iS'iS.] Reports on the Coal and Mineral Resources of India, 17® 



*' The Caile* or Palamow river joins the Soane at the outlet of the 

 valley about SO miles from the confluence of the latter river with the 

 Ganges, and is perfectly navigable for ordinary boats during the rains 

 to a place called Manjean, 18 miles within the valley ; above this the 

 navigation becomes more difficult in consequence of the occasional pro« 

 jection of rocks into the stream, but boats of 150 maunds burden can 

 with ordinary caution ascend during the rains 22 miles higher to the 

 village of Singra where the first coal field occurs, accompanied, accord- 

 ing to Mr. Homfray, with a rich and inexhaustible iron ore. This coal 

 field is however only two and a half miles long and one mile broad ; 

 the main coal which is not far from the surface is three feet eight 

 inches thick, and though not reckoned of a quality exactly fitted for 

 getting up steam, yet would answer admirably for the reduction of the 

 ore with which it is associated, 



" In order therefore to obtain inexhaustible supplies of coal suitable 

 for steam navigation, it is necessary to ascend twenty miles still higher 

 up the Caile, where a great coal field indicated by Rennell in his map 

 of Bengal occurs, and which is supposed by Mr. Homfray to be 14 miles 

 in length by 6 in breadth, with a workable main of good coal 3 feet 9 

 inches : but unfortunately the navigation of the Caile is quite obstruct- 

 ed by boulders from Chandoo to the coal field, a distance of 13 miles,t 

 and the country on either side so rugged as to prohibit the possibility 

 of forming a road at any moderate expense i and the only practicable 

 mode of conveyance would consequently be bullocks, which on such 

 difficult passes could, according to Mr. Homfray, only carry half the 

 ordinary loads ; J and for the rest of the way, i. e, from Chandoo down- 

 wards, small boats of 150 maunds with caution could traverse the river 

 to Manjean as already stated, where large boats during the rains might 

 receive their cargoes. 



- • " It is sometimes called Coile and in Arrowsmith's map Coyle, a name which in the 

 *ame map is also bestowed on another neighbouring river." 



t " A considerable proportion of this distance comprising a tract of two or three miles at 

 least adjoining the coal-field appears from a map constructed by Mr. Homfray to olfer no 

 difficulties to the formation of a road." 



■ $ " From Chandoo in a direct line to the coal-field the distance would seem from Mr. 

 Homfray's map to be considerably less than 13 miles and if the plain adjoining the coal- 

 field be deducted the really diffioult part of the distance would probably be much dimi- 

 Jttished ; and when we recollect that good roads are made in Kemaon for instance with less 

 important objects over mountains 7000 feet in height, it is easy to see that a ridge of hills 

 a few hundred feet high however rugged will not form an insuperable obstacle to the use- 

 |ul application of the Palamow coals." 



