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Looking from the saddle towards the south, you are struck with the very peculiar shape of the Lyell mountains, rising regularly from the south-south-west at a very uniform angle of about 80°, to the height of upwards of 4,000 feet, and then breaking suddenly off towards the north-north-east in perpendicular cliffs of many hundred feet in height, forming deep ravines, then rising again and falling away in the same manner; giving the whole a remarkably sharp, serrated appearance. The whole upper part of these mountains, of several hundred feet in thickness, is composed of regular stratified rocks, dipping the same way as the surface, and apparently without break or confusion; but when hitting the mountains, the close re-forced up in a solid mass, till it broke off suddenly at the highest point. Those rocks are destitute of vegetation, except snow grass, &c., and though I have not been on the top of the mountains, the resemblance of the strata, to the overlying rocks of the coal formation on the west side of the saddle, leaves little reason to doubt that there, also, coal will be found below, and at a rather more convenient angle for working than in the east part of the field. Of course, in that locality the coal is only accessible from the West Coast, and as there is such an abundant supply there in much more convenient positions, it is not likely that this part of the field will be required for many years.

I neglected to state that in the river bed at the base of the Lyell Mountains, the formation is granite.

Should it be thought desirable to explore this coal field further at present, I would recommend driving a level at the outcrop of the seam on Coal Saddle, in such a way as to cut the several beds at right angles to the strike of the strata. For as the dip is at an angle of 45°, a horizontal drive would only require to be the same length as a perpendicular shaft, to cut through the same number of stratified beds; and as it is less expensive to drive than to sink, the drive is to be preferred. Boring in such a broken and irregular strata would be very unsatisfactory.

A section of the strata thus obtained would be very valuable, even supposing that in this position it was of no commercial importance; for it is very useful to have correct sections of a coal field wherever they can be obtained, and this, I think, is a favorable position for the purpose. There is also reason to hope that near this saddle the strata may be found a little more level and regular, for on both sides there is certainly a tendency to flatten.

After the above remarks, your Honor will not be surprised when I state that I do not anticipate that coal can be extensively and cheaply worked in the part of the Province treated of in this report. And that on account of the absence of good coal, for, as I have before stated, it exists in large quantities in some parts, and I believe will be found extensively scattered over the mountain ranges between Nelson and the West Coast. But I think from the very broken nature of the surface of the country, and the still more broken and irregular geological formation, there is not much ground to hope that an extensive and continuous coal bed, in a workable position, will be found here; however, many seams may be discovered in different localities. And I do expect that coal will be found in many parts of these mountain ranges, where, till my last journey, I had no idea that there was a chance of its existence.

Persons not familiar with the practical part of coal mining, may think that the position of a seam of coal is not of much consequence, provided the quality is good and the locality convenient. I think it is therefore only reasonable to explain why the position of the seam in the ground, is one of the most important considerations in working coal. The most convenient position for a seam of coal, is for it to be as near horizontal as will allow water to run freely from it (say an angle of 3° or 4°) for then the wagons for bringing out the coal from the face of the workings, can go in any direction. It will readily be understood that to work, say 100 acres of coal in this position, is a comparatively simple operation; but if that 100 acres were set on edge instead of lying flat, the work would be much more difficult, and expensive. And as a seam deviates from the horizontal, so will the difficulty increase. It is true that edge seams can be worked, and are still, worked in some places, but it is done under great disadvantages, and only to a limited extent; and generally where there are a number of seams near each other, so that several can be worked from the same level. It is also important that the rocks connected with the coal, should be strong and solid.

It is also true that most mineral veins, such as copper, lead, &c., are found in positions more nearly vertical than horizontal, and yet are worked successfully; but it must be remembered that the difference in the value of a ton of copper, or lead, and a ton of coal is so great, that a little extra expense in working the one would scarcely be felt, whereas in the other it might amount to more than the value of the article.

Speaking on this subject I may mention, that the Kowai coal in the Province of Canterbury, which I examined and reported on, about a year and a half ago, is, so far as I could then see, all on edge, or rather sloping at an angle at from 65° to 80°. At that time I wrote to a friend in the north of England, (Mr. Law, colliery viewer to Sir Matthew White Ridley, Bart.) a gentleman of large experience in coal mining; asking for any information he might have on working edge seams, and I beg to quote the following paragraph from his letter on the subject.

"I wish could have given you some useful information regarding the working of such seams of coal as you describe. The dip 80° seems to me so unnatural a position for a seam of coal, that I should hope you will find as you follow it, a gentler dip which will render it easier to work. I am not aware of any book describing the working of such a seam, and the only coal approaching it, which I have seen was in the Bristol Coal Field, and there they seemed to work it by dropping the coal from one gallery to another. The shaft being sunk in the first place to be taken to the shaft; and so one gallery or drift above the other. And after a certain portion of coal is worked in this way, another portion is obtained by sinking the shaft lower, and drifting out to cut the coal again; which of course can be repeated as often as found practicable. Should I find anything written on the subject you shall have it, but at present I do not recollect to have seen the working of such a seam referred to; which of course can be repeated as often as is so to obtain any quantity, but where coal is scarce it is valuable, and a price to cover some extra expenses will no doubt be paid for it."

The very circumstance which renders coal-mining so difficult in this part of the Province, makes it hopeful, that other minerals will be found; if so, the coal may prove most valuable, as smelting, &c., might be carried on at the mines. For though I fear that extensive coal workings cannot be calculated on in this district, there is nothing to prevent it being done on a small scale; when the value of the