THE COAL OF ASSAM. 21 



ment steamers, for which alone the source seems to be available. At 

 present rates it appears that coals from below and from above would 

 interfere at about Tezpoor : it is stated in an official letter by the Com- 

 mander of the Government Steamer Koel, that coals shipped at Kooshtea 

 for nine annas per maund can be delivered at Gowhatty for 11 1^ annas.* 

 Several causes must contribute to create circumstances so anoma- 

 lous. Foremost there is no doubt the depopu- 

 Causes for tlie neglect. , , 



lated, uncivilized state of the country ; where, 



to undertake any branch of industry, one must provide every thino- 

 connected with the production, however remotely. There may, perhaps, 

 also be a doubt, whether the demand for coal has hitherto been sufficient 

 to remunerate for any extensive operations of extraction ; it is, however 

 considerable ; and it may confidently be expected rapidly to attain a 

 large extension j a supply of coal would in itself greatly encourage this ex- 

 tension. For an indefinite period, the trade of Assam must be carried on 

 by the Bramahpootra ; and steam-power is likely to keep the supremacy 

 it has established ; prospectively it is almost matter for cono-ratulation 

 that this noble stream is free from the lumbering native boats which 

 swarm on the rivers of Bengal. The all-absorbing nature of tea-culti- 

 vation partly accounts for the neglect of the coal ; and this fact says 

 much for the profits of that trade. It is impossible, however not to 

 regret that some more energetic endeavour to open out so important a 

 field of industry had not been made by the Government. We beheve 

 the present investigation was suggested by applications for the purchase 

 or lease of coal grants ; and yet all arrangements for such grants are 

 still in abeyance. The difficulty of making these arrangements with 

 due regard to the interest of all parties concerned is not slight, under the 

 peculiar circumstances of the country. The field is, indeed, large 

 enough for many workers ; but will these be forthcoming ? There would 



* I cannot say what elements tliis estimate includes or excludes. I doubt its bein"- 

 taken from the carrier's point of view. 



( 407 ) 



