Mr. FTHOMAS. I now submit the proposition of which I spoke the other day when this bill was under consideration. amend this 1st section by striking out the following: On bitumine us coal, 50 cents perton of 20 oiiht bushels, 80 pounds to the bushel; on all other coal, 25 centsperton of 28 bushels, 8v pounds to the bushel; on coke and eulm of coal. 10%. advalorem. As I explained to the House the other day, this leaves in full force the general tariff law of 1864. Within the compass of time that is now prescribed for debate, it would be idle in the highest degree to undertake to enlarge upon the position I then attempted to occupy. But, Mr. Chairman, let me say that if it is necessary for the encouragement of the domes tic industry of the country to levy a duty of $1 25 perton upon coal which is brought across the ocean, with all the risk and expense of the transit, there certainly is much more reason for leing a similar duty upon coal which is broug t into our ports of entry from the mines of the neighboring British Provinces. Mr. Chairman, I may have a peared to some as dealing in hyperbole when s oke the other day of the inexhaustible minera resources of our country, the latent value of which I desire gradually and legitimately to develop. Why, sir, there is a single section of country, beinv partly the Alleghany region of Maryland, and extending also into the States of Pennsylvania and Virginia, embracing 300 square miles of bitumine us coal a region traversed by the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, and uppreached very nearly by the western terminus of the Chesapeake an Ohio canal. In that coal basin there are veins 4,6 and 12 feet thick. I admit that no one of those veins runs throughout the entire basin; but taking the average it may be said that there isa body of coal 8 feet thick extending throughout these 300 square miles of land. Let any gentleman calculate the cubic feet of coal embraced within a single square mile of that region, and calculate a so the cubic feet contained in a single ton of coal, and he will see that I am speaking entirely within bounds when I say that that region alone can furnish, for the supply of all our steam marine and all our manu acturing establishments accessible by our coasting trade, sufficient coal for thou. sands of cars to come. Now,