504 



Ilajmehal Coal. 



ferent strata, three of coal, and the rest various kinds of 

 stone." Mr. Pontet transmitted to the Committee, specimens 

 of all the different beds passed through, which are remark- 

 ably characteristic of the true coal measures ; and of eleven 

 different beds passed through in the last seventeen feet 

 of the excavation, there were several beds of coal of good 

 quality, but too thin for working, and in the shale we ob- 

 served excellent specimens of Vertabraria Indica, Royle, 

 one of the few abundant fossils of the Burdwan beds that 

 happens to have received a name. 



The excavation was formed on the N. W. side of the 

 Burmany nullah, but Mr. Pontet states that he traced the 

 coal a mile S. W. of the Burmany river, from which he 

 concludes, that the Burdwan and Rajmehal beds are con- 

 nected. Mr. Pontet subsequently found the indications of 

 coal more extensive than he at first supposed, and that coal 

 formations extend for ten miles round the village of Doo- 

 bradgepore, the Burmany river passing through the centre 

 of this coal district. In May 1841, a sample, consisting 

 of ten bags of this coal was received. It presented the 

 appearance of ordinary surface coal ; forty lbs. used in one 

 of the furnaces in the H. C's. Dispensary, burnt as well as 

 inferior Burdwan coal, and left eight lbs. of ashes. 



The following is the results of analysis of an average 

 specimen of the sample in question : — 



Specific Gravity, ... ... 1.4 



Volatile matter, 42 



Carbon, ... 38 



Ash, ... 20 



100 



The report of Major Forbes on the quality of this sample 

 corresponds nearly with these results.* The experiment was 

 made by Mr. Gilbert at the Mint, and the result was, that 



* Proc. Com. July 1841, para. 4. 



