In the bogs of Canobie, where Mr Keir bored to the depth of 148 feet, thick beds of red sandstone were found alternating with what are commonly denomina ted the coal metals. At Sanquhar, the Busbys remark ed, that in proceeding towards the dip of the seams, a stratum of red sandstone, six feet thick, appeared to overlap the coal metals; and, at Whitehaven, they ob served, that the coal appeared to have a connection with that of Workington ; that, for a considerable way towards St Bee's Head, there is a great body of red strata, in sonic places reported from 45 to 60 fathoms, chiefly of the sandstone and shistose description, with some reddish limestone also, all much resembling those of Annan dale; that at the sea shore, where the seam of coal is It feet thick, the workings are 120 fathoms deep, the red strata overlapping the coal metals ; and that the pre sent workings below the sea are opposite to St Bee's Head, where the greatest body of the red strata ap pear, below which is a seam of coal, about 18 inches thick, succeeded by the ordinary coal metals.
These facts, and many others, naturally lead to the opinion, that coal may be discovered below the red sandstone of Dumfriesshire; but that 140 feet cannot be considered as a sufficient depth for a fair trial. Yet none of the late unsuccessful borings have been car ried farther ; although at Canobie it was beyond this depth that the best workable seam appeared.
The mere existence of coal, however, is not the only consideration to be attended to. In the neighbourhood of Criffle, a mountain in the stewartry, but near Dum fries, the coal metals, and even thin seams of coal ap pear; but they are in a disturbed and confused arrange ment, probably owing to their approaching sienite rocks in that mountain. Coal appears in various parts, as in Achintaggert-burn, but of inferior quality. The regu larity of the seams, facility of working them, quality of the coal, population of the district, means of work ing pumps by water wheels, and facility of conveyance to other parts, are all considerations of importance; together with the price and value in the place where a seam is found.
The use of lime in this county is very liberal and ex tensive, not less than 1,500,000 Winchester bushels of shells being used annually, one way or other. This would fully load 100,000 single horse carts ; and four fifths of the whole are computed to be consumed on the land, about 14,000 acres being manured with lime. The kilns within the county furnish the greater part of all this; and the remainder is imported by sea, or en ters the upper district of Annandale from the Douglas lime-works in Lanarkshire, and the head of Nitlisdale from Ayrshire. About 140,000 acres of cultivated land
are under the lime husbandry in this county ; and in calculable improvement has thereby been effected in the soil and produce. The total expellee is now rising very high, approaching to 60,004. a year for lime as a manure ; and on each acre leading to an expenditure of from 41. to 51. every ten years, being annually from eight to nine shillings. The prices are also rising ; and if it be desired that farmers should drain and lime their waste lands and common pastures, efforts must be made for coal to burn the lime, and for coal and lime also in the remote districts.
The principal of the present lime-works are those of Closeburn and of Kelhead ; but other kilns have been opened in various parts of the lower districts of Annan dale and Eskdale, or in the central parts of Nitosdale. in this latter part of the county, coal is carried down from Sanquhar by land, a considerable distance, to burn the lime ; and most of the other kilns arc supplied with coal water-borne from England, and subject also to land carriage from the Solway Frith.
The lime-stone of this county is generally stratified, and contains very thin seams of clay between the strata, which arc useful in separating and working the stone. Pctrifactions art frequently found in it of different kinds ; and 80111CIMICS hollows occur in the stone, either empty, or filled with clay. The barjarg limestone is a con tinuation of the same that occurs at Closeburn. The brown muir limestone is supposed to extend through most parts of the lower district of Annandale. The Blackwood ridge limestone is mixed with clay, but yields very white and pure lime, and appears to be the some with what is worked also at the Donkins. At Caldronlee and High Muir, the stone is trough-shaped. In Eskdale, the coal formation begins at LanghoIm bridge, and extends to the Solway Frith ; and limestone appears in many different places of this district.
The valued rent is in Scots money, (ascertained in the protectorate or usurpation, and adopted virtually thereafter,) 138,627/. 6s. 8d.; which in Merks Scots is 238,000, and in sterling money 13,223/. I8s. 4d. The real rents taken from the statistical volumes, and cor responding nearly to the medium year 1795, were 109,7o0/.; and the returns of land rents and of differ ent mines to the tax-ollire in 1808, were 219,037/. 10s. But the present value of the lands and mines of the whole county, in open market, is greatly more.