14 THE COAL OF ASSAM. 



The presence of coal in the earth is, however, only the first requisite. 



^ ,. . „ , For its profitable extraction there are other vei-y im- 



Conditions of place- ^ '' 



i^^T^^' portant conditions to be considered. In the Terap 



field these are by no means altogether favorable. I have always found 

 these rocks inclined at very high angles, except at the Terap itself; and 

 even concerning the apparently little disturbance here, I will presently 

 suggest some serious doubts. Besides the high dip, I have noticed fre- 

 quent local variations in the strike of the strata. These irregularities 

 would involve expenses and complications in any extensive mining 

 operations, showing beforehand the special necessity of commencing 

 any such enterprise under skilful (scientific) management.. It is no doubt 

 a great advantage for the transport that the measures should crop out 

 at the very edge of the level country. But where this feature is at its 

 best, coupled with a high underlie of the seam, drainage becomes a serious 

 difficulty from the very outset, specially in such a watery coimtry 

 as Assam. Such, for instance, is the condition of the coal band in the 

 vicinity of the Makoom and the Namding Rivers. At the Namchik 

 and the Terap there must be a large quantity of coal above the water 

 level of the adjoining plain. It is to be presumed that other localities 

 are to be found in equally favorable circumstances. 



The only sections I was able to obtain of the Jaipoor coal band 



were very obscure. The principal quarry worked 



is close to the left bank of the Dehing; in it the 



individual bed is pretty well seen. This seam crops out at the very 



foot of the steep scarp, about 100 feet above the water level. It is 



overlaid by the sandstone of the scarp, and slightly blended with it by 



interlamination, showing original association. The dip is very high 



and there is much crushing. The seam is about 17 feet thick, of which 



about 10 feet seems good clear coal; but owing to the crushed state it 



becomes irregularly mixed, and careful cutting would be necessary to 



get it out in block. About a quarter of a mile to the south-west there is 



( 400 ) 



