JOURNAL 



OF 



THE ASIATIC SOCIETY. 



No. 82.— October, 1838. 



I. — Report of a visit made to the supposed Coal Field at Bidjeegurh 

 (VijayagadhaJ. By Mr. George Osborne, Sub. Dep. Opium 

 Agent, Benares division. 



The existence of coal fields in the perguna of Bidjeegurh, has from 

 time to time been reported, by an individual of the name of Hyland, 

 who, from self-interested motives, long refused to disclose the locality, 

 but at length announced by letter to Capt. Stewart, Fort Adjutant, 

 at Chunar, his willingness to disclose the site of the mine, to any 

 person that Government might be pleased to appoint for that purpose. 



3. On the occasion of the visit of the Right Honorable the Gover- 

 nor General to Chunar, in November last, his Lordship was pleased to 

 honor me with his commands to proceed to the Bidjeegurh pergunas, 

 to examine and report upon the nature and extent of Mr. Hyland's 

 discoveries. 



4. In obedience to these instructions, I accordingly left Chunar on 

 Monday morning the 27th of November last, and arrived at Bidjeegurh 

 on the 1st of December. 



5. In the 3rd para, of the letter to which reference has been al- 

 ready made, Mr. Hyland states : " The place from which my speci- 

 mens are supplied, is situated about 8 miles southeast of Bidjeegurh 

 fort, and about half a mile east from an unfrequented pass called Umlah 

 Ghat : it is there found in a stratum 3 feet thick, &c." 



6. In his depositions before Mr. Woodcock, dated 23rd August, 

 1837, (vide page 33,) he further states : " I discovered good coal 3J 

 miles southeast of the village of Kodie in the jungle, and I brought away 



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