CHANDA DISTRICT. 37 



more, within which depth the presence or absence of the top coal 

 would possibly have been determined, for the steam borer, when fitted and 

 placed in position, failed utterly to throw any light on the sequence 

 of the underlying- measures, being unable to penetrate more than 189 

 feet owing to the sandstones running and effectually impeding further 

 progress. Some time was spent in trying to clean the hole, and then the 

 boring machine was removed to "Warora. 



The prospect of finding coal where these trial sites were chosen is, I 

 think, a fair one, as a considerable allowance has been made to avoid the 

 possible extension in this direction of the unproductive area proved near 

 the bungalow. 



At Ballarpur, several attempts were made to find within British limits 



Bailor. Unsuccess- the coal that cro P s out on the Nizam's side of the 

 ful search forthick coal. Wardha ^ and the firgt boring wag put down nearly 



opposite the point where the coal is seen. It was unfortunately injudi- 

 ciously selected, being within the limits of the old bed of the river, and 

 was abandoned as there was not tubing enough to carry the hole through 

 the running sand and gravel met with. A second hole was, therefore, 

 commenced in rock nearer the village of Ballarpur, and carried down to 

 a total depth of 236 feet, but proved nothing more than two thin beds of 

 coal 9" and 1'6* thick. 



At the bend of the River Wardha below Ballarpur, where it commences 



to flow in a south-easterly course, there is a fault 

 Fault. • . 



bearing east 60° south with a down throw on the 



north. It was thought advisable to prove the rocks on both sides, and 

 accordingly two bore-holes were put down. Nothing worth working was 

 met with, the thickest seam being 3 feet. There is evidently a consider- 

 able amount of overlapping in the vicinity of Ballarpur, and the top coal 

 has possibly been denuded. The irregularity of its extension is better 

 illustrated on the other side of the river — its absence under a large area 

 of Kamthis having been demonstrated by numerous borings. 



( 37 ) 



