2 JONES : SOUTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF SATPURA GONDWANA BASIN. 



These localities were first tried, as being within reasonable dis- 

 tance of a railway (the Great Indian Peninsula 

 the Pench valley" 60 Railway), but the experiments having failed 



to prove the presence of coal in sufficient quan- 

 tity, and of a quality to make it worth while to put down experimental 

 shafts, attention was turned to the seams in the south-eastern part 

 of the basin, some of which had been noticed by Mr. J. G. Medlicott 

 in 1857, others by Mr. W. T. Blanford in 1866, and several discovered 

 since that time by Major Ashburner, one of which was worked to a 

 small extent. 



During the two working seasons 1884 to 1886 I was sent to exam- 

 ine this part of the country. At the end of 

 New survey. 



the recess season ot 1885 at the request of the 



Government of the Central Provinces, I recommended sites for borings 

 in order to test the most promising seams that I had up to that time 

 visited ; these in several cases corresponded with those recommended 

 by Mr. Blanford in 1866. Nothing further has, however, been heard 

 of these proposed trials, and it is doubtful whether unless the results 

 were very favourable the working of the seams would prove remunera- 

 tive on account of the difficulties of transport in any direction. 

 Without a railway this attempt would be hopeless, but for the coal only 

 a railway would not be remunerative, and it is thought at present 

 that very little other traffic could be expected on this line. 



§ 2.— Physical Description. 



The area described consists of portions o£ the Chhindwara and 



Betul districts situated between 22 o' and 22 

 Area described. . 



20 north latitude and 77 50 and 79 5 east 

 longitude. 



The eastern portion, between the Motur range and the metamor- 

 phics to the south, as far west as the Kanhan 



Drainage. 



river, is fairly level and cultivated, and is drained 

 by the Pench, the Takea (a tributary of the Kanhan), and the Kanhan 



< 2 ) 



