6 PRELIMINARY NOTICE ON THE 



received, from Mr. Babington, specimens of iron and iron ores from 

 Kutterbagga, 20 miles N. E. of Sumbulpore. 



The total out-turn from these mines annually was stated to be 1,000 

 maunds.* 



To this information, the Keport of the Coal Committee, published in 



Coal Committee's Ee- ^846, added, with regard to this district, as with 

 P"'*' regard to every other to which this Eeport refers, 



nothing but exaggeration and confusion of statements. 



Coal, the very existence of which was barely known, was magnified 

 into " extensive beds of good quality and glistening lustre," and again 

 the Gopalprasad Nullah coal was said to be exposed extensively on both 

 banks, projecting to an average height of 15 feet above the sand of 

 the river, for a distance of a mile. What was intended to be conveyed 

 by this statement, I am not aware ; but, with aU the uncertainty 

 attaching to it, in the abstract of coal which is given, these beds are 

 stated to be "15 feet, probably several beds of this size.""!- 



In 1847, Mr. A. J. M. Mills, then Superintendent, stated in his Minute,| 

 " that the Killahs of Keonjhur, Nilghur, and Mohurbunje produce a 

 " variety of minerals and are said to be worthy of geological iuvestigation" 

 (p. 90.) Of Talcheer, he writes — " Coal beds have been discovered in this 

 " KiUah. Captain Kittoe and Mr. Beatson have examined and reported on 

 " them. The latter gentleman describes the field as above 30 miles in ex- 

 " tent, covered with stuntedjungle and composed of various kinds of sand- 



■ * Journal ABiatic Society, Bengal, Vol. XI. p. 836 and Vol. Xn. p. 164. 



t Eeport, folio, 1846, p. 146. This is only one of many instances in which the strange 

 exaggerations of this Report have created immense difficulties for future inquirers to sm-- 

 mount. Statements thus made, haphazard, are not got rid of by any amount of disproof, 

 subsequently brought to bear upon them. The contradiction never can have exactly the 

 same dissemination as the original statement, and, after years have elapsed, the latter is 

 frequently re-produced, and doubts are again excited, more especially when, as in the pre- 

 sent instance, such statements are published with a certain degree of authority attached 

 to them. 



+ Selections from Kecords of Government of Bengal, No. III. . 



