8 BALL : GEOLOGY OF AURUNGA AND HUTAE COAL FIELDS. 



the result of my inquiries. As the locality is not given in the coal 

 Committee's Eeport printed in 1846, it may be that the true history was 

 at that time known to the Committee; but nowhere can I find any pub- 

 lished statement of the real facts as given below. 



According to Mr. Eavenshaw's letter, the discovery at the above- 

 named locality was communicated to him by Cazi Mahamdee of 

 parganah Jupla — 



"The specimen of coal forwarded from this mine appeared precisely similar in 

 ■ quality to that from the Singra mines ; but after digging a hundred maunds, the coal is 

 stated to have assumed a more stony character, and the Cazi therefore abandoned the 

 mine and proceeded to the old mines of Singra and Mirial near the banks of the 

 Koila Nuddee." 



The remark on this made in Dr. McClelland's Report on the coal 

 fields of India, dated 11th July 1845^ is as follows— 



"If the Cazi's statements regarding the existence of coal so near the Sone be 

 correct, the circumstances under which it occurs ought to be fully investigated." 



Although the neighbourhood is included in the Geological Survey Map 

 published in 1869, the position of one village named Chupri being repre- 

 sented as surrounded by alluvium, and although the account of the Cazi's 

 operations was strongly suggestive of deception, it seemed to me all impor- 

 tant to thoroughly enquire into the story and, if possible, expose and stamp 

 out the fiction, or establish the fact, as the case might be. Being somewhat 

 pressed for time towards the end of the season, and unable personally to 

 visit the locality, I was fortunate in being able to refer to Mr. 

 Davies of Rotasgurh, from whom I received the following letter, which 

 will probably recall to some readers of this similar stories of reputed 

 coal discoveries in other parts of India. Mr. Davies writes— 



" That olden report concerning the discovery of coal at Chupri, not far from Deori 



was a pure fabrication and got up by the then Cazi of Jupla 



Mr. Davies' letter. ^^ ^^^ ^^^ ingratiate himself with the Bengal Coal Company 



and benefit by working on their apprehensions. The matter was closely enquired into 



* Printed by order of the House of Commons, 19tl) .June 1863, and reprinted, in so far as 

 it refers to Palamow, in Mr. Forbes' Settlement Report. 



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