The north-western portion of the province is occupied by the upper Silurian forma tion. Next are two belts of-lower Silurian. Small patches of the Devoniaa, Huronian, and Laurentian systems are found on the bay of Fundy. A large part of the province is occupied by carboniferous strata. The mineral coal is for the most part impure or in thin scams, and is hardly worked; but the so-called Albertite of Albert county is the most valuable of bituminous matter on the American continent. It yields 100 gal. of crude oil per ton. Salt springs are numerous. Copper and iron ore are found, as also antimony and manganese; gypsum, plumbago, and limes tone are very abundant, and the free stone of the province, unsurpassed for beauty and durability, commands a high price in the states. Wild animals abound in the province; the lakes and rivers are well stocked with fish, and along the coasts, cod, haddocks, salmon, and other fish are caught in great plenty. The number of schools in New Brunswick during the winter of 1869 was 828. in which 29,751 pupils were enrolled. The value of the imports for 1873-4 was
$10,223,871; of exports, $6,504,394. The number of vessels entering the ports was 2.784, of 775,633 tons: clearing, 2,662, of 790,265 tons. The number of men employed in the fisheries was 6,656; number of vessels, 131, of 2,518 tons; number of boats, 3,351; value of catch, $2,685,795. In 1871 the total value of manufactured products was $17,367,687. In 1874 there were in 455 m. of railway. Around the coasts and along the banks of the rivers there are excellent public and coach roads. Chief towns, the city of St. John and Fredericton, the political capital.
The province of New Brunswick, together with that of Nova Scotia, originally formed one French colony, called Acadia, or New France. It was ceded to the English in 1713, and was first settled by British colonists in 1764. In 1784 it was separated from Nova Scotia, and erected into an independent colony. It joined the Dominion of Canada in 1867.