The journal is preceded by a 'narrative of some part of the management of the said works' from 15 May 1745, a few days before the works were bought by William Grant, until 2 April 1748; with weekly coal bills from 9 August 1745 to 2 April 1748. Weekly salt bills for the same period are not given (see folio 16).

The journal from 2 April 1748 (folio 16 verso) contains, in its earlier stages, a considerable amount of technical matter relating to mining. On the financial side, the statements relating to coal and those relating to salt run side by side until 26 November 1748. Thereafter coal runs from 3 December 1748 to 25 November 1749 (folio 44); salt over the same period (folio 58); coal from 2 December 1749 to 24 November 1750 (folio 68); and salt over the same period (folio 82).

There are some loose papers, the longest of which is a 'Narrative of the Management of the Coall Work of Prestongrange from 2d Aprile, 1748' (folio 1). There are also some writings at the end of the volume (folios 1-5 in reverse).