The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-12-03
COAL IN THE ARCTIC.
Recent Discoveries In SpitEbergen
and Elsewhere.
London Standard.

London Standard.
To obtain fuel from the Arctic regions
seems almost a paradox but our Berlin
correspondent informs us this morning
that good seams of coal have been found
on the western side of Spitzbergen, and
are to be worked on the most approved
business principles. That carboniferous
rocks existed in the island has been
known for some time, but during the last
summer experts were dispatched from
Norway to ascertain whether the min
eral was sufficiently abundant and &C
cesSlble~ to be worth working. Their re-
ports are most favorable. Good furnace
coal has been found in Green harbor, on
the south side of the entrance of 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 Spitzenbergen is
more or less a plateau, and the strata
are horizontal, ranging from the period
anterior to the carboniferous to that in
which our chalk was deposited. The
western part is mountainous, and con-
sists of older crystalline rocks, but up
lifted parts of these sedinentary strata
here and there rest upon them, as is the
case where these seams have been dis
powered. In such circumstances. the fields
are likely to be limited in extent, and
the seams may be tilted al high angles,
or broken up by faults. Still, as the coal
can be worked by adits its accessibility
be a compensation These discoveries
make it highly probable that larger, and
perhaps richer fields exist in the eastern
part of the island, which, however, will
The effect, direct or indirect. of the
gulf streams opens the west coast OF
is more dificult of approach. 1t is stated
that even in the sheltered ice ford the
coal cannot be shipped directly from the
land, and the piers must be removed be-
fore 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 go
ing on even in December. The ground,
no doubt, is permanently frozen for a
considerable depth, but the temperature
the surface Increases, and will be uni
form. After a while the mine will be
more comfortable than any house. As it
is, the party will winter in the island
from the first and the longer they can
work the more healthy they will be. But
ppltzDergen may not be the only Arctic
island in which coal occurs, though per-
haps 1t is the most favorable for COM
mercial purposes. The fuel may be found
in Franz Josef land; beds full of fossil
plants occur near Ezra harbor-of later
cate, indeed, but in rocks which else
where occasionally produce coal. From
Nova Zembtt Col. Feilden brought back
specimens Of limestones 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 moth
ing bigger than the stunted Polar willow
grows in Spitzbergen. Even in the ex-
IRENE north of Norway the hardy birch
is dwarfed. Yet these ancient plants for
merly almost riyaled forest trees, and
the change was late In coming. A tenn
perate climate existed as far north as
the. seventeen parallel, and in Green
land beds of brown coal were formed
even in the Tertiary era. At that time
the plane, the magnolia and the vine
Mourished In the latitude Of Disco BAY