1838.] Reports on the Coal and Mineral Resources of India. 195 



" With reference to the important question regarding the nature of 

 the indications of coal at Cutch which still remains in doubt, analogy- 

 derived from the most comprehensive views, would lead us to conclude 

 that a great coal-field here exists, as well as a corresponding one some- 

 where in the peninsula of the Guzerat, bearing the same relative 

 position to Cutch, that Burdwan bears to Palamow, or Silhet to Assam. 

 The strata penetrated by Lieutenant Fulljames at Gogah during an ex- 

 perimental boring to a depth of ^^35 feet, as well as the geological re- 

 marks of Dr. Lush on the structure of the same neighbourhood appear 

 to favour this view ; but unless the structure of the country be un- 

 favourable, the northern coast of the Guzerat would perhaps afford a 

 Letter prospect of success* 



" Mr. McCulloch, one of the most intelligent officers who have in- 

 spected the Cutch coal district, is inclined to look upon the mineral it 

 affords as an intermediate substance between peat and coal. He was 

 'led to this view mostly by the appearance of carbonised branches o 

 trees contained in the coal, and conceived them to be lignites, which if 

 correct would refer the deposit to certain unimportant beds of thia 

 coal, such as occur in the northern parts of Yorkshire quite distinct 

 from the principal, or true coal measures. 



" The point on which this question must turn, since more direct 

 operations have proved unequal to its solution is, whether the supposed 

 branches mentioned by Mr. McCulloch are really lignites, or if they 

 are not phytolithites, and which are characteristic of the true coal 

 measures, in which lignites on the other hand never occur.* 



" The great difference between a lignite and phytolithite, which it 

 becomes here so essential to distinguish is, that the first is characteris- 

 ed either by concentric circles such as mark the annual growth of 

 exogenous plants, or by stems consisting of fibres without circles or 

 pith, as in endogens ; but the phytolithus of the coal measures is dis- 

 tinguished by its presenting only the outer form <jf a root or stem, 

 together with a faint representation of a pith, without however, a trace 

 of any thing like woody fibre in its structure. 



" Most of the phytolithites present on their outer surface either cir- 

 cular or spiral indentations, marking the insertion of petioles, but there 



* "Lignite, from its usual colour and properties, is named brown coal. It occurs iu 

 general in small isolated basins superior to chalk. In England the largest bed is found at 

 Bovey-Tracy in Devonshire, and hence called Bovey coal. It appears also in various 

 parts of Europe, and is used when sufficiently abundant, for fuel. The Trieste steanx 

 boat is said to be supplied with lignite raised in the island of Veglia." 



