The Press. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1867.

Press, Volume XII, Issue 1585, 5 December 1867, Page 2

The Press. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1867.

In publishing 1 the Appropriation Act passed- by the Assembly at the close qf last session, we arranged in a tabular, form tbe sums appropriated under the .different headings, a reference 5 _to which will give our readers some idea of public revenues are expended. Tbe entire amount of the colonial bxpehditure' fdr tHe current year, not including the sums paid to the provinces,'out of Which the charges on account of provincial loans are defrayed, is £744,178. Of this sum f die Genef at "expenditure amounts" to 1 £540,267';' and th¥ provincial charges —that-is,-the cost of those departments which are localised, such as the whole of the Customs, except £1555 spent on the central office and in Hhe Chatham Islands, and £3750 on " sundries "—to £204,173. If we deduct' from the formet , the " permanenteharges," that is, the interest of the colonial loans, together with the contribution of New Zealand to the Panama service and a few smaller items, amounting-'altogether- to £305,818, and tne Civil List, £27,500,. there remains ! £206,94&, nearly half of w.hich, pr £93,168, goes at one stroke for postal services. The heaviest item under the latter heading is £04,456 for conveyance of mails by sea; but this includes a sum of £21,065 due to the .!Lmperiai Government for convey-. arice of letters via Suez during the year 1866, which will not occur again. Now, looking over the detailed estimates, we doubt whether these General charges are capable of reduction to any , appreciable extent, except in the way we have repeatedly referred \ to. It-is' under the head of Provincial Charges, which comprise the expenees of carrying on all branches of government and of public affairs generally all over the colony, that we must look for most opportunities of retrenchment. And here we are met; with the fact that the Government declare that they have already reduced their estimates to the lowest point at which the public service can be efficiently carried on. It is well known that great reforms, involving a great diminution in the number of subordinate officials, and therefore of the expenses of the department, have been effected within the last-eighteen months, amounting in the case of the Customs to one-third of the entire cost. The present Government have done their utmost to promote economy and cut off all unnecessary expenditure. Mr. Stafford has gained high reputation as an able and economical administrator, very resolute, not to say high-handed, in carrying out whatever reformshe may deem desirable. Mr. Hall, has found room, in his department for

the exercise of his well-known energy ; and both these Ministers declare that they have done all they can to bring the expenditure to the lowest practicable limit. Of course further redactions may be made here aud there as the year goes on and circumstances will permit If the trade of Hokitika were to fall off, the staff of Customs officials at that post would be decreased, aud j so on ; but the Government are unani- j mous in declaring that no such sweeping retrenchment as is called for in some quarters can possibly be effected. And they are borne out in this by the- fact that the provincial charges had to undergo the scrutiny, item by 'item, in committee of supply, of men who had a more than ordinary motive for cutting down the expenditure on them—of Superintendents and Provincial officers, to whom every saving on the provincial charges was so much additional provincial revenue ; and yet no material reduction could be effected. In the eetimates of expenses in Canterbury, the most persevering efforts at retrenchment could accomplish nothing more than the lowering of a few clerks' salaries by five or ten pounds. In those of Nelson the Superintendent of that province frankly admitted that he could not see his way to any reduction at all. With respect to those of Otago, the Superintendent proposed that provision for the internal postal services should be left to the Provincial Council, on the ground that the adoption of that course would result in a saving of £4000 or £5000; but he was unable, when called upon by the PostmasterGeneral, to point out any items that could be reduced; and it turned out that a list of the services contemplated had been previously submitted to him by the Government, but that he had suggested no reduction. It seems that all the members were desirous' of retrenchment, but each when the affairs of his own province were under discussion, when he was able to form a tolerably accurate opinion of the work required and the amount proposed to be expended in performing it, found that retrenchment in thatparticular instance was impracticable. The naturalinference is that an expenditure, the necessity of each several part of which is admitted in turn by those who are best able to judge, cannot be unnecessarily large when taken as a whole.

The fact is that the public service of this colony is conducted on an exceedingly expensive scale, arising chiefly from the manner in which the country was settled from halfdifferent centres. Hence has arisen a multiplication of institutions and an extension of Government machinery into every part of the country which cannot but be productive of very great cost —a cost greater probably in proportion to population than is incurred in any other country. The public, having grown accustomed to the convenience of the system, not only resent any attempt to bring it within narrower limits, but insist on its being continually increased and expanded to keep pace with the progressive requirements of the colony. In spite of the outcry against the General Government expenditure, the endeavours of the Government to effect a reduction not unfrequently meet with strong opposition, and we may be quite sure that, if all the applications they receive for an increased expenditure were com plied with, the estimates, instead of being reduced, would be doubled. During last session, for instance, various requests were made for the appointment of additional Resident Magistrates, with other matters of the kind, involving an increase of the estimated expenditure. So in Otago lately, in one of the cases alluded to by the Lyttelton Times when Mr! Stafford thought the services of a Eesident Magistrate might be dispensed with, an immense commotion was excited in the district whence the Magistrate was taken. Public meetings were held, petitions signed, every kind, of pressure brought to bear on the Government, till at last Mr. Stafford gave way and the Magistrate was reinstated. So too with the postal arrangements—a very expensive; item. Mr. Macandrew proposed, as! we have said, that in Otago the matter \ should, for economical reasons, be left in the hands of the Provincial Council; but Mr. Stafford remarked that a circular letter, written by himself, recommending some reduction in the excessive cost of the postal services, had been laid on the table of the Otago Council, who were so far from I agreeing to any reduction that they replied by making proposals for an increase. It was just the same with all the provinces. In answer to a demand for greater economy in the postal expenditure, Mr Hall drew up a plan for lessening the number of interprovincial services and making certain reductions in the internal mails (such as in Canterbury, reducing the Christchurch and Tiraaru mail from thrice to twice a week, and that between Christchurcli and Hokitika from twice to once a week) ; but

though the adoption of this plan ivould have saved £17,00 J or £IS,OOO % year the House, with all its professions of economy, would not consent to it, ]\ T e do not mean to say that it is desirable that the postal communication of New Zealand, whether by sea or land, should be less than it is, or that the facilities for the administration of justice should be diminished. What we want to point out is that those conveniences, this excess ol accommodation, which is carried out in every branch of public business* must needs be expensive ; and that ii the public insist on enjoying them, they must not grumble at having a heavy bill to pay. And when on the top of all this expense we heap up an extra load of nearly half a million for interest on loans, it is no wonder that the demands on the public purse, that is, on the pockets of the xaxpaying public, begin to be. severely felt. But we take a very wrong view of the case, and a very misleading view, if we suppose that the taxation is caused by an excess in the expenses of Government. These expenses are bearable enough ; it is the added load of debt that gives them such an intolerable weight. The mere interest of the; permanent debt of New Zealand now is actually more than the whole expenses of Government taken together three or four years ago. It appropriates to itself nearly one-half — probably it will prove to be quite one-half —of the whole year's revenue. The debt then, and not the expenditure, is the real cause of the increase of taxation. The existence of such a debt is a powerful argument in favour of the strictest economy, but we shall be much mistaken if we think that any possible economy will remove the necessity for a heavy amount of taxation. We have but one course before us. - First, to get rid of all superfluous sources of expense, direct or indirect, in the shape of Provincial Governments, Councils —in short, provincialism in any form whatever, and to bring the whole colony under one Government with one common reA r enue. Next, having by this means reduced the public expenditure to the lowes* amount practicable, we must apply ourselves to the task of remodelling the system of taxation, in order to make it more equitable, and, by distributing it over a wider area, to make its burden less severe. We have in former articles explained our views fully on the first head, and shall proceed next to offer such suggestions as occur to us on the second. Volunteer Committee. — The monthly meeting of the General Volunteer Committee will be held this evening at the Criterion hotel. Temperance Society.—The trial of John Barleycorn will again be repeated in the old Town Hall this evening. The principal characters will be sustained by members of the society. " ; Lunatic Asylum.- Mrs Deans, of Riccarton, has presented to the Lunatic Asylum a flag-staff seventy-five feet in length, which has been rigged and erected by the inmates. Mr I Seager will be gli*d to receive any donations of fl (gs, or of bunting for the purpose of making flags, from any of the friends to the Asylum. Kaiapoi Spoets.—At a meeting held on Tuesday evening last, after some discussion it was moved by Br Dudley, seconded by Mr R. C. Rose —"That the Kaiapoi annual rural pporte take place as usual on Boxing-day." A committee consisting of Dr. Dudley, Messrs Hebden, Feldwick, C. E. Dudley, Burnip, and Rose, with power to add to their number, was elected to select a suitable paddock for the sports and make necessary arrangements, and requested to meet at an early date to draw up a programme of the various events. Theatre Royal —The very attractive play of ''East Lynne" was repeated at the theatre last evening to a very good house. The manner in which the play is produced is mos-t excellent, and last evening the applause of the audience was loud and enthusiastic. We have already given at some length our good opinion of the play, and from seeing; it again last evening we were more gratified than on the occasion of its first presentation. To-night the old favourite play of " Green Bushes" is announced. Almanac. —We have received from the publisher, Mr A. J. Stevens, of High street, a copy of the Canterbury Provincial Almanac for the year 1868 Besides a large amount of] useful information generally inserted in publications of this kind, the clauses of several of the Ordinances and Acts which are likely to prove of service to the farmers and others in the outlying districts are published. These legal enactments are very "well selected, and comprise the schedules to the Stamp Duties Act, and also the Fencing Ordinance, the Trespass of Cattle Ordinance, and the Thistle Ordinance, with which landholders cannot be ! too well acquainted. This little volume is issued at the very moderate price of one chilling. Railway Rowing Club.—A meeting of the members of this club was held yesterday morning at six a m. at the boat-house, Avonside. Mr H. P. Crosbie presided. The new rule? were read seriatim, and passed with some slight alterations. Thesub-coramitteeappointed to inquire into the condition of the boat and boat-house on the Avon brought, up their report. The committee recommended that the boat and house should be examined, and that some small sum should be expun !»;d on the ktter so as to make it tenable. Mr R. P. Crosbie was appointed commodore. It was stated that two pewters had been presented for competition by the club. The one for a four-oared race, to take place on Saturday next ; and the other for a pair-oar, to be competed for on the following Saturday. The Carandl-n'l Concerts.— The last of these entertainments was given at the Town Hall last evening. There was a very large audience, and the performance, which comprised many of the favourite songs to which the people of Christchurch have been treated since the arrival of Madame Carandini, went off even better than usual. The reception that these artistes have met with here has induced them to promise ue another visit after a trip to some of the Northern provinces, which is expected to occupy them three or four months. Should they return about the expiration of that time they may rest assured that they will receive as hearty a welcome as has now been accorded to them, and in the meantime we can only wish that they may meet with equal success wherever they may travel.

Fihe Police. —A meeting of the members of the City Fi-e P »'ico was held lfi-t evening at the White Hurt hotel. Mr J. Anderson iv;i> elected chairman. Tho rules, many >>f which are very similar to <*■■.mc of the clauses of the Fire Prevention Ordinan -c, were read. Mr Mitchell stated that the Fire Police, beine :i part .if the Fire Brigade, were- exempted from the operation of the Mihtia Act. ihe rules were then read seriatim, and after some little discussion agreed to ivith a few alteration*. A scale of finest for non-attendance at Ores and meetings was also drawn up and agreed to. It was decided the quarterly meetings should be held on the second Wednesday in December, March, June, and September, it was decided that the rales us rend be printed, and a copy distributed to each member. After posing a vote of thanks to the chairman the meeting separated. Kaiapoi Boating Club. — A general meeting of the meinbere of this club took place on Tuesday evening at the Pier hotel; Dr Dudley in the chair. Present—Messrs Kerr (secretary), Roee (treasurer), Gilkwon (vice-president), Middleton, Alexander, J. W . Buddie, C. E.Dudley, Burnip, Davis, Hurse, and C. Oram. It was resolved—" That on and after the 3rd December members should be admitted to the club on payment of half the original entrance fee and subscription : also that such members shall have the use of the boats now belonging to the club, but no voice in the management of the club until they have paid the full amount of entrance fee and subscription." Some discussion took place with reference to the resolution, which is intended to have the effect of adding a stimulus to boating on the river, especially on the part of those whom the resolution is intended to accommodate. A meeting vras next held of the Regatta Committee, Mr W. Gilkison in the chair, when it was resolved — "That the Waimakariri Regatta take place on January 1, 1868, as the tide on that day would be the most suitable, being high water about three p m. Mr R. C. Rose was elected treasurer, and the committee was requeeted to meet in a fortnight to settle all preliminaries. Pastubes. —It has often been matter of remark that no great efforts have been made to effect any extensive improvement in the pastures of this province. It is triio that English grasses and clover have been introduced very generally, but they are not so B'iitable for tho dry, loose and stony soil which ia to be found overspreading the greater part of our plains. It has been suggested that other and hardier grasses should be tried, and among these prairie grass would appear to be best adapted for the purpose. It manifests a greater indifference to the kind of soil in which it is grown than any other cattle food, and may therefore be grown more universally. It vegetates all winter, and ■ is the earliest growing food in spring: It will grow in hot, dry weal her, when all other food is dead or dormant through the effects of aridity. Ft is less expensive to raise than lucerne, sanfoin, or any other of the heavy cropping artificial gras-es. It bears more cutting than any other grasses, natural or artificial, lucerne excepted. The annual produce is greater than that of any other of the natural grassee.'and, after the first year, than of the artificial grasses. All domestic animals are fonder of it than of mangolds, luoerne, chicory, lettuces, turnips, or any of the grasses. It contains a greater proportion of nourishment than does any other kind of grass feed. It is the best crop that can be selected for dirty land or bad farming, for with a little assistance at first it will take care of itself, choking all kinds of weeds out of existence. It is more tenacious of life than any of the useful natural grusses, some of the couch grasses excepted. It is more readily propagated by seeds, by offsets, and cuttings than any other grasses, natural or artificial. Being a natural, wild, and uncultivated plant, analogy would lead us toflxpect that skilful cultivation will further develop its acknowledged valuable properties to an indefinite extent. Kangioba and Mandeville Road Board. —On Monday last the members of this Board met at the usual time and place. Present— Hon. Gt. Leslie Lee (chairman), Messrs Threlkeld and Howard. The minutes of last meeting having been read and confirmed, the Surveyor reported that he had invited tenders for piling to be done at Coutt's mill-race : bridge, and also for timber as directed. Another heavy freeh had taken place in the Main and other-drains in the Rangiora swamp, and some slight damage had been sustained, which had since been repaired. He wished to bring under the attention of the Board the desirability of widening the Main drain, and to make two more cross drains north and south at the north-west end to catch the Oust waters. Two complaints, made by Messrs Bell and Guild, were caused by the Main drain not b<-ing sufficiently wide to carry off the water. The drainage of Lee's swamp could be carried out by a cutting eighty chains long. Young's road, from the Drain road to Boy'e Rangiora road, he had inspected, and the residents had promised to do the necessary ploughing. It was necessary to erect a fence along-the gravel-pit complained of by Mr Meredith. Mr Bowie had called his attention to where a culvert on the North road had been taken away. He had not passed Armstrong's contract for clearing the sand from the North road, as the late winds had blown more sand on the road during the progress of the work. The Chairman said, in conformity with aminute passed 18th November, the Board had been favoured with anjnterview with his Honour the Superintendent and the Provincial Secretary, with reference to the overflow of the Waimakariri. Ho had pointed out the place where the water had broken out, and the present course of the overflow across the Kaiapoi Island, and the mischief it was doing to several hundred acres of land, and also to the North which latter was the cause of the Board interfering in tho matter, and urging th.it if some steps were not at once taken to divert the overflow the bridge recently erected and also a portion of the road woufd be washed away, and the traffic between the North and Christchurch interrupted. After some discussion the Board suggested, aa the simplest way of dealing with the overflow, that a channel should be cut through a peat bed of about, fifty or sixty chains in length, which would in their opinion save the North road. They also considered the work oue of great necessity, and were willing to devote a sum of money towards this cutting, but did not consider themselves justified in accepting the risk of future liabilities. His Honour explained to the Board that his view was the same as that taken by them, but it was doubtful whether he could sanction the Government expending money on the work and accept the liabilities which might in time amount to something serious. However, hie Honour promised to take the opinion of the Provincial Solicitor on the question of liability, and recommended that the consent of the owners and occupiers of hind likely to be affected should be obtained, and at the same time they ought to give their consent undertaking to make no claim for compensation. The Chairman stated to the Board that at present the mischief to the North road might bo averted if immediate step* were taken, otherwise it would be out of their power to keep open tho communication except by the erection of another bridge spanning the Waimakariri at Jackson's furry. On the 23rd, he (the chairman) had attended a meet ng held at Xaiapoi, for the purpose of considering what should be done on the subject, and a re-olutibn was carried electing a committee to obtain the consent of all interested in the cutting across Kaiaooi Island, and he had on the part of the Board offered a contribution of £100 towards the work, but at the same time it was distinctly understood that the Board would in no way be held responsible. A deputation from the committee appointed at the Kaiapoi meeting had an interview with the Board, and stated that the cost of the cutting would, be about £350. It was resolved that £100 should b» voted towards the work, and the attendance being limited they would at a future meeting consider the desirability of increasing the amount. The question of enlarging the main and other draine excited considerable'discussion, when it was resolved, as it was so near the end of the financial year, and the outlay would be a great one, that the subject should stand over. Several letters and petitions from

residents in the district, praying that n number of small works uiiiiht. bo curried out, wore r.vul and oonsiderel. L'he Surveyor wir dir.-i-teil to call" for tenders for gome works, mid others wore declined by th- Board. Tenders were then opene I fir piling ut Cutt's mill-race, mid that of J. Bowmaker, offering to do the work for £13 15s, w.n accepted. R. K. K-nrick's tender for timber at Is f>l per 100 fe"t,delivered :\t Wiuiijiori, und I<">* fid per 10 J f-et delivered at Kaiapoi, was aecepte.i. A letter from the Secretary of Puhlin Works was re:»d, stating th »t the sum of £625 had been pla-ed to the credit of the Board, and the balance would be forthcoming on Docemher 18. The following accounts were passed, anil ordered to bu paid : —tr. Byron, duywork, £:\ 3s ; ussessor's expenses, £3 12s; rent of olliee, £1" 10s ; Willisenft, on account of Ox Ion! and Ohoko roads, £6 ; petty cash, £5 The Board, after sitting from eieveu am. till nearly five p.m., adjourned till the 17th, the usual Board day, Monday, being the 16th, the anniversary of the proviuce.

Sanitahy Fact3.—Some results, says the " Times," of the works of druinago, sewerage, water supply, and cleansing, which, within the last few years have been accomplished in various towns in England, may be stated in figures that cannot bo too well known. In Cardiff the monstrous mortality of 33"2 per 1000 per annum has been brought down to 22 6, and Newport the ratio of 31 8 per 1000 lias given place to 2T6 -reductions of 32 per cent," or, allowing for cholera and dysentery, 23 per cent. In Salisbury, Croyden, Macelesfiekl, and Merthyr the mortality has been reduced by a fifth". In Ely the reduction— the saving of lifo —has amounted to 14 per cent, per annum ; in Banbury to nearly as much. Dover has only saved 7 per cent., bus its death rate was previously moderate for an unreformed town. In Leicester, the total reduction is but 4£ per cent., but the futility of typhoid fever is little more than half what it was. So also the reduction of the general rate of mortality is not strikingly great at Cheltenham, but its former rate, 19 4 per 1000, waa not high ; and its death rate by typhoid fever, only S per 10 000 before, has been reduced below 5 per 10,000. In Bristol the full completion of the works has been too recent for an estimate of their results, but typhoid fever has lost about a third of its fatality, and in so large a town important savings of life result from even small per-cental reduc!ions of mortality. The death iato by typhoid fever has fallen. in Salisbury to a fourth of what it was ; in Croydon and Stratford-on-Avon to about it third; in Banbury, Warwick, Ely, Penrith, Miicclesfield, Ashby-de la-Zouch, about hnlf. The improvement in the cholera rate at each successive epidemic in the towns reported by Dr. Buchanan, from whoso report to the medical officer of the Privy Council these statements are compiled, is equally striking It is also shown that the drying of the soil, which has in mo t cases accompanied the laying of the main sewers in the improved towns, appears to have led to the diminution of the mortality from consumption—a diminution approaching 50 per cent, in Salisbury and Ely ; exceeding 40 per cent, in Rugby and Banbury ; amounting to about a third in Worthing, Leicester, Newport, and Maccleafield, a fourth in Cheltenham, a fifth at Dover and Warwick, a sixth at Bristol, Cardiff and Croydon, a tenth at Merthyr. Only one-fifth of the towns here reported on have appointed a medical officer of health, and Bristol, with apparent timidity, only recognizes him as a " medical inspector ;" but in various towns the medical practitioners have given their fellow-townsmen valuable unpnid services in tho work of stopping the waste of life. Mr Simon, in presenting in his report of this year these and cimilar statements relating to twentylive English towns, with an aggregate population exceeding 600,0C0, observes that medical science could not from the first regard" these great popular experiments in the management of the public health as of doubtful promise but to the popular mind they had to be judged by their actual fruits. The eplendid results which have already been secured may* serve not only to confute persons who have despaired of any great prevefltability of disease, but also to justify in the public eye, and to encourage ■in their noble labour, those who for years have been spending their powers in this good work.

Pbupsian Coal.—The following observations on the resources of Prussia aa a coal producing country are from the " Times : " —The coal Gelds of the valley of Ruhr extend over a surface of 115 square miles, and are supposed to contain about 40,000,000,000 tons of fuel. The pnoductioti in 1855 amounted to 3,252,223 tons (British), and the number of hands employed was 22,235; in 1865 the production reached 8,535,614 tons, having nearly trebled itself in ten years, and the number of hands employed had increased to 39,871. The price of coal at the pit's mouth was, on an average, for best, 5s 6d per ton in 1866. The wages of the coal districts vary from llsgr. (about 13d.), for boys, to 2s and 2s 6d for men for a day of ten hours, labourers who earn more do so by extra exertion in the mines where piecework is usual. The difference between the district and similar ones in England is that you find there cheaper wages and longer hours of work—consequence, cheaper coal at the pit's mouth than in Great Britain. The carriage of coals on railways being on an average four-fifths of a half-penny per ton per mile, and the chief centres of Rhenish industry being close to the collieries, machinery can be driven less expensively there than in Ensrland. A net of railways unites the collieries with all the great towns of the neighbourhood—Duisburg, DusseJldorff, Elberfeld, Barmen, Hageh, Iserlohn, Witten, Dortmund, Essen, and Ruhrort. A steam ferry takes the coal over the Rhine at Ruhrort into the silk and cotton manufactories of Crefeld, Viersen, and Glad bach. At Euhrort a vast harbour, formed by the confluence of the Ruhr with the llhine, serves as port of shipment for tiie coal, which is towed up to Mayence and Mannheim in barges. At Duisburg shipments are made from the quays of the Rhine. The war of 1866 curtailed the facilities of transport, and withdrew men from productive labour, and the hands employed on the Ruhr coalfields were reduced to 37,686 ; but through a more general use of machinery the production of the year still slightly increased, and reached 8,583,362 tons. New railways increase the export of produce, and year by year the area over which the export of Ruhr'fcoiil takes place is extended. " It is urgent," writes Consul-General Crowe, of Leipsie, from whose recent report to the Foreign-ofEoe these statements are taken, " (hat our trade should know that little or no English coal is now sent inland from Antwerp, Rotterdam, or any of the Dutch and Belgium harbours. The Ruhr colleries feed the great industrial centres of the Lower Rhenish provinces, and compete with England in the Dutch and North German markets. The coalownera are , striving for new communications to the westward, and there is no doubt that if they could rival England in the quality as well as in the price of coal they might push us hard enough in certain quarters. They admit the superiority of English sea coal, but they may, and perhaps do, calculute on the possible exhaustion of Great Britain It is scarcely possible to describe the plea&ure and excitement caused in the Ruhr districts by the fact that in '1865 and 18G6 Westphaliaw coal was carried with profit to the Belgian coal basins of Charleroi and Mons, and even over the front ier into France. It is a small matter at present, but France may not be able to get more out oS her own fields, and England and Belgium be unable to deliver cheaper and in larger quantities." A few words concerning the labourers in the Ruhr coal districts will be of interest. A great number are vagrant. They do not universally keep to mining as the business of their life. They are prone to change, and you will find the same hand turn to two or thte. , different occupations in the same number of years. They have as yet shown no desire to combine or to form trades unions. There is nothingorganized among them,except a society for advancing necessaries on a certainty of repayment from wages at monthly intervals. The workmen complain of competition among each other. The owners of the mines, on the contrary, complain that labour is too scarce, and threatens to be too dear, so that

thero are limits to tho expansion of worfee. As for the coal iijinee themselves, there are none that exceed 150 fathoms in dptli ; S nm e huvfl douhl.-, most li;:v-:> bu! on-> >li >f\, i,ivid o j by ho.'irilingi iolo li;i!vm for the passujjij o r air mid the working of tho ears.,y Substantial buildings cover the shafts, and contain (}. 6 J necessary steam engines und boilers. 'j'ho i .seams are numerous, und are worked at various levels fcom the enine r-hnft. -'omo seaniH aro as thin us 2\ feet,; the thickest are rarely above 4i feet. Tho quality of the coal L various.