366 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [No. 4. 



per cent, or 60 per cent, of pure coke. From its slow combustion it might 

 not answer for steam purposes, but for smelting and other work it would no 

 doubt suit. I find that this coal approaches within 1 per cent, of its consti- 

 tuents to the Chinakuri coal No. 6 analysed by Mr. James Prinsep in his 

 table given at p. 197 of Vol. VII. of the Journal (1838) which gives 52 per 

 cent, of pure coke, Newcastle coal giving 65 per cent, of coke. 



Mr. Torrens' specimen of coal from the Mootee Jhurna Palls mentioned 

 above was also examined. 



It is a bright jet coal decomposing very rapidly in the air and separating 

 into small parallelopipeds. It burns in the forceps with a steady glowing 

 combustion leaving a white ash. It gives no visible smoke from the closed 

 crucible but a sickly disagreeable smell. 



The constituent parts are, 



Water,* 18. 50. 



Gaseous matter, 23. 75. 



Carbon, 29. 30. 



Ash, 28. 45. 



100. 00. 

 The ash is of a pale brown colour and like the foregoing contains minute 

 little white granules. It also contains no lime as a carbonate. 



We have also received from Major Jenkins two specimens of coal from 

 Namsang Cahing and Barjan, in Assam. The last is labelled " Barjan Steam 

 Coal" and some fine coke made from it has been sent down with it. From 

 the pressure of other researches on hand, I have not been able yet to examine 

 these specimens, but will do so on an early day. Major Jenkins has also for- 

 warded a specimen of the supposed argentiferous lead ore from the Bhor 

 Kamptee country, but upon examination it does not contain any appreciable 

 quantity of silver. The following letters refer to this ore. 



No. 118. 

 From the Under Secretary to the Government of Bengal, 

 ToH. Piddington, Esq. Curator of Economic Geology, dated Fort William, 

 the2Sth February, 1851. 

 Sir, — The Agent to the Governor General, North East Frontier, having re- 

 ported to Government that he has forwarded to you, by Dawk banghy, a spe- 

 cimen of argentiferous lead found in Bor Kamptee in upper Assam, I am 

 directed by the Deputy Governor of Bengal to request that you will submit 



* By an independent experiment. It is probable that on being freshly mined it 

 may not contain by a great deal so large a proportion of water the absorption of 

 ■which, when it is exposed to the air, is probably the cause of its rapid decomposition 

 which, with its large proportion of ash, wholly unfits it for a useful coal except on 

 the spot. 



