﻿27 
  

   Chapter 
  V. 
  — 
  The 
  Lateritic 
  Formations. 
  

  

  Of 
  the 
  various 
  formations 
  classed 
  together 
  as 
  ' 
  laterifcic/ 
  the 
  most 
  

   important 
  and 
  most 
  striking" 
  in 
  appearance 
  is 
  the 
  laterite 
  proper, 
  a 
  

   ferruginous 
  clay 
  of 
  a 
  peculiar 
  character. 
  The 
  other 
  formations 
  associated 
  

   with 
  it 
  are 
  gravels 
  and 
  sands, 
  both 
  generally 
  more 
  or 
  less 
  ferruginous. 
  

  

  The 
  name 
  ' 
  laterite 
  ' 
  has 
  unfortunately 
  been 
  extended 
  to 
  other 
  

  

  t. 
  R 
  ... 
  „,, 
  rocks 
  of 
  somewhat 
  similar 
  aspect, 
  but 
  of 
  very 
  

  

  Definition 
  of 
  the 
  name 
  r 
  > 
  J 
  

  

  laterite. 
  different 
  origin 
  from 
  the 
  truly 
  sedimentary 
  

  

  ferruginous 
  clay 
  of 
  the 
  western 
  coast, 
  to 
  which 
  the 
  name 
  was 
  first 
  

   applied 
  by 
  Dr. 
  Francis 
  Buchanan.* 
  

  

  Much 
  confusion 
  has 
  arisen 
  from 
  this 
  loose 
  application 
  of 
  names, 
  

   the 
  true 
  sedimentary 
  laterite 
  being 
  frequently 
  confounded 
  with 
  a 
  red 
  

   tufaceous 
  clay 
  associated 
  with 
  lavas 
  in 
  volcanic 
  regionsf 
  and 
  also 
  with 
  

   a 
  peculiar 
  indurated 
  ferruginous 
  clay 
  found 
  chiefly 
  on 
  the 
  summits 
  

   of 
  the 
  highest 
  mountains 
  in 
  Southern 
  India, 
  e. 
  g. 
  } 
  the 
  Nilghiris 
  and 
  

   Shervaroys, 
  and 
  resulting 
  from 
  the 
  decomposition 
  of 
  hornblendic 
  and 
  

   other 
  ferruginous 
  rocks 
  in 
  very 
  damp 
  climates. 
  

  

  To 
  avoid 
  such 
  confusion 
  the 
  term 
  'laterite' 
  is, 
  in 
  this 
  report, 
  

  

  m 
  . 
  , 
  ., 
  ,. 
  applied 
  onlv 
  to 
  a 
  truly 
  sedimentary 
  rock 
  of 
  (in 
  all 
  

  

  True 
  laterite 
  a 
  sedi- 
  rr 
  j 
  j 
  j 
  \ 
  

  

  mentary 
  rock. 
  probability) 
  marine 
  origin. 
  

  

  Although 
  no 
  organic 
  remains 
  have 
  been 
  found 
  in 
  the 
  laterite 
  of 
  

   the 
  Coromandel 
  Coast, 
  nor, 
  so 
  far 
  as 
  I 
  know, 
  in 
  the 
  corresponding 
  form- 
  

   ation 
  on 
  the 
  Western 
  Coast 
  of 
  India, 
  to 
  show 
  whether 
  it 
  was 
  a 
  marine 
  

   or 
  fresh-water 
  formation, 
  there 
  can 
  yet 
  be 
  little 
  or 
  no 
  doubt 
  of 
  its 
  being 
  

   of 
  marine 
  origin, 
  if 
  the 
  position 
  of 
  the 
  several 
  laterite 
  areas 
  along 
  the 
  

   coast, 
  from 
  Tanjore 
  northward 
  nearly 
  to 
  Ongole 
  in 
  Nellore 
  District, 
  

  

  * 
  See 
  " 
  Journey 
  from 
  Madras 
  through 
  Mysore, 
  Canara 
  and 
  Malahar" 
  (London, 
  1807 
  

   3 
  vols,), 
  Vol. 
  II, 
  pp. 
  436 
  and 
  440. 
  

  

  f 
  See 
  Lyell's 
  "Elements 
  of 
  Geology," 
  6th 
  Edition, 
  page 
  590. 
  

  

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  27 
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