384 Examination and Analysis of four specimens of Coal. [No. 4. 



Like No. I. this coal is a valuable one, on or near the spot, for 

 many, or indeed all purposes ; but there would be very heavy loss 

 upon it by carriage. It should however be recollected that these are 

 at all events surface specimens, if not the mere Top Coal (or upper 

 beds) of other and tougher veins ; for toughness sufficient to render 

 them better able to support carriage, is all that is required to render 

 both these coals equal to the best yet found in India ! Their constitu- 

 ents it will be seen approach very closely to the Laboan Coal (36.50 

 Gaseous ; 61.35 Carbon ; 2.15 Ash ; see Journal, vol. XIX. p. 156) ; 

 but this last has the appearance and tenacity of Newcastle Coal, which 

 indeed it equals. 



Dr. Campbell has not stated to me the exact point on the Maha- 

 nuddi at which this coal is found* and I need scarcely say that this 

 Mahanuddi is the river which, rising near Kursiong and running 

 south till it passes about 18 miles to the east of the station of 

 Purneah, curves then to the southeast and passing Plassey and Malda, 

 falls into the Ganges opposite to Bogwangola. How far up it may 

 be navigable will, of course, be an important question in the working 

 of these coals, if the veins are workable ones.t 



No. III. 

 Eaetht Soot Coal. 



This singular substance is certainly a coal, for it contains all the 

 elements of it, but is much like a dark pulverulent Plumbago at 

 first sight ; and especially the harder portions, which are, so far as 

 we can judge, from the few bits sent, found interspersed throughout 

 the pulverulent part in flattened lenticular masses. They will be 

 presently described. 



The principal part of this coal is a loose sooty black powder, full 

 of glittering fragments, grains, and scales ; which soils and adheres 

 excessively to the fingers. I can only compare it to a mixture of 

 lamp-black and a bright glance-coal dust. It feels loth soft and 

 gritty between the fingers, i. e. it is soft like lamp-black and gritty 

 like coal-dust. It has no sort of resemblance to the Mineral char- 

 coals formed by trap dykes crossing veins of coal. 



* It is within the hills and near the source of the river. — A. C. 

 t The Mahanuddi is navigable all the year round to Doolalgunge, 80 miles from 

 its source: but small boats can ascend to Titalaya, 50 miles higher.— A. C. 



