168 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Feb. 



The bottom of the bed is bituminous clay slate, upon which rests a seam of 

 highly carbonized coal, 4 J feet thick* and, including a little soft partings, in all 

 6 feet of solid coal ; it is the most beautiful thing I ever saw, as the coal is so 

 pure it shines as if chrystalized ; this is all cannel coal and highly valuable for 

 the mint or forge purposes." 



The larger specimens arrived but a few days ago by the steamer, but as Major 

 Jenkins has sent us some specimens by dawk I have examined the largest of 

 them, and the result is as follows. 

 Coal from the banks of the Booree Dehing in Assam, sent by Major Jenkins. 

 This coal is a. very handsome cannel coal, of specific gravity 1.31 burning 

 with a good flame ; not swelling or melting like the common bituminous coal, 

 except in one or two spots, but preserving, whether burnt in the air or coked, all 

 the sharp angles of its fractures for a long time. 

 It contains in 100 parts as follows : — 



Water and gases, :. . . . 5.50 



Bituminous matter, ,. 28.00 



Carbon, 56.50 



Ash, 10.00 



100.00 



A separate experiment gave for the per centage of coke 57.1 4, but the frag- 

 ment was taken probably from a different block or vein. 



Major Jenkins has also sent a good collection of the clay iron ores from the 

 coal beds of Upper Assam. They are massive and nodular hydrates of the 

 oxide of iron, in the usual laminar concretions, which these ores affect. These 

 are accompanied also by a good supply of the magnetic iron sand from the 

 Sookee Dooars under the Cossyah hills in Kamroop. 



Captain Fitzgerald, of the Nizam's service has favoured us with a more detail- 

 ed memorandum relative to the Nizam's great diamond, of which the model was 

 exhibited at the November meeting, and I have had some glass models cast from 

 the leaden one, from which I have calculated the gross weight and that which the 

 stone would have when polished. The results of this I have embodied in a note 

 as a short paper for the Journal, which will thus place upon record this remark- 

 able addition to our knowledge of these extraordinary gems. 



No. 72 of our Indian copper ores, which was one sent from the Khetree hills 

 near Jyepoor, by Major Thoresby (Journal Vol. X. p. 168,) and found by me 

 amongst some old specimens and rubbish, I had put by for examination, as it 

 had the appearance of containing Cobalt or Nickel, and upon examination, I 

 find it does contain Cobalt. Our specimen is too small to admit of a quantitative 

 analysis, but the locality is perhaps new. 



* The specimens accompanying are from this 4gft. vein. 



