Joseph Beete Jukes

“ Were the South Staffordshire coal-field now untouched and the property of one individual, there is no doubt that, as far as the mere economical extraction of its minerals is concerned, it might be worked under one well-considered system with infinitely less cost and far greater profit than it has been. ”

“ In the meanwhile it is hoped that the present general survey of the South Staffordshire coal-field will be found of considerable practical utility, since it has enabled us to combine into a general view much information that had hitherto been only scattered piece-meal about the district, to give a little more definite and common direction, perhaps, to the ideas hitherto floating loosely in many men's minds, as also to warn men off the districts where costly speculations will be almost sure to be unrewarded, and in some degree to point to those where they are most likely to be successful. ”

“ Every other important bed of coal and ironstone could have been laid down on its separate map, showing its extent, depth, thickness, richness, and the places where it had and where it had not been gotten.
Every one who has had anything to do with coal mining, even as a spectator, must be aware of the great waste of money, labour, and materials, consequent on the division of property among many small owners, each having different and opposite interests. ”