ABSTRACT
Inthenorth-easterncornerofEnglandliesthegreatcarboniferousdeposit whichsuppliedin1845eleven-twelfthsoftheentiremassofcoalburned inthegratesandfurnacesofthekingdom.Theboundariesofthegreat northerncoalfieldaremappedoutwithsomedistinctnesstothenorthand west,buttheirsouthernlimitsarevagueandunsettled,andtheeastern frontierofthemineralregionliesdeepwithintheGermanOcean.Speakingingeneralterms,theNorthumberlandandDurhamcoalfieldis boundedtothenorthandsouthbytheCoquetandtheTees.TheCoquet isaNorthumbrianstream,risingamidthesouthernslopesoftheCheviots andjoiningtheoceansometwentymilesnorthofTynemouth.TheTees separatesDurhamfromYorkshire.BetweentheseriversruntheTyne andtheWear,drainingthebroadestandrichestportionsofthecoalfield, andontheirbanksliescatteredtheoldest,deepestandmostextensive pits.Likealmostallcoaldeposits,thestrataformingtheNewcastlefield "dip"toacommonbottom,somewhatinthemannerofabasin,andof thisbasin,thecentre,andthereforethedeepestpoint,liesnearthesea coasthardbySunderland.
