Peter and Dave:
I think the problem that Douglas is having with "culm" is that in the US it
would generally refer to carbonaceous shale. i.e. it would be waste. The
Dictionary of Geological Terms also gives the meaning "fine particles of
anthracite" and points out that the term is "vernacular" and that its meaning
varies "according to locality" as in Britain.
John
John Berry
5000 Beverly Hills Dr.,
AUSTIN, TX 78731
512-452-8068
[log in to unmask]
----- Original Message ----- >
> Date: Sun, 27 Oct 2002 22:44:44 +0000
> From: Peter Claughton <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: History of Coal in Scotland
>
> >>I am a historian of science in the U.S. and I have been looking at James
> >>Hutton's work on coal.
>
> Dave,
>
> Below is the gist of my reply direct to Douglas
>
> > Hutton is referred to frequently by Hugh Torrens in his collected papers
> published recently as The Practice of British Geology, 1750-1850, and his
> work might give you some leads.
> >
> >As to 'culm' this was anthracite - in south-west Wales it would refer to
> small anthracite, less than 1/2 inch in size, and was defined as such for
> customs (duty) purposes. In north Devon, it was term used for all
> anthracite mined, albeit from very limited crushed horizons in the Lower
> Culm Measures (note the use of the term for a whole series of strata in that
> area).
>
> Peter
>
> ______________________________________________
|