CHAPTER XXXII.

COAL.

The Age of Coal—Plants of the Carboniferous Age—Hugh Miller’s Description of a Coal Forest—Vast Time required for the Formation of the Coal-fields—Derangements and Dislocations—Faults—Their Disadvantages and Advantages— Bituminous Coals—Anthracites—Our Black Diamonds— Advantageous Position of our Coal-Mines—The South Welsh Coal-field—Great Central and Manchester Coal-fields—The Whitehaven Basin and the Dudley Area—Newcastle and Durham Coal-fields—Costly Winnings—A Ball in a Coal-pit— Submarine Coal Mines—Newcastle—View from Tynemouth Priory—Hewers—Cutting Machines—Putters—Onsetters— Shifters—Trapper-boys—George Stephenson—Rise of Coal Production—Probable Duration of our Supply—Prussian Coal Mines—Belgian Coal Mines—Coal Mines in various other countries—Maunch Chunck 390