THE COAL OF ASSAM. SS 



tion of a grant, that may be immediately put in force, — One thousand 

 yards of the coal measures ; the terminal boundaries to be a line at right 

 angles to the strike of the rocks at each end of the length ; the central 

 point to be chosen ]>y the applicant. To admit of the dispos-al of several 

 grants, while avoiding the collision between grantees, and pending the 

 settlement of natural boundaries by competent judges, it would be well 

 to rule that a new applicant must not come within one mile of an 

 actual holding. It is unnecessary that this interval should be an exact 

 multiple of the provisional arbitrary length of a grant; for when the 

 final arrangements can be made, the interests of all parties will lead 

 to a considerable modification of the temporaiy length, leaving grants 

 both much over and under the assumed standaixl. The present olyect is 

 to give immediate opportunity for the opening up of the coal-field with 

 due security to the enterprise and protection to the resources of the 

 country. All these elements are easily measured and verified, and leave 

 little opening for dispute : they may be adhered to for many years to 

 come without doing prejudice to the development of coal-fields so ex- 

 tensive as these. As an encouragement to the enterprise, and as a 

 spur to Government to have proper final measures carried out, I would 

 recommend that the land-rent of the grants be remitted until final 

 boundaries are fixed and the area measured. 



The want of labour, which presents such great difficulty to every 



undertaking in Assam, must, of course, affect the 



working of the coal ; but, as it would seem, in a 



less degree than it does tea- cultivation. The Nagas, who can rarely be 



induced to accept work in the tea gardens, appear to have less objection 



to the much more severe labour of cutting and carrying coal ; it may 



be because the locality is within easy reach of their villages on the hills. 



Such, at least, has been the experience in the small workings hitherto 



carried on; but this source could scarcely be exclusively dej)ended on. 



It is, however, most important that this supply should be encouraged in 



D ( 411 ) 



