ECONOMTC EESOURCES. 75 



in a list of positions where coal exists. But I have thought it 

 desirable to enumerate all the localities where any traces of coal, or even 

 coaly-shale occur, as by so doing a means is afforded of recording in 

 tabular form all that is actually known regarding them. Were this 

 not done, future visitors might imagine that some had been overlooked, 

 and, as is often the case, would be apt to exaggerate the value of seams 

 of which they might fancy themselves to be the first discoverers. 



From what has been said on previous pages it may be concluded 

 that there is no great thickness of the coal-measures in this area, and 

 therefore the coal, excepting that which is presumed to exist under the 

 hills, is nowhere at any very great depth from the surface. 



The conclusion to be drawn from the above observations is, in short, 



Conclusions to quan- ^ a * there is at least 210 millions of tons of, for 

 txt y- the most part, inferior coal which can be easily 



worked, but which is now unavailable except to the stations in the 

 immediate neighbourhood owing to the difficulties and cost of transit to 

 the nearest point on the rail and rivers. It will only be under different 

 conditions from those which exist at present that the Rajmehal coals can 

 compete successfully with those of Raniganj and Karharbali. 



I have already pointed out on page 43 that a boring can alone prove 

 whether coal occurs associated with the sandstones which are exposed 

 on the east of the hills four miles to the north-west of Rajmehal. 

 Should coal be found there of fair amount and quality, its vicinity 

 to the river and railway could not fail to render it valuable. 



On the western side of the hills but few borings would be requi- 

 site to test the character of the seams. The places where such should 

 be made, should it ever be desirable to work the field, could readily be 

 indicated. The well-known irregularity of deposit which characterises 

 the rocks of Barakar age would in some instances justify borings being 

 made even where there is a section shewing an apparently complete 

 sequence of the beds and still no coal visible. 



( 229 ) 



