1840.] Report of the Coal Committee. 203 



and within such distance of water carriage as to enable a porter to de- 

 liver five burdens daily from the pit into boats. Mr. Inglis is of opi- 

 nion that this coal is quite as good as that of Cherra,* and Major 

 Lister observes that it looks so, though the quality is different, being 

 blacker, with an exceedingly high polish ; it burns considerably longer 

 than Cherra coal, and cakes less, but is heavier, and yields more 

 ashes. 



The value of these, as well as similar indications alluded to 

 in our last report, is still doubtful, and must remain so until the 

 whole tract along the base of the Kasyah hills be submitted to a 

 geological survey. For the present season, if the Government re- 

 quire coal from this quarter, we agree with Major Lister in thinking 

 it will be necessary to confine our exertions exclusively to the Cherra 

 bed. This, as is well known, is situated on the summit of a mountain, 

 nearly 5,000 feet above the sea, and at such a distance from navigable 

 rivers as to render it a day's work for each cooly to deliver a maund, 

 or about 80 pounds, of coal from the pit into a boat. 



The only way of lessening this inconvenience would be by 

 improving the conveyance, by an improvement of the road. Above 

 and below the steepest portion of the descent would admit of bullocks 

 being used, as stated p. 48 in our former report. Instead of porters 

 for the steeper or middle portion of the journey, it has been proposed 

 to construct a slide, as suggested by the late Colonel Watson. The 

 improvement of the road between Cherra and the plains would be a 

 work of some public utility, as it would be the means of facilitating 

 ingress and egress to and from the mountain plateau, it would therefore 

 be a very desirable object, independent of the coal. The value of a 

 slide however, would depend entirely on our success in finding as good 

 a coal below, as that which is above— an uncertainty which ought to 

 be at once removed by a perfect geological survey, as already sug- 

 gested. 



Some difference of opinion prevails as to the best way of 

 transmitting Sylhet coal to the great lines of inland navigation on 

 the Ganges ; some contending that it would be necessary in the first 

 instance to send them a distance of 300 miles to Calcutta, and from 

 thence back to Surda, and other depots on the Ganges ; — experience is 

 the only way of settling questions of this nature, and measures are 

 now in progress for the delivery of the largest possible quantity — 10 

 or 15,000 maunds of Cherra Poonji coal— in Calcutta, with the least 



* A cargo of it having recently arrived in Calcutta it is now (4th May, 1840) under 

 trial on a large scale, and promises to turn out very favourably, 



