as it is literally almost dust. Great hopes are now entertained here
that government will abolish the oppressive duty on sea-borne coal. In
the stone-coal and culm[3] trade, Swansea and Neath almost supply the
whole kingdom. Independent of foreign trade, 55,066 chalders of culm
and 10,319 tons of stone-coal were shipped coastwise in 1819: last
year the ports of Swansea and Neath shipped 123,000 chalders of
stone-coal and culm. Stone-coal improves in quality as it advances
westward. That of Milford, of which however only about 6,000 chalders
are annually exported, sells generally at from 50s. to 60s. per
chaldron in the London market--a price vastly exceeding the finest
Newcastle coal. It emits no smoke, and is used principally in
lime-burning and in manufactories where an intense heat and the
absence of smoke is required. The Swansea culm is mostly obtained
about thirteen miles from the town. The bituminous coal mines in the
vale of Tawy are fast getting exhausted, and the supply of coal must
at no distant day be drawn farther westward, near the Burry River,
where the quality of the coal is much improved, approaching nearer to
that of Newcastle. The national importance of the inexhaustible supply
of this mineral which exists in Wales, is incalculable; but as it has
already been alluded to in _The Mirror_, in an extract from Mr.
Bakewell's Geology, we will not farther pursue the subject.[4] While
mentioning the trade of Swansea, we should not omit to state that two
extensive potteries, tin and ironworks, and founderies, &c., and
bonding warehouses and yards for foreign goods, &c. exist here.

VYVIAN.

[2] See Mirror, vol. xvi.

[3] The small of the stone-coal.