ECONOMICS : COAT,. 



77 



The full area over which this thickness occurs is undetermined ; but 

 Calculable area 4 square if the limit of a reasonable working depth of 500 



miles down to 500 feet. £eet j g wg may gay thafc there arg 4 gquare 



miles in and around the neighbourhood of the village of Umaria. 



These data give us a total quantity of 80 million tons of coal, of 

 which 55 millions may be taken as available within 



Available quantity. 



an area of 4 square miles at a depth of 500 feet 

 from the surface. I merely give this estimate to satisfy the desire for 

 figures which seems inseparable from the mention of a coal-field. The 

 statement that there are 55 millions of tons of coal within a given area 

 expresses the value of a restricted portion of tbe coal-measures. 



There is every likelihood that coal occurs under the supra-Barakars in 

 the direction of Gangri, Maihmar, Kua, and Piparia, and that it extends 

 continuously to the exposed edges of the Korar field. Such a contin- 

 gency as this, of course, raises the total quantity of coal, and the union 

 of the Umaria and Korar fields through Chirwar, Miuguri, and Barbaspur, 

 and so on, increases the number of tons to a formidable amount. 



Abundant opportunity has been afforded for judging both of the 

 Nature of seam and nature of the seams and the quality of the differ- 

 quahty of coal. en £ bands of coal that they contain. In reference 



to the outcrop explorations, Mr. Forster says that the coal works easily, 

 and that the thin band of soft shale under the bottom of the seam will 

 facilitate pricking, and so reduce very materially the amount of waste. 

 The roof is an excellent one, and, except quite near the entrance to the 

 different inclines, not a single stick of timber has been required to sup- 

 port it. This is a most favourable feature in the estimation of a seam, 

 for when the roof is bad the expenditure under the heading of timber 

 forms a considerable item ; and there is the constant dread of accidents 

 to life. 



In No. 2 shaft the coal can easily be got in large blocks, and up 

 to the present time the roof has shown no signs of weakness. 



The composition of the coal has been determined by several assays 

 made by M. M. Mallet and Fedden and Lala Hfra Lai in the labora- 



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