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Discovery of Coal in a new site. By W. Dunbar, Esq. Assistant 

 Surgeon, 5th Irregular Cavalry. 



Camp Burree, 

 22 miles from Hazareebaugh, 



In marching about a week ago from Dorunda to Hazareebaugh, I 

 halted one day at Bullea, a very considerable village about fourteen 

 miles to the south of the latter station. Having heard reports that there 

 was coal to be found in the vicinity, I requested the Kotwal, a very in- 

 telligent and obliging man, to show me where it was, we proceeded a 

 mile up the banks of a considerable nullah, called the Haharoo. The 

 soil appeared to be mostly alluvial, containing in some places a good 

 deal of hanker. The greater part was cut into rice khels. On the 

 banks of the Suncheraie, a small nullah running into the Haharoo, 

 I first saw the coal in a bed about three feet in thickness, with a 

 gentle dip or inclination to the west. It was splintery, very black, lying 

 below a friable sandstone, and alluvium containing hanker. The 

 bed seemed to be of great extent, and I have no doubt that any quan- 

 tity of coal can be procured at this place. I brought some specimens 

 with me to my tent, and found that those from near the surface did 

 not burn well; in fact it was with some difficulty I cculd get them to 

 ignite at all. The others burned very well indeed, without a great deal 

 of smoke, and leaving an inconsiderable quantity of ashes. The coal 

 bed seemed to have been never worked, and I had some trouble in 

 clearing away the grass and bushes, to procure the specimens which 

 I took with me. I have some of these still in my possession, and regret 

 that I have no opportunity of forwarding them to you at present, for 

 the opinion of better judges than myself. 



At Bullea there are large and very extensive iron works, employing 

 a great many persons, and yet strange to say, though most of the inha- 

 bitants are aware of the existence of this extensive coal bed, they never 

 use it for their furnaces ; but are at great expense in transporting wood 

 and charcoal from the forest, several miles distant. I endeavored to im- 

 press upon some of the workmen how advantageous it would be, and 

 what a saving would accrue to them, were they to use this coal ; but by 





