Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-26
FUEL IN THE ARCTIC,
Discovery and Projected peratfOn of
Coal Mines in Spitzbergen.

rrom the LONDON STANDARD.
To obtain fuel from the artic regions
seems almost a paradox, but our Berlin
correspondent informs this morning that
good seams of coal have been found on the
western side of Spitzbergen, and are to be
worked on the most improved business
principles. That carboniferous rocks exist
ed in the island has been known for some
time. but during the past summer experts
were dispatched from Norway to ascertain
whether the mineral was sufficiently album
dant and accessible to be worth working
Their reports are most favorable. Good
furnace coal has been found in Green Har-
Dor. on the south side Of the entrance Of
the Ice Fjord, which pierces so deeply into
the western flank Of the principal island
that the latter is almost cut up into three
parts by the meeting of inlets from oppo-
site coasts. At another place in the same
ford three of the seams are from six to
nine feet thick, and as they are above sea
level must crop out AT the surface The
larger and eastern part of Spitzbergen Is
more or less a plateau, and the strata are
horizontal. ranging from the period ante
rior to the carboniferous to that in which
our chalk was deposited. The western part
is mountainous, and consists of older crys-
talline rocks. but uplifted portions of these
sedimentary strata here and there rest
upon them, as is the case where these
seams have been discovered. In such cir
tied in extent. and the seams may be tilted
at high angles, or broken up by faults.
Still, as II coal can be worked by adits,
its accessibility and the consequent econ
omy In labor will be compensate These
discoveries make 1t highly probable that
larger and perhaps richer fields exist in the
eastern part of the island, which. how
ever, Will be less easily reached. The eff
feet, direct or indirect, of the gulf stream
opens the west coast of SDitzbergen in
summer, but the other Is more difficult of
approach.
1t is stated that even in the sheltered Ice
Fjord the coal cannot be shipped directly
from the land and the piers must be re-
moved before winter, during parts Of which
work will have to be suspended. But when
the coal has been followed for some little
distance from the surface there will be
nothing to prevent the miners from going
on even to December. The ground. no
doubt IS permanently frozen for consid-
cradle depth. but the temperature will rise
steadily as the distance from the surface
increases, and will be. uniform. After
awhile the mine will be more comfortable
winter in the Island from the first, and the
longer they can work the more healthy
they will be. But Spitzbergen may not be
the only arctic island in which coal occurs,
though perhaps 1t Is the most favorable
for commercial purposes. The fuel may
be found in Franz Josef Land; beds full OF
fossil plants occur near Ezra Harbor-of
later date, indeed, but in rocks which e.Se-
Wntre pIouuce Codi. L oHi nv
vaia Zemlya Colonel Fielder brought back
specimens of Hmestones which experts as
signed to an age very near that OF our
English coal BEDS and other localities could
readily be named. But these masses of
fossil vegetable matter indicate curious
changes in the climate. Nowadays nothing
bigger than the stunted polar willow grows
in SpitZbergen. Even in the extreme north
of Norway the hardy birch is dwarfed. Yet
these ancient plants formerly almost ri
vailed forest trees, and the change was late
In coming. A temperate climate existed as
far north as the SEVENTEEN parallel, and In
Greenland beds OF brown coal were formed
even In the tertiary era. At that time the
plane the magnolia and the vine hourished
in the latitude of Disco Bay.