606 Miscellaneous. [Nov. 
I have no doubt but European skill and capital will shortly turn to some account 
these notices of a native, and valuable substance, which has not remained hidden, 
but has been at least unknown to the generality of enterprizing commercial men. 
In conclusion, should this meet the eye of Mr. Campze Lt, I beg leave to thank 
that gentleman for his kind offer of assistance, and will feel obliged by his sending 
me samples, or specimens of the various kinds of Saldjit, especially the black kind, 
a variety which J have not yet seen. Any expense in collecting, or conveyance to 
my address, (Singhea, Tirhoot,) will be cheerfully paid. 
I am, dear Sir, &c. 
10¢/ Nov. 1833. J. STEVENSON. 
3.—Summary Sketch of the Geology of India. 
{Extracted from the Rev. W- D. Conybeare’s Report to the British Association at Oxford,1882.] 
In Southern Asia, many of the British residents have been far from inactive ; 
among these we may specify the names of FRANKLIN, Voysrey, HERBERT, CHRIS- 
Tiz, Low, Harpir, and Govan: but CaLper’s General Memoir on the Geology 
of India conveniently and ably brings together in one view the substance of the 
insulated observations of others. 
From these sources we learn, that primitive formations, in which granitic rocks 
bear the principal proportion, occupy not only the great Himalayan northern 
chain, but also three-fourths of the entire peninsula, from the vale of the Ganges 
below Patna to Cape Comorin; although these rocks are frequently overlaid by a 
thin crust of laterite (a ferruginous clay, considered as associated with the trap 
formation). The transition formations have not been clearly distinguished ; the 
secondary formations described are :—1l.- The carboniferous group. Coal has 
been said to occur extensively in the grits bounding the southern slope of the Him- 
Alaya; but it has been questioned, whether this formation is the older coal, or 
only lignite associated with nagelflue, (as on the slope of the Alps;) it has been 
particularly described however where the river Tista issues from this chain (88° 
35’ Long. E.), and there undoubtedly bears all the characters of the older formation ; 
its strata are highly inclined, whereas the tertiary beds, and even most of the se- 
condary in this part of India, are horizontal: but the only coal district regularly 
worked is that on the river Damfdda, about 100 miles N. W. of Calcutta; this 
extends on the banks of that river about 60 miles, and appears from its fossil 
lycopodia to be undoubtedly the older coal; it reposes apparently on the surround- 
ing primitive rocks, but it has been conjectured, that it may possibly extend across 
the delta of the Ganges to Silhet (almost 306 miles distant at the eastern extre- 
mity of Bengal) ; it seems doubtful however whether the Silhet coal be not really 
modern lignite, as tertiary rocks certainly prevail in that quarter. No carboni- 
ferous limestone has been observed. 
2. Next to the coal we have to notice a great sandstone formation, which is 
usually considered equivalent to our new red sandstone ; this includes many varia- 
tions of character, comprising, besides sandstone and conglomerates, shales often 
approximating to older slate; the diamond mines of Panna (in Bundelkhand) and 
of the Golconda district are situated in this formation, the matrix being a conglo- 
merate bed with quartzose pebbles: rock salt and gypsum are found where this 
formation extends on the N. W. into the great basin of the Indus: the stratifica- 
tion is uniformly horizontal ; no organic remains occur. Beginning at the Ganges 
