3 . HUGHES : DEOGHUR COAL FIELDS. 



the poor quality of the coal they contain, and the limited area over 

 which it occurs, so that no successful competition with the Kurhurbari 

 field even locally can be initiated for years to come, in fact, not until 

 the almost total exhaustion of the resources of the latter. 



The coal which is found at Sahajori was assayed by Dr. Waldie of 

 Barnagore, and contained 28 to 37 per cent, of ash. I believe it to be 

 an average sample of the coals occurring in the three outliers, with the 

 possible exception of one in the smaller outlier lying to the east of the 

 Adjai. 



The evidence bearing out the opinion which I have expressed of 

 the present comparative uselessness of these outliers will be fully detailed 

 in the following pages, after first touching upon their physical features 

 and their geological structure. 



II. — Physical Features. 



These outliers lie between Long. 86° 37' and 87° 5' E. and Lat. -^k" 5' 

 and 24° 15' N. in the level ground north of the valley of the Barakar 

 river, and south of the broken ranges of hiUs of which Puturdha, 

 Phuljori, Sonatari and Gumrie are some of the highest points. 



"Within the boundary of the sedimentary rocks there are no hills, 

 and the surface of the country is scarcely undulating except in the 

 immediate vicinity of the rivers. The large proportion of the area 

 covered by the Talchirs tends to stamp this deadness of character upon 

 the whole of the outliers, which is in contrast to the Kurhurbari field 

 where there is a preponderating influence of the Barakars. 



The drainage is principally into the Adjai, which, taking a southerly 

 course after its junction with the Jainti, passes between the two larger 

 outliers, and then turns eastward to flow through the north-easterly por- 

 tion of the Banigunj field. 



( 248 ) 



