6 BALL : GEOLOGY OF ADEUNGA AND HUTAR COAL FIELDS. 



we bring it fairly over to the Dauri Nuddee, the upper end of which winds into 

 an extraordinary deep and narrow valley, within which this vein, as well as another 

 smaller one of one foot six inches lying at five fathoms beneath it, is found." 



Mr. Homfray after a description of tlie valley goes on to say that 

 he raised 700 maunds of this coal, and states that — 



" It bums with little flame, gives out an intense heat, with very little or scarce 

 any smoke ;.it retains fire for days together ; and to me appears to be a stone coal." 



I should have preferred to have given a resume of Mr. Homfray^s 

 remarks as a whole, rather than quote the above 

 Inaccuracies m the rambling statement; but I find it quite impos- 

 sible to follow a large portion of his description. 

 Some of the localities he mentions are quite unknown to me, and on the 

 others the remarks are either vague or inaccurate ; particularly, however, 

 is it necessary to call attention to the statement made about the coal 

 extending to Ratanpur and Singhbhum on the authority of an 

 intelligent native. If for Singhbhum we read Sirguja, the statement 

 would be consistent with general accuracy. But as Singhbhum is 

 again referred to by Mr. Homfray, and his statement has been quoted 

 in subsequent publications, it is necessary to point out that a Singh- 

 bhum coal fiield had its existence only in the imagination of his intel- 

 ligent friend. Detached areas of coal measures do, however, extend 

 towards Korba and Ratanpur through Sirguja and adjoining territories. 

 In the Committee's Report, Mr. Homfray's estimate of the extent of the 

 field is stated to be fourteen miles by six miles, which would be a fair 

 approximation to the truth ; but in his own letter he seems to claim a 

 wider extension " over an immense extent of country" 



He points out very clearly the impossibility of employing the Koel 

 above Chandu as a means of carriage, but some- 

 natation.''"''''*''^ ^°'' w^^^ exaggerates the difiiculties of the route by 

 road, as the Ghats he speaks of can be avoided. 

 ^™^' Regarding iron he writes — 



" Ironstone is here found in abundance close to the village of Baumundya in the 

 Dauri Nuddee in veins of three and four inches each ; these veins are also found in 

 ( 6 ) 



