1838.] Report upon the Coal o/Sylhet. 961 



as a salary, either three per cent, on the price of the coal, or what will 

 be better fifty rupees per mensem. His business would be to see that 

 the coal was brought to the foot of the hills, and to report when the 

 required quantity was ready for despatch. The detail of the business 

 can easily be settled by us, should this arrangement meet your commit- 

 tee's approbation, and the sanction of government. That some such 

 arrangement is necessary is obvious, for it would be impossible for me 

 to leave my station and present duties, to go to Cherra to make con- 

 tracts, whenever a new supply of coal was required, which could not 

 even then be procured without constant supervision. I was assisted by 

 the kindness of a friend at Cherra when I made the last successful 

 experiment, and I wrote to a gentleman settled at Cherra on my return 

 from Calcutta, begging to know whether he would agree to the following 

 terms. To purchase the required supplies of coal, and to receive a 

 percentage on the price or fifty rupees a month. To find the purchase 

 money himself, and not to require repayment till the whole supply had 

 been delivered at the foot of the hills, leaving the coal to be forwarded 

 to its various destinations by the collector of Sylhet, or any other officer 

 who might be authorized, for his own health would not permit him to 

 come down to the plains. He stated in reply his inability to find the 

 purchase money, but he is willing to take upon himself the task of for- 

 warding the coal, and as he has been resident some time in the hills, he 

 is likely to get it as cheap as any one else. The great object is to have 

 some one to look after the Kasyas ; the money might be supplied from 

 the Sylhet treasury, and as long as I remain in the district, I shall be 

 happy to use my best endeavours in forwarding the coal to any place, 

 and assisting the views of the committee. 



It will now be a difficult thing, and attended with greater expense to 

 have the coal ready at the different stations, particularly at those above 

 Mongir and Danapur, by next July. Allahabad is about two and a 

 half or three months' journey from this, and it will take some time in 

 getting the coal to the foot of the hills ; — there is now but little water 

 in the small river that runs by Terriah-ghat, and the coal would have 

 to be carried in canoes to Pandua and thence to Chattuk. These 

 canoes are cut out of a single tree, and not capable of carrying more than 

 twenty or thirty maunds ; without money I can do nothing, and unless 

 I have orders to draw on the collector of Sylhet for the necessary sum 

 immediately, another month may be lost. I will, however, make the 

 attempt, and accompanying is a statement showing what would be the 

 probable expense. 

 6 s2 



