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The First Signs of Distress

           NotwithstandingthetheoriesofProfessorLiedenbrock,aviolentheatdidatthattimebroodwithinthebodyofthespheroid.Itsactionwasfelttotheverylastcoatsoftheterrestrialcrust;theplants,unacquaintedwiththebeneficentinfluencesofthesun,yieldedneitherflowersnorscent.Buttheirrootsdrewvigorouslifefromtheburningsoiloftheearlydaysofthisplanet.

           Therewerebutfewtrees.Herbaceousplantsaloneexisted.Thereweretallgrasses,ferns,lycopods,besidessigillaria,asterophyllites,nowscarceplants,butthenthespeciesmightbecountedbythousands.

           Thecoalmeasuresowetheirorigintothisperiodofprofusevegetation.Theyetelasticandyieldingcrustoftheearthobeyedthefluidforcesbeneath.Thenceinnumerablefissuresanddepressions.Theplants,sunkunderneaththewaters,formedbydegreesintovastaccumulatedmasses.

           Thencamethechemicalactionofnature;inthedepthsoftheseasthevegetableaccumulationsfirstbecamepeat;then,acteduponbygeneratedgasesandtheheatoffermentation,theyunderwentaprocessofcompletemineralization.

           Thuswereformedthoseimmensecoalfields,whichnevertheless,arenotinexhaustible,andwhichthreecenturiesatthepresentacceleratedrateofconsumptionwillexhaustunlesstheindustrialworldwilldevisearemedy.

           ThesereflectionscameintomymindwhilstIwascontemplatingthemineralwealthstoredupinthisportionoftheglobe.Thesenodoubt,Ithought,willneverbediscovered;theworkingofsuchdeepmineswouldinvolvetoolargeanoutlay,andwherewouldbetheuseaslongascoalisyetspreadfarandwidenearthesurface?Suchasmyeyesbeholdthesevirginstores,suchtheywillbewhenthisworldcomestoanend.

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