§ SIR ROBERT PEELsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether it would not be desirable to instruct the Director General of the Institution charged with conducting the Geological Survey of Great Britain and Ireland, by which mineral statistics are annually collected and published, to collect evidence bearing on the carboniferous system of the United Kingdom, the extent of the coal-fields, the thickness and quality, produce, and consumption of all bed3 of coal, and to Report thereon; and, if so, whether the Government would issue the necessary instructions accordingly?
§ SIR GEORGE GREYsaid, in reply, that Her Majesty's Government had anticipated the suggestion of the right hon. Baronet and had even previously to the notice of the hon. Member for Glamorganshire (Mr. Hussey Vivian) of his intention to move for a Commission on the subject, addressed a letter to Sir Roderick Murchison, who was at the head of the Geological Survey, with the view of ascertaining from him whether by means of that Department certain inquiries into the extent of our coal-fields could be conducted, and what would be the probable expense of such a proceeding. The answer to that letter led the Government to hope that full information on this subject would shortly be obtained.