Under this head it is proposed to give a description of the various seams in the different districts of the coal-field, with sections when necessary.

In the first place, we shall describe the general character of the seams of coal in the Tyne district above Newcastle Bridge.

The Seven Feet High Main Coal, No. 1. — This main coal seam, the highest workable seam in the series, is found close to the north side of the Ninety-fathom Dyke, at a depth of from two to thirty-five fathoms beneath the surface. This seam gets thicker when at a great depth near this fault, as do all the other seams below it next the vicinity of the trouble.

It is not of large extent, as it rises quickly to the outcrop.

It is generally from seven to eight feet in thickness, and yields a compact coal, in good sized blocks. It burns to a brownish white ash. From the specimens I have seen I am of opinion that it would have answered well for similar purposes, and might have worked much in the same way as the Cramlington, Hartley, Seghill, and Seaton Delaval steam coal of the present day. This was a very valuable seam in former times, having been in great demand as a household coal, but it has been so easily got as to be entirely worked out, or is now only found in very small pillars or patches, and even these are unworkable. It lay above the level of the Tyne, and was easily and inexpensively drained into that river.

Craw Coal, No. 2; Old Five-Quarter, No. 3; Cannel Coal, No. 4. — These seams generally run together, or with very little stratification between them, in consequence of which they were worked separately and sometimes in conjunction, as in former times. The Craw coal is on the average about three feet, and the Five-quarter about three feet six inches in thickness; and there is in some places another seam of coal like cannel coal, about two feet three inches thick, near the vicinity of Greenside, in Ryton parish, next the root of the main dyke, with a portion of stone strata between each of these two former coal seams, which have been partially worked. The cannel coal not having been worked at all in that day, in consequence of a white ash coal not being saleable.

The Craw coal and Five-quarter seams yield tender coals, which are easy to work, but in quality are not so good as the lower seam, since the opening out of which they have been generally abandoned; but, not, however, until they had been extensively worked. In many situations west of Newcastle, these seams are above the level of the Tyne and are all drained into it by day levels, made centuries ago.

These day levels are at present used as delivery drifts for the water made on or about the same, and for pumping water from the lower seams, as at Towneley, Stargate, and C Pits, near the Main Dyke, and "Kitty's Drift," commenced in the neighbourhood of Bell's Close at the surface, but when Kitty's Drift was under Denton and Kenton, being then thirty, forty, or fifty fathoms below the surface, they found, to their disappointment, that the seams they were aiming at were considerably below the level of the drift, and they then economised the lifting power of the pumping engines in making use of this drift. The Craw coal and Old Five-quarter, are not so easily kept clean of pyrites as the lower Five-quarter.

The Ruler, No. 5. — This is a seam of excellent quality, but in this district being only about two feet six inches in thickness, it has not been worked except to a small extent in Towneley Colliery, but, may be worked more extensively after mechanical power has been adapted to the hewing of coal.

The Ruler would appear to be the Hutton seam of the Wear district, the good quality of which it very much resembles, besides lying at the same distance immediately above the Towneley or Beaumont seam, which is the first of the series of coking coal, and equally good in quality.

Towneley, Harvey, or Beaumont, No. 6. — This seam averages from three feet six inches to four feet eight inches in thickness. About ten inches of the top is fine splint coal, and the remainder a good coal for household purposes, also for coke and gas, but it has a small band under the splint. The best part of the Towneley seam is harder than the three or four seams below, which are also of good quality, with a small band occasionally occurring near the bottom, but which increases in certain districts. The quality of the Towneley is excellent, but not so hard, although much more durable than the Ruler above it, which is the Wear Hutton seam.

This coal is of very fine bituminous nature, free from pyrites, and suitable for the manufacture of coke and gas, for which it is extensively used. It is probable, however, that for these purposes, it is excelled by the lower five workable coal seams, Nos. 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11, namely, the thin Splint or Cannel seam, next below the Towneley, at Blaydon and Stella, and the Stone coal, the No. 9 Five-quarter, with the No. 10 Brockwell seams for coke and gas.

Gas Coal Seam, No. 7. — This is an excellent seam for gas, particularly on the south side of the main dyke, where it is found good in patches.

The Stone Coal, No. 8. — This seam is from two feet ten inches to three feet two inches in thickness. It is uniform in quality, and is suitable for gas purposes, and particularly for coke.

Five-Quarter, No. 9. — The coal for about five or six inches at the top of this seam yields a white ash when burnt, but it is not of a splinty appearance. The remainder, about three feet in thickness, resembles the Stone coal, and is used for similar purposes, for which it is well adapted.

Three-Quarter, No. 10. — Is a very hard, coarse coal, and has been very little worked on that account. At Wylam it is a very good seam, and is worked in perfection there with advantage, and well known by the name of the Yard coal.

The Brockwell, No. 11. — This is the lowest workable seam that has been sunk to in the coal formation, which has only been done at a few places, namely, Towneley, Stella, Blaydon Main, and Norwood Collieries on the Tyne, but it has been bored to at the Black Boy, in the Auckland district, and also at West Auckland and Etherley, where it is known sometimes, when two seams run together, as the Main coal.

The average thickness of the Brockwell seam in general is about three feet six inches. About six inches of that at the bottom is splint, which burns to a white ash, the remainder is of excellent quality for coke and gas purposes. In some places there are between two and three inches of jet at the top which looks like stone or slate, yet it is used for the workmen's fires at Wylam.

It is questionable whether the Auckland and Etherley seam is the Brockwell or the Dusty Bank.

The Stone coal and Five-quarter coming together form the Busty Bank at Pontop, but go by other names elsewhere. The Stone coal and Five-quarter are closely connected throughout the district.

The seams below Newcastle Bridge, both north and south of the main dyke, differ in hardness and quality from those to the west of it.