1843.] of the Panjaub and part of Afghanistan. 207 



ment, and pointed out that this district would yield coal in sufficient 

 quantity to supply the demand ; if, however, any attention had been paid 

 to the geological structure of the country by them, they could have 

 at once declared that no coal of value or worth working would be 

 found. 



Some months prior to undertaking the journey, a series of papers 

 regarding the coal of Kalabagh was put into my hands by Mr. G. Clerk, 

 Governor General's Agent, requesting me to give my opinion as to the 

 probability of coal being found in the district of Kalabagh in any quantity. 

 After perusing the papers, I answered in the negative, unless it was 

 found that the true coal formation, or carboniferous system, dipped 

 under the saliferous system, out-croppings of which might be found 

 containing beds of coal. Such, however, is not the case. But one 

 of the enterprising officers mentioned, has even gone further, and as- 

 serted, that " were the salt range, East of the Indus examined by a geo- 

 logist, there is ample reason to believe, that discoveries of value to Go- 

 vernment would be the result," alluding to the discovery of coal. In a 

 private letter to the address of Mr. G. Clerk, an extract of which has been 

 published in the Asiatic Society's Journal, we mentioned the existence 

 of coal, probably the same as found by Burnes* and Wood ; it is not 

 true bituminous coal, and had they examined the localities in which it 

 was found, and the district, they would, had they been at all conversant 

 with geology, have come to the conclusion, that the Kalabagh district 

 would not yield coal in sufficient quantity fit to be used for economical 

 purposes. In no place has bituminous coal ever been met with worth 

 working above the magnesian limestone. Statements have been made 

 to this effect, but when properly examined, have invariably been found 

 to be incorrect. In the letter above quoted, dated 15th November, 1841, 

 we state, that the coal met with at Kalabagh occurs in thin seams in a 

 white sandstone that alternates with the red marls in which the rock 

 salt and gypsum are imbedded. The largest seam is, in breadth about 

 seventeen inches, consisting partly of coal, sandstone, and mineral 

 sulphur. The coal met with is partly brown coal and lignite, and partly 



* Specimens of supposed coal were transmitted to the late Secretary of the Asiatic 

 Society in 1832, from Luchee, Kurpa, &c. On examination he found, that they were 

 nothing but bituminous slate. How such an error could have been committed in 

 forwarding such specimens, is very extraordinary. 



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