Small Caverns Research Articles

On some Sources of Coal in the Eastern Hemisphere, namely Formosa, Labuan, Siberia, and Japan

T he Formosa coal-district is situated near Kelung, in the north-east comer of the island. The mines are a little more than a mile to the eastward of the town, upon the hills bordering on Quar-se-kau Bay. I approached them in a small boat up a muddy creek. On leaving the boat, we ascended a slight elevation passing a range of red sandstone hills, which formed a series continuous with those seen at the back of the harbour, which dip on an average about 16° or 17° to the south-east. Indeed the whole country round Kelung is of red sandstone; and the weather-worn outcrops produce the undulating country, in the depressions of which the coal appears to have been deposited. By degrees we entered a blind valley, or cul-de-sac ; and descending from the path into a ditch I stood at the entrance of the workings, which consisted of two small caverns at right angles to one another, hewn directly into the coal-seam, which at its outcrop was 2½ feet thick. It rested upon a thin bed of stiff whitish clay, and was covered by a bank 40 or 50 feet high, composed of rubbly clay. The working was nearly level, and the roof so low that one could only get along by bending nearly double. These mines appear to be worked in a very primitive manner. No shafts are sunk, nor is any machinery employed; but the coolies pick the coal, and convey it out of the working in small baskets.