1840.] Madras Literary 'Society, ^-c. 381^ 



1st. — Soil to the depth of about eighteen feet. 



2'1 — Slate to the depth of five feet, under which is found the coal^ 

 said bj those who have dug there (I was unable to test the accuracy of 

 this assertion) to extend to a deptli of ten feet^ when a layer of mud of 

 three or four feet is found, and, below that again, coal. It appeared to 

 me that the best plan of operations would be to turn the course of the 

 nullah (a work of no difficulty), and to take the old bed of it, at the 

 place hitherto worked, as a kind of shaft, from w'hence the coal might 

 be followed in its dip ; but I have left the plan of operations entirely to 

 Lieut. Hutchinson, from whose peculiar qualifications in work requiring 

 mechanical skill, I feel confident the best result may be anticipated. 



It is obvious from the above brief description of the nature of the 

 coal bed, that some considerable preliminary operations are necessary, 

 ere the coal can be worked to any extent, but I imagine there are few 

 localities in any part of the world, presenting similar facilities. When 

 once a clearing has been made of the nature of a shaft, from whence 

 galleries may be carried, following the dip of the coal, and a tram-road 

 formed for conveying it to the river, it is evident that the more coal 

 taken out, the less will be ils prime cost in the depot of Mergui, and 

 the only question is, what is likely to be the expense of the preliminary 

 operations. Assisted as Lieut. Hutchimson will be by gangs of con-^ 

 vicfs, I feel confident that by the raonlh of March, or April nest, he 

 will have every thing In train for putting coal on board the rafts, or 

 barges provided for it, at an expenditure considerably under 8,000 

 rupees. When all his arrangements are thus complete, it will not matter 

 liow large the quantity of coal required may be, as the additional ex- 

 pense involved in procuring large quantities will be insignificant. 



Extract from a letter to my address from Lieut. HutciiinsoNj Superiii" 

 tendent of the Coal Mine. 



The reach of the nullah, in which the formation chiefly shews itself,., 

 and where some tons of coal have been dug out by the natives, runs in 

 N. N. E. direction. 



Near the south extremity of the eastern bank, the upper stratum of 

 coal shews itself above the bed of the nullah, covered by five feet of 

 eiay-slate, six feet of iron clay, and about six feet of gravel, sand, and 

 vegetable soil ; dipping at an angle of 30° towards the N. E. There is 

 a dislocation of the strata at this point, the wbole formation sinking 

 abruptlj', two feet belov^ the nullah bed, upon which level it extends 

 200 yards towards the north-west ; how much farther I cannot at pre- 

 sent say. The first stratum of coal in the horizontal bed, lies from 



