^ HUGHES : KURHURBiRi COAL PIELD. 



The capabilities of the field are alluded to in the following 

 terms (Par. 7) : — 



" The new coal field, although of small extent, is rich in valuable 

 beds of Goal, capable of supplying all demands for fuel likely to be tbrown 

 upon it for tbe next fifty years/'' 



In 1853, Mr. Oldham paid a flying visit to the place, noticed the 



field, and pointed out several of tbe errors 

 Mr. Oldham. 



of the previous report. He referred to the 



coal at Ramnuddi, opened up by Mr. Inman subsequent to the pub- 

 lication of Dr. McClelland^s report, and says " of it, " this coal is of 

 excellent quality, it comes out in larger symmetrical masses and is freer 

 from admixture (though still possessing the same laminar texture) than 

 the Damoodah (Raneegunj) coals.^' 



The favorable opinion expressed by Dr. Oldham of the quality of 

 this coal has since been confirmed by assay. The mines are now being 

 worked by the Bengal Coal Company. The coals of this bed and of 

 the fine seam at Passarabhia are the best in the field. Indeed, they 

 seem to have been accepted as a sample of the quality of the rest of the 

 coals, and have thus, perhaps, become rather a source of error in com- 

 puting the value of the field. 



The next published information is contained in a report made to the 

 Government of India, in April 1857, by Mr. David Smith, iron and coal 

 viewer, upon the coal fields of Singrowlee and Kurhurbari. 



Mr. Smith commenced his remarks upon the latter by alluding to 



the shaft sunk upon the coal at Ramnuddi by 



Mr. David Smith. ^^ -r xt ,i ,• ,, 



Mr. inman. He then notices the section exposed 



in the bed of the Kanko (Khakho) nuddee, and from what he states, 



it is evident that he considered the outcrops in the Sati and 



( 2ia ) 



