The mighty arm of HIM who formed Nature could alone do this: and this was done, at that tremendous time, when "all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened;" when, for the space of "an hundred and fifty days, the waters prevailed upon the earth, and every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the air. Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark."*

In such beautifully-sublime language does the inspired Historian record an Event, whose traces or effects are visible at this very day; and no where more plainly so, than throughout a great portion of the district around this Castle.

Pervading a tract of Country ten miles from east to west, and perhaps not less from north to south, (i. e. from Darlaston to near Stourbridge, and from the neighbourhood of Wolverhampton to that of Hales Owen) are the treasures, before specified, abundantly found; and far beyond this wide range, in different inferior measures. Within a mile of Dudley Castle, the thick Coal is gettable (as the miners term it) from 50 to 800 feet below the earth's surface. Contiguous to the Town of Dudley, in a field, called the Close-Cupboard Piece, an instance of the former shallow Mine may now be seen, laid completely open to public

* Genesis, ch. vii.

view, and dipping, in an inclined plane towards Dixon's Green. By the highway side, leading from Dudley to Rowley, the same Stratum is seen to crop out, on the right hand bank, commencing at Easy Hill (Mrs. Owen's house) and soon disappearing, by its inclined south-eastern direction. A similar instance of cropping out occurs in the deep-cutting of the canal at Coseley; and perhaps is a continuous shelf of the same stratum running from the former to the latter place. In Vicar's Street, Dudley, it approaches within six feet of the surface; as appears from digging graves near the wall skirting that street, in the New Burial Ground.-What a contrast is discovered in the Colliery that belongs to John Turton Fereday, Esq. near Dudley Port, in the Parish of Tipton! There, within a distance of about a mile and a half, human Industry and Perseverance have had to delve down, in a perpendicular direction, to reach this Yolk of wealth, 800 feet, through measures of a resembling nature to those specified in the Section at Park Head.- -But, at the Works of Mr. Fereday, where, together with the fine double blast-furnace, every thing is conducted in a most scientific manner, occurs this Phænomenon: namely, that, within the space 140 yards, a sudden elevation of the same stratum takes place of 400 feet, having measures precisely correspondent with that 400 feet lower; and pursues a gradually-rising direction towards Dudley Castle. On the Tividale side, as far as the Brades and Oldbury, the depths vary, from those here stated, to 690 feet. Dr. Thomson's Table of a

of

mine in that neighbourhood, published in "Annals of Philosophy," differs considerably from one of the same colliery, contributed by Mr. Keir to Shaw's History of Staffordshire. Both authors are probably right; the difference arising chiefly from Dr. Thomson's omitting 13 yards, given by Mr. Keir, under Item "Lime-stone of the Quarry ;' and fixing the "wild measures" at 30 yards, which Mr. Keir only calculates at 38, acknowledging that "perhaps he is not minutely distinctive in that term."

So indefatigable, and profoundly-accurate was the latter Gentleman, in every branch of Science which he undertook to illustrate, that he was not likely to err in a matter daily presenting itself to his own observation, and so largely involving his own interests. Were the present writer to obey the impulse of his wishes, he would enrich this work with the whole of that Gentleman's valuable Essay on the "Mineralogy of the southwest part of Staffordshire." In a future one, however, comprizing more extensive views of the Mines and Manufactories of the Country, a greater use will be made of it, and of every author, from "Dud Dudley's* Metallum Martis," to all who have written on such subjects, having a connection with this populous and wealthy District. As the coal-measures, of which we have treated, may be said (previously to cropping out) to repose on lime rock, near the Castle, that essential ingredient for fluxing Iron-Ore will next properly come un

*This Man merits a Statue of Iron.

der consideration. The average Quantities of Coal, Ironstone, and Limestone, required to make one Ton of Pig Iron, are, of the former, 4 tons, of the second, between 3 and 4 ditto-of the third, 1 ditto.

On the south-eastern side of the Castle, towards Rowley Hills, the coal takes a declining direction, and probably lies at a great depth under the basaltic rock, of which those hills, as well as others near them, in the parish of Dudley, consist. An open quarry, in the grounds of James Bourne, Esq. at Bare Hill, exhibits a fine specimen of the pecnliar conformation of that species of rock; its cones being very defined and perfect. In accounting for the formation of such a substance, Naturalists experience greater difficulty, than in accounting for that of coal, ironstone, or limestone. Its superficial position proves that nothing alluvial could have formed it: and to rank it in the class of what are denominated primitive hills, would be inaccurate; because the coal and limestone, under the skirts of these basaltic hills, if not also under their very summits, demonstrate that they were formed antecedently to the basaltic body above them. Hence arises the supposition that they owe their origin to the ejection of fluid matter, occasioned by fire: which supposition is certainly strengthened by the conical figure of two contiguous hills-Cawney* and Tansley: hills decidedly, in external appearance of a volcanic character.

*This appellation is perhaps a corruption of Concy.