The high moorlands of the northern part of the county consist partly of millstone-grit aud shale; partly of carboniferous or moun tain limestone. The millstone grit occupies the ceutral and western portion, cropping out from beneath the Pottery and South Lancashire coal-fields, and overspreading the intervening country. The moun tain limestone district comprehends the eastern moorlauds, and extends across the upper valley of the Dove into Derbyshire. There are several lead-mines and copper-mines in this district.
Hydrography, Communications, dc.—The county belongs almost entirely to the basin of the Humber. The Trent, the most important tributary of that 'estuary, rises from three springs on the northern border of the county, near Knypersley Hall; aad runs by Trentham, the seat of the Duke of Sutherland, past Stone and Rugeley to Burton, where it becomes navigable ; and 2 or 3 miles below Burton quits the county altogether. [Tnesx.] The priucipal tributaries of the Trent are the Lyme from New castle-undef-Lyme, the Sow, the Blyth, the Tame, the Mease, and the Dove. The Lyme joins the Trent on the right bank, not far from its source. The Meese during a part of its course separates the county from Derbyshire. The Sow rises about 6 miles N.W. from Eccles hall, near the western border of the county, and after a course of a few miles is joined on the left bank by the Mease Brook, which rises near the Sow, and has a course nearly parallel to it, but of rather greater length. The Sow flows through the town of Stafford to the junction of the Pcnk. The Penk rises near Wolverhamptou, and flows 20 miles northward through Penkridge into the Sow, which it joins on the right bank. Four miles below the junction of the Penk, the Sow joins the Trent on the right bank. Its whole course is about 19 or 20 miles; it is not navigable. The Blyth rises about 4 miles E. from Hanley in the Potteries, and flows south-south-east 23 miles into the Trout, which it joins on the left bank, 5 miles below Rugeley. The Tame rises in Essington Wood, 4 miles N.W. from Walsall, and flows 15 miles south-cast to Astou, a suburb of Birmingham, where it receives on the right bank the Rea brook, which flows through Bir mingham. From the junction of the Ilea the Tame flows eastward, receiving on the right bank the united streams of the Cole and the Blyth, each about 16 miles long ; it then turns northward, and receives at Tamworth the striker on the right bank, after which it flows into the Trent ; its whale course is about 42 miles, partly in Warwickshire, but chiefly in Staffordshire.
The Dore rises near the northern extremity of the county, and flows south-south-east by or near Longnor, Ashbourne (Derbyshire), and Uttoxeter, into the Trent below Burton, dividing through nearly its whole course the counties of Derby and Stafford : its length is nearly 45 miles. It is not navigable. The upper part of its course is through the beautiful scenery of Dovedale on the border of the Peak. The Manifold, about 9 miles from its source, sinks into the ground, and after a subterraneous course of 4 miles rises again near Darn, and shortly after joins the Dove ; its tributary, the Hamps, sinks in like manner, and the junction of the two streams takes place underground.
The Churnet rises on Biddulph Moor, 5 miles N.W. of Leek, and soon after expands into a sheet of water, or lake, from the lower cud of which it continues its course by Leek, Alveton (or Alton), and Rocester, a little way below which it joins the Dove. The western border of the county belongs to the basin of the Severn, which flows for about 2 miles across the south-western corner of the county, near Over Arley. About 14 miles of the course of the Stour (which rises near Hales Owen (Shropshire), and joins the Severn at Stourport) are on or within the southern border of the county. The rivers of Staffordshire abound with fish, such as pike, trout, grayling, chub, perch, &c. Salmon are caught in the Severn, and occasionally in the Trent.
The canals of this county are numerous. The most important is the Trent and Mersey, or, as it is sometimes called, the Grand Trunk Canal. This canal, commencing in the Trent at the junction of the Dement in Derbyshire, enters the county near the junction of the Trent and Dove, and follows the valley of the Trent to Stoke in the Potteries, from whence it continues its course north-west to the Mersey, at Runcorn Gap. About 50 miles of its course beloug to Staffordshire. The Birmingham Canal and the Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal form another important line, entering the county near Birmingham, and passing through the iron and coal district, by Dudley and Wolverhampton, and then running uorth-west into Shropshire. The length of this line is about 32 miles. The Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal commences in the Severn at Stonrport, and enters Staffordshire near the village of Whittington, follows the valleys of the Stour and the Smcetow, passes near Wolver hampton, and joins the Trent and Mersey canals near the junction of the Sow and the Trent. Its length in this county is nearly 40 miles. The Stourbridge Canal commences in the above canal at Stewponey, and extends to the town of Stourport. The Dudley Canal commences in the Birmingham aud Worcester Canal (which, though not in this county, is connected with the Birmioghain Canal noticed above), and proceeds to Dudley. A part only of the line is in Staffordshire. A cut unites it with the Stourbridge Canal, and consequently with the Steffenlehire and Worcestershire Canal. The Coventry Canal. from its commencement in the Trent and Mersey Canal at Fredley Heath to Fawley near Tamworth. 11 miles, belongs to this county. At it maws with the Birmingham and Fawley Canal, which forms • part of the Birmingham Canal Navigations, and of which only a eaten part is in Staffordshire. In the northern part of the county is the Callon (Anal, which is a branch of the Trent and Mersey Canal, extending from the main line at Ilanley in the Potteries north-east ward to the neighbourhood of Leek, to which town there is a cut; sod from thence south-eastward to Uttoxeter, In the valley of the Dove. The Newouthaunder-Lyme Canal Is • short canal from the Treat and Mersey Canal at Stoke-upon-Trent to Newcastle-under Lyme. There are several other abort camels In the county.