OF NORTHUMBERLAND, 19

Then the whole area 128000= 825 years. The time divided by the yearly è? before this conſumption, 5$ US ſpace will be wrought

out.

But there are ſome reaſons to think, that a thickneſs of ſeam equal to 6 yards will not be obtained over an ex- tent of 200 ſquare miles; probably not more on an aver- age than 4 yards; in which caſe, the coal will be exhauſt- ed in 5 o years: and if the aggregate thickneſs of the ſeams to be obtained ſhould prove only three yards, then little more than 400 years will be the term of continu- anice z but it 1s probable, that before the half of that time be elapſed, the price to the conſumer will be con- fiderably increaſed, from the increaſed expence of ob- taining them, and the increaſed length of carriage from the pits to the river. This laſt, we preſume, may be re- duced in ſome fituations, by adopting canals inſtead of waggon-ways, which we have often wondered have never yet been attempted.

From the above‘inveſtigation it appears, that Mr Williams's apprehenfions are not ſo chimerical at have been repreſented; how far it may be right for the legiſ= lature to interfere, we leave to the conſideration of thoſe more converſant in political ſpeculations»

Of the coal found all thro’ Bambro? Ward, Iſlandſhire, and thoſe parts of Glendale Ward eaft of the river Till, the feams are very thin, moſtly from 1 to 3 feet thick, and of a very inferior quality, yielding a great quantity of aſhes, and neither caking in the fire, nor burning to a cinder: they are uſed only for home-conſumption, and for burning lime; for the latter purpoſe they are well adapted, by their property of neither caking nor burning to a cindér; and it luckily happens, that thro’ all this dif triét, the coal and lime are generally found together; a circumſtance which greatly facilitates and leſſens the ex. pence of burning lime, C2 Iï