332

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

February 12, 1915.

In the Freystrop district the lowest vein that has been
worked is generally identified as the .Kilgetty Vein. The
Catshole Vein has been occasionally worked.

The name Catshole Vein is sometimes applied in the
Reynalton and Loveston district to a poor vein that
overlies a s-trpng sandstone at some distance above the
Lower Level Vein, but this is totally distinct from the
Catshole Vein of the district to the east. The Lower
Level Vein has been more worked than any of the lower
veins; it has been recognised with certainty as far west
as Loveston Cross, and a vein which probably corre-
sponds with it can be traced for about' two miles to the
west of that place. It is characterised especially by the
abundance of lamellibranchs, chiefly Carbonicola
aquilina (J. de C. Sow.), in the roof.

At Reynalton the thickness of measures between the
Lower Level and the Catshole Vein or the 27-fathom
rock, which crops at Cloverhill Farm, appears at first
sight exceptionally great. In fact, if the dips be relied
on,r the vertical distance between the Catshole Vein,
near Hare Stepis, and the Lower Level Vein at Reynalton
would be at least 160 yds., instead of 26 yds. as in the
New Hays shaft. But the intervening ground shows a
•succession of strike-ridges and deep, strike hollows in
each of which there is some indication of a coal. These
features do not exist in the ground to the east, and their
incoming here is probably due to overthrusting; in fact,
the Lower Level Vein is said to crop twice to the north
of Reynalton.	;

About half a mile to the west of.Verbeston a vein has
been worked near the crop. It seems to correspond in
position with the Lower Level Vein, but no lamelli-
branchs were found, though some fish remains, includ-
ing Coelacanthus sp., a mesolepid scale and a palseo-
niscid, were collected by Mr. J. Pringle on one of the
tips a quarter of a mile south-east of Campshill. In the
Freystrop district the second vein above the supposed
Kilgetty Vein is sometimes referred to as the Bon Ville’s
Court Vein, which is another name for the. Lower Level
Vein in the Saundersfoot district. It is. probably repre-
sented among the thin veins worked near the crop in
and to the west of Martietwy Wood.

Another vein, which is called the Little Rock Vein,
was worked on the downthrow side of the Trewern Fault
north-east of Shipping, and an old shaft 200 yds. from
the farm in. that, direction was said to be 32 yds. to the
vein. There ,,are also shallow workings at Shipping on
what is probably a higher but unnamed vein.

' (3) Between the Erroxhill and the Harbour Faults.—•
The Erroxhill Fault is the name given to a more or less
continuous disturbance which runs from the coast near
Amroth, by 'Sardis Mountain, along the south side of
Ring’s Moor, and thence down the Cresswell Valley.
The throw of the fault is estimated at 93 yds. near
Sardis. Mountain, but at more than .200 yds. westwards
of the junction with the Wiseman’s Bridge Fault. The
Harbour Fault runs from Saundersfoot Harbour to the
south of Jeffreston, and has the effect of a downthrow
to the north, but is probably a powerful overthrust from
the south.

The belt of ground lying between these two lines of
disturbance occupies a central position in the coalfield,
and includes the newest measures existing in this part
of Pembrokeshire, and the majority, though not all, of
the crops of the Timber Vein. Within it much coal has
been raised from the Rock, Timber, Lower Level, and
Kilgetty veins, but the last two alone are now worked, in
the Bonville’s Court Colliery.

The syncline at Woodside and the anticline at Hean
Castle have already1 been noticed. The anticlinal. axis
ranges north-westwards, a little south of the Speculation
Pit, and on its southern flank the sandstone overlying
the Lower Level Vein forms a broad outcrop dotted over
with old shallow shafts. The Kilback shaft, 150 yds. west
of the castle, reached the vein at 44 yds. depth on the
northern flank of the anticline, and another, 350yds.
north-west of Coppet Hall, reached .it at 34 yds. depth
on the southern flank.

To the south of the anticline there are two crops
visible south-east of Kiillawen, both probably in Stinkard
veins, and a line of old crop workings in a stream
200 yds. south-east of Netherwood in an unknown seam.
At the head of this stream the Ventilating Pit of the
Bonville’s Court Colliery was sunk in 1846.

The Ventilating Pit appears to have started about 50 ft.
below the horizon of the Timber • Vein. What is sup-
' posed to be that vein crops in the railway cutting west
of the pit in a position which accords with that view.

The Tower Pit was commenced in the ’crop of the
"Rock Vein of the Timber Vein series. A Stinkard, 10 in.
thick, was traversed at 228 ft., the Rock Vein of the
Lower Level Vein series at 332 ft., the Garland Vein at
474 ft., and the Lower Level Vein at 504 ft. In 1876-78
the shaft was carried down to the Kilgetty Vein.

■The shaft is situated in a belt of ground which is
limited on the south by the Harbour Fault, and is itself
traversed by innumerable folds and overthrusts, so far
as regards the surface. At a depth, however, the Lower
Level and Kilgetty veins, though not free from disturb-
ance, have proved to be comparatively regular and
continuous.

The southern limit referred to is, shown on the map as
a continuous line of overthrust ranging from Sanders-
foot Harbour, between Cold Inn and East Williamston,
and thence to the south of Jeffreston. This line may
be regarded as a diagrammatic representation of what is
probably a complex of thrusts, but to trace out indi-
vidual thrust planes is impossible.

The crops within this belt are traceable only where
the coals have been “ smutted,” but this method of
working was so prevalent in former years that probably
few crops, of the Timber Vein at least, have been missed.

The Foxhole Pit, sunk in 1882-3, but now abandoned,
is 350 yds. south of the Tower Pit, and close to the
southern margin of the belt of ground under description.
The Moreton Colliery was situated in this belt of ground
near Wooden, and about 500 yds. west of the railway.
The downcast shaft reached the Rock Vein at 55 fins.,

N.Sid* S.Sid.

'“’□to#’

.	U<o’’,V

4OQ

W’’

Fig. 1.

Section of the
Greenhill Shaft,
Broadmoor < ol-
liery.



while the upcast shaft reached it at 58fms., and was
subsequently carried to a further depth of 100 fins, to
the Lower Level Vein.

The Timber Vein averaged 6 ft. in
thickness, and was won by a drift
from the Rock Vein, which it under-
lies at an average depth of 20 fms.
It was worked northwards from the
upcast shaft, over a small area
limited to the east and west by
“ faults,” which do not appear in
the Rock Vein ‘workings, and the
nature of which is not known. The
working of the Timber Vein was
abandoned in 1887. The Lower
Level Vein workings lay to the
south of the upcast shaft, and were
limited to the north by a “ fault ”
passing under that shaft. To the
south and west they extended
approximately to the line of the
‘‘ South Rising.”

One of these intermediate troubles
would be the uptilt which traversed
the Broadmoor Colliery. The Green-
hill shaft was sunk in the years
1850-53 to a depth of 194 yds., .and
proved the section represented in
fig. 1.

(4) South of the Harbour Fault.
—This part of the coalfield extends
from Stammers to Cresswell, includ-
ing East ■Williamston and Red-
.. berth, its northern limit being the
line, which represents the general
range of the Harbour Fault.

In the railway cuttings, at least,
five crops of thin coals can be
distinguished, but it is not possible
to say how far they are repetitions
of the same seam.

The identity of all these veins is
doubtful, but it seems certain that

a vein which was extensively smutted at Norchard
Mountain, 450yds. north of Honey’s Croft, can only
have been the Timber Vein.

At Beacon Hill a good deal of coal has been raised
from- what was locally called the Jeffreston Mountain
Vein. . The vein crops out at Lanesend, and with a
seam 8 in. thick, 42 yds. above it, was worked at small
depths southwards, to the west of Marketgate. The dip
was at., a gentle angle eastwards, but became suddenly
almost vertical along a line running from Lanesend
towards Norchard Mountain, and the coal was followed
no.farther. This steep dip appears to be the northern
limb of a syncline which is visible at Beacon Hill. In
the north rise of the syncline three veins crop out, one
of which passes under Longpark, but it is not certain
which, if any, of them corresponds to the Jeffreston
Mountain Vein.

(To be continued.)

MANCHESTER GEOLOGICAL AND
MINING SOCIETY.

An ordinary meeting of the members of this society
was held on Tuesday last (February 9), at Manchester,
Mr. Leonard Fletcher (president) in the chair.

Appointment of a New Secretary.

The President said he was sorry that he had to
make the announcement that they were to lose the
services of Mr. Sydney A. Smith as honorary secretary.
He had discharged the duties of that position during a
period of nine years ; he had given up to them a large
slice of his time, and he felt that he could no longer
continue to do so, but must make way for a successor.
All the members would understand that his reasons for
resigning were good ones. At the council meeting that
afternoon they had considered the problem of filling
the vacancy, and the choice had fallen upon Mr. N. T.
Williams. In undertaking the duties Mr. Williams
could rely not only on his own personal qualifications,
but also upon being able to profit by the advice and
experience of his predecessor.

Sir Thomas Holland said he was sure all the meml ers
would wish to place on record their appreciation of the
services rendered by Mr. Smith, but personally he had
special reason t<» acknowledge them, because during the
short time that he served them as president, Mr. Smith
managed to keep him pretty straight. On many
occasions he was much indebted to Mr. Smith for
advice, sometimes about difficult personal matters; and
he was thankful that he succeeded in postponing the
crisis of the resignation until the duty of dealing with
it devolved upon his successor. No doubt many
members would take advantage of an opportunity
which was being arranged for privately, to recognise
Mr. Smith’s services in a more effective way, but for the
present he asked them to show their appreciation by the
adoption of a resolution which he now moved, expressing
their minds on that point and their sense of the lo^s
they were suffering.

Mr. T. H. Wordsworth, in seconding the resolution,
pointed out that Manchester compared very favourably
with other parts of the country in the papers which
were contributed to the Transactions of the Institute.
How much credit for that was due to Mr. Smith none
could say, but it was certain that his persistent efforts
, to secure papers of a suitable type had a great deal to
with it.

The resolution was adopted unanimously.

Mr. S. A. Smith, in reply, thanked the members for
an expression of their kind feelings towards him. The
resolution came rather as a surprise to him, because it
was not on the agenda, and strictly speaking he should
have objected to it as the secretary, because his term of

office was not quite closed. However, be would content
himself by saying that the last nine and a-half years
had been very pleasant to him in connection with the
society. The members had supported him well, the
society had increased in numbers, and he hoped would
continue to grow. His interest in the work would not
cease, and he should help his successor in every possible
way.

Mr. Williams remarked that he relied upon Mr.
Smith to help him, and hoped that he would be of use
to the society.

Some Remarks on Mining Education.

This was the subject of a paper, read by Mr. Noah
T. Williams, which appears on page 329.

In the discussion that followed, the President said
before proceeding with the discussion his first duty was
to thank Mr. Williams very heartily. It was very
useful to have a contribution of this sort from a man
who had special opportunities for judging the efficiency
or inefficiency of the present system of mining education.

In a written contribution, Mr. George Hunter,
chief lecturer at the Wigan Mining School, declared
that the paper raised points of great interest which
ought to receive careful consideration by all interested
diiectlyor indirectly in mining. Although legislation
was often cumbersome and usually very costly, it might
do much to reduce the accident and death rates in
mines; still more might be accomplished if greater
attention were paid to the education of the miner.
Seeing the nature of the work, it could not be expected
that accidents would be completely eliminated, but a
few com mon-sense talks with miners on the dangers
and responsibilities of their calling (illustrated where
possible by demonstration), would help them to approach
more rapidly the ideal at which they aimed. But
whatever scheme of instruction was adopted, it must
steer clear of the examination bogey, ft was exceedingly
unfortunate that institutions and other educational
bodies were not giving the matter the attention it
deserved. His own short experience in Lancashire led
him to believe that if the work of this kind were under-
taken in a proper spirit, it would be much appreciated
by the miners. Suggestions had been often put forward
for the establishment of classes of this kind, but hitherto
the proposals had met with a very cold reception. He
deeply regretted the fact, because there were great
opportunities, and equally great responsibilities rested
on those who would make use of them. The results
obtained would be highly beneficial not to the miner
alone but also to the mine owners. and ultimately to the
State.

A few remarks with regard to the training of the
mine manager would not be out of place. The manager
of the older type had done magnificent work, and had
accomplished great things, but now everything seemed
to point out and emphasise the growing necessity for
his being in the future a highly trained technical man.
At the same time mining could only be learned in the
mine, and the training necessary in order to fit a man
to deal tactfully with subordinates would be best
obtained by almost daily conduct with people in those
grades. On the other hand, the principles of mining
and the connecting links between theory and practice
could be best learned in schools and colleges. The
ideal to have in view was a carefully graduated scheme
whereby the best type of young miner would find it
possible to pass from the day school to the evening
schools, and from that to the full time day classes in a
university or college. Many would gladly welcome tl^e
opportunity of doing that, and some at least could be
trusted to avail themselves of it, but at present the way
to that condition of things was barred chiefly by the
lack of means. Scholarships would get over that
difficulty, but the question was how to make them
available. Possibly mine owners and educational bodies
would co-operate in that respect. Another difficulty
was the lack of suitable provision of rooms and equip-
ment suitable for teaching purposes. Money was spent
lavishly in connection with electrical and mechanical
engineering, and, in fact, almost every branch of applied
science except mining. In that department teachers,
and therefore students, were often grievously hampered,
and had to take up their positions in odd corners, as it
were, appeasing their souls with crumbs; while they
worked and waited patiently for a more considerate and
enlightened age.

Mr. G. E. Wynfield Rhodes, of the Fife Mining
School, also sent a written contribution to the discus-
sion, in the course of which he described how the
problem had been tackled in the Fife coalfield, and
with what measure of success. The Fife County
Council, he said, had for 25 years back taken on itself
the onus of providing technical education for the
miners. Instead of building a spec’al school for this
purpose, an arrangement wa« come to with the Bea th
School Board when some five years ago they were
building a new higher-grade school. As a result well-
equipped laboratories for mining, hydraulics, electrical
engineering and mechanics were provided in the base-
ment of the new school which was erected at
Cowdenbeath, whilst the physical and chemical labora-
tories, lecture rooms and class-rooms of the school
were made available for the purposes of mining
education. The classes are worked in two shifts
to enable all miners to make use of them. Back-
shift men who work from 2 a.m. to 10 p.m. attend
morning classes from 9.15 a.m. to 11.45 a.m., whilst
nightshift and foreshift men attend classes meeting at
various times. 4.30 p.m. to 7 p.m., and-6.30 pm. to
9 p.m. being the favourites. These times have been
arranged to suit the train services from the outlying
districts. The travelling expenses of students who need
them and attend satisfactorily are defrayed by county
bursaries. In this way students come to the school
from distances of as much as 4 miles (Cardenden),
8 miles ^Kinross), or 9 miles (Kirkcaldy), as well as from
nearer places such as Lochgelly and Kelty, and from