1838.] of Coal in the Tenasserim Province. 705 



1. The discovery of a superior quality of coal in an unlimited 

 quantity, in an accessible locality will remove every obstacle to steam 

 communication along the whole of the eastern coast of Bengal. 



2. It will render the inexhaustible supply of superior iron ore a 

 treasure to the provinces, and will lead to the supply of iron for the 

 whole of India from this coast. 



3. It will be an inducement to work the fin mines. 



4. It will give employment to several hundred convicts in a profita- 

 ble way to government. 



5. The circulation of a capital of 60,000 rupees ad minimum per 

 annum which remains in the country will render the inhabitants the 

 more rich, the provinces the more prosperous. 



6. In consequence of this, foreign capital will be drawn into the 

 country ; — the increase of capital will increase the population ; — the 

 increase of population will increase the cultivation ; — the increase of 

 population and cultivation will augment the public revenue. 



Report on the Mergui Cottl. 



The first supply of coal from Dr. Helfer, upon which I reported 

 unfavorably I now perceive to have consisted merely of A, B, and 

 C, of the forgoing report, the precursors only of the Doctor's real 

 discovery, and as he himself expresses it, only valuable in a scientific 

 point of view. 



The four baskets now received are indeed of a far different quality 

 and fully justify the enthusiastic anticipations their discovery has raised. 

 Not being distinguished by any mark I presume they are all from the 

 localities D and E, which may be regarded as connected together, 

 though differing somewhat in quality. 



This deposit seems to consist entirely of that species of coal called 

 pitch coal, or cannel coal. It resembles in many respects the most 

 resinous of the coals of the Assam field, but the ligneous structure is 

 generally less evident, and the fracture more conchoidal. In many 

 fragments however the laminary texture is observable, and the usual 

 variations in the quality of the layers of carbonized matter mark the 

 mode of deposit, some layers having more earthy matter, some more 

 carbonaceous, and some more bituminous ; and occasionally a thin film 

 of ferruginous or earthy matter intervening. 



The Mergui coal is however in general very homogeneous, as the 

 annexed analysis of four specimens taken from different bags will 

 show. It should be remarked that these specimens are each averages, 

 part being taken from the best and part from the worst looking of 

 each parcel. 



4 t 2 



