390 Lieut. Hutchinson's Report on the QMay, 



No. 2. — Report on the new Tenasserim Coal Field. — By Lieut. 



Hutchinson, Madras Artillery. 

 To E. A. Blundell, Esq. Commissioner, Tenasserim Provinces. 



Sir, — Having visited the coal field lately discovered upon the large 

 branch of the Tenasserim river, I do myself the honor to forward a 

 Chart of the river from the Coal to Mergui, and beg to offer some 

 remarks for your consideration. 



The coal is situated in north lat. 12° 21' 30", and longitude about 

 99° 5' east, distant twenty-nine miles, by the course of the river, from 

 Tenasserim, or about sixty-five miles from Mergui ; the distance in a 

 direct line from Mergui is about twenty-eight miles in a west by south 

 direction. 



A small stream passes through the upper part of the coal bed, expo- 

 sing part of a thick stratum of coal covered by three feet of clay slate, 

 and from twenty to forty feet of sand. 



The sand may be removed easily with any tool, but at the same 

 time is so tenacious as to require no propping where springs do not 

 exist, and the slate being only three feet thick shafts may be sunk with- 

 celerity and ease. 



Whether the galleries will require propping is doubtful ; but if so, 

 abundance of timber for the purpose exists upon the spot. 



Springs will certainly be met with at the level of the slate, but this 

 must always be expected in a coal mine. 



The Nulla is quite unfit for the conveyance of coal to the river, but, 

 a level line of road may be formed with little expense. 



The coal is distant from the river about one mile. 



The river may be ascended during the fine weather with an ordi- 

 nary number of men to each boat, but the water is upwards of twenty 

 feet higher during the rainy season, and it appears doubtful whether 

 proper boats could be got up during that time, at any rate without 

 the assistance of steam, or some adequate power. 



The shallowest water at this time of the year (when it is lowest) is 

 eighteen inches. The river is therefore navigable for boats drawing 

 nine or twelve inches, and of thirty feet in length by ten in breadth, 

 capable of carrying six or seven and a half tons. 



Allowing one man to every ton of coal, four days will be required 

 to bring the coal down to Mergui, and at least five to return with the 

 boats ; making the expense of actual transport one man's hire for nine 

 days, or three Rupees per ton, exclusive of its carriage from the mine 

 to the river. 



Referring to the Chart, the question presents itself whether a line 

 for a road could not be formed from the coal to some point near to the 

 place called Peagune. The country between this and Tenasserim is 



