of it a "jackey pit"[1] was sunk for 81 feet, through fireclay and sandstone, and from the bottom of that a boring was made for 180 feet lower. This bore hole was said to pass almost entirely through "Bavin measures," (by which Silurian shale is meant,) and these were said to be "very strong towards the bottom, in fact, defied all attempts to bore lower."[2] A fourth heading was then driven to the east by north for about 170 yards. This, after passing through the nine-foot coal before described, "went level away for 70 or 80 yards through an intermixture of black ground and binds. We then faced the Bavin measures, which seemed to pitch a little for 20 yards, and then ran level away to the back of the head." At the back of the head a two-inch bore hole was put up for 128 feet, which passed through about 17 feet of Bavin, and then dark clod for the remainder of the distance, above which they struck the "red rock," when so much water followed that the hole was obliged to be plugged up immediately. A two-inch bore hole was also put down here for 180 feet, passing through "Bavin" measures the whole way, and finally ended in what we considered to be (as in the case of the hole in the jackey pit) the limestone. Shells were found in great abundance in the Bavin measures of this head."[3] After making these fruitless explorations in search of the Thick coal to the east of the shaft, they came back to it, and went up to a higher level, and followed a little two-inch coal in No. 5 towards the west, and that shortly led them into the Thick coal.
Examining these facts by the light of the information gained in exploring the Baremoor colliery (see page—) we shall. I think, have little doubt that the Thick coal is cut off at West Bromwich on its eastern side by a large "rock fault;" that beds of sandstone with fireclay and clunch come in, suddenly splitting up the Thick coal, and almost entirely occupying its place, and that the coal in No. 5, together with those numbered 8, 10, and 12, in the section (page __) are all ends or detached parts of some of the beds of the Thick coal.
The general course of the boundary of this rock fault is nearly north and south, as it was found again, with Silurian shale beyond in the same heading, at the Lewisham pits near Virgin's End, one mile north of the Heath pits, likewise cutting out the Thick coal towards the east, and overhanging with a general inclination of about 22°.[4] Similar facts with regard to the ending of the Thick coal at a depth of 200 yards against some "rock and rig," were observed in some pits east of Lyndon near Hall End colliery, where there are no "red rocks" or Permian beds over the Coal-measures at all.
The most curious fact, however, is, that there is a sudden rise of the Silurian rocks both at the Heath and the Lewisham pits, through the Coal-measures; and this I am inclined to believe is not in consequence of any fault, but is due to their having formed an old Silurian bank of rising ground during the Coal-measure period, and that the Coal-measures were deposited against that bank, its existence being favour
- ↑ By a jackey pit is meant a small occasional shaft sunk in any part of the underground workings for a particular and temporary purpose.
- ↑ I believe this hard rock was the one met with while the "Silurian System" was passing through the press. It was, from the description, supposed by Sir R. I. Murchison to be trap. It probably, however, was the upper part of the Dudley limestone, or possibly the Barr limestone.
- ↑ MS. notes of the evidence given by the men who were engaged in these operations, lent to me by Mr. H. Johnson.
- ↑ The general inclination of the sides of the rock fault at Baremoor colliery was much the same, varying from 18° to 25°.
