JULY — SEPT. 1857.] 
Coal at NeUorc» 
S91 
SCIENTLFIC INTELLIGENCE. 
Appearance of Coal at Nellore. 
(Extract of a letter dated February 4th, 1857 from G. Powell, Esq. Assistant 
Engineer N. ID. to Col. Faber, Chief Engineer, Madras.) 
" I proceeded to the Caligherry Talook of Nellore in order to procure if 
possible, some more coal, from or about "the locality where, in 185G I 
found a piece of tolerable good quality. **^******** 
* * * * I have found in four different spots, small pieces of a 
black heavy subsifence, possessing every appearance of coal : which, from 
its strong similitude to that matter, I have taken the liberty of calling 
"coa/ :" and consequently the places from whence I eventually procured 
it in quantities, "Seams :" to each of which, for the sake of reference, I 
have attached a letter. Ex : Gr : Secan A. Seam B. &c., leaving however 
its merits and quality to be judged of and proved by a more competent 
authority, for which purpose, I collected a small quantity from each Seam, 
and have yesterday despatched two coolies to your Office, with samples 
of the various sorts found, together with their accompanying clays, crys- 
tals, sandstone and limestones : having at the time of collection carefully 
noted by an inclinometer, their dip and strike. In some instances however 
owing to the variety of directions in which the coal lay, I could obtain no 
positive dip or strike but was obliged to take an average one by noticing 
the angle and direction which the majority had. 
" With the exception of one specimen called "coal in laterite," the 
whole has been collected from within a circle of about five miles diameter 
of which, a village called Yapanapy, (three miles North East of Caligher- 
ry) may be considered as the centre. 
" The position of the various " Seams" is as follows. Sea7}i A. is about 
half a mile due North of Yapanapy, in the South bank of a nullah, which 
forms the Southernmost supply channel of the Chinnacranca tank and 
running nearly due East and West passes half a mile North of Yapanapy. 
Seams B. C. and D. are in the banks of branches of the same nullah : but 
these run nearly midway between Yapanapy and a village caUed Polum- 
paud. It was I believe, between the latter, and a village called lyapa- 
reddypollium where I found the coal in 1856 ; which I imagine must have 
been detached and carried some considerable distance, from its bed in one 
of these nullahs, by the water which usually flows down them in the 
monsoon season. 
