cxliv Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. QDec. 1844. 



Beche really is overwhelmed with work which he is sure is the only reason why you 

 have not heard from him." 



Lt. Chamier of the Ordnance Department, sent us some time ago some clippings of 

 the Cabul Trophy gun at Agra for examination, mentioning that the native belief was 

 that these guns contained considerable proportions of the precious metals. The Sp. 

 gravity was however, found to be only 8.35, that of good gun metal being about 8.40,* 

 and it was found to be a bad compound of impure (sulphuret of) copper with small 

 proportions of tin, lead, zinc and traces of iron ; and certainly containing no trace of gold 

 or silver. As the yellow sulphuret of copper imitates gold in colour, and any white 

 metal might be made to pass for silver, it is probable the native princes and their of- 

 ficers, if they do give any gold or silver for the gun, which they might easily be persu- 

 aded to do, are thus tricked by the founders. The frauds of goldsmiths and copper 

 founders (Sonars and Khansaries) are pretty nearly proverbial in India, as witnes3 

 the well known tale of the goldsmith and the Raja's idol. 



Our active contributor Lt. Sherwill, of the Revenue Survey has sent us a highly 

 valuable series of specimens comprising coal from the Rajarrah coal mines in Behar, 

 and the various measures (Strata) which are passed through before it is found ; his 

 list is as follows : — 



Specimens. 



No. 1.— Black stone, found in four separate strata before reaching the 11 feet 

 stratum. 



No. 2. — Shale from the 11 feet stratum. 



No. 3.— Stone from above or forming the roof of the 11 feet stratum. 



No. 4. — Stone found in large masses in the 1 1 feet stratum. 



No. 5. — A piece of coal from the 11 feet stratum covered with pyrites. 



No. 6. — A piece of the coal from the 11 feetstratum. 



No. 7. — Coarse sandstone, from above the bad coal of an experimental and forsa- 

 ken pit, this stone is found about 40 feet below the surface of the soil. 



No. 8.— Lying under No. 7. 



No. 9. — Lying under No. 9. 



This pit was forsaken not offering any coal worth quarrying, depth about 75 feet. 



Vertical section of the strata in the shafts at Rajharrah Colliery : — 



* The composition of the statue of Louis xv. was copper 82.45, zinc 10.30, tin 4.10, lead 3.15. 

 It sp. grav. 8.482, good cannon metal should contain 90 or 91 of copper, and 9 or 10 per cent, of tin ; 

 and as much as 14 per cent, of tin has been used. Urt't Dictionary. 



