98 hughes: wardha valley coal-field. 



and shale at 283'-6" from the surface; and I think it probable that 

 borings still further to the south in the direction of Saimbal would be 

 successful. Should such be the case, the estimate of 20 millions would 

 swell to 60 or 100 millions. Predicting the occurrence of coal, however, 

 anywhere under the alluvium, exposes one's opinion to the liability of being 

 wrong, for there is no surety that the coal has not been denuded, or has 

 not died out ; or that the under-series have not been brought up by a roll. 



At Majri the eastern limit of the coal may be indicated by a line 

 passing the bore-hole a little to the rise, and uniting Kauri and Saimbal. 

 We have consequently the area between this line and the Wardha as 

 probable coal land ; and if we allow 3 square miles, and 30 feet of coal, 

 we shall be moderate. 



Tdlwasa may be dismissed from our calculation, for though coal 



was proved there, the area for working in is not 

 Telwasa basin. 



extensive enough. 



The Ghugiis field is about 3 square miles, to which 30 feet of coal, 

 as at Majri, may be allowed, which will give 

 Ghfigus asm. 90,000,000 tons. Deducting one-half that must 



be lost in working, 45 millions would be the available quantity. 



It will be seen that the borings in the Chanda district have not 

 proved anything like a large quantity of coal ; but the requirements of 

 India are so small that one year's raisings in England would supply this 

 country with all its coal for a century. 



On the Wun side of the Wardha, a much larger area has been tested 

 than on the Chanda side, and the coal has been 

 proved to be much less irregularly distributed 

 under the Kamthis. This circumstance renders it possible to compute to 

 a moderate degree of nicety the total amount of coal in the Wun 

 district. Excluding the portion of the field covered by trap and allu- 

 vium from Zagra to Rangna, all to the east of the line joining 

 Wargaon, Naigaon, Yelora, Nilja Belora and Kumbari, the tract 

 ( 98 ) 



