JULY — sept. 1857.] Coal at Nellore. 



293 



Pitchstone. 

 Asphaltum. 



Sedimentary Rocks. 

 Ferruginous sandstone. 

 Micaceous do. 



Do. schorl. 

 Chert. 

 Kunkur 



Amongst the above may be mentioned as of economic value. 

 Asphaltum. 

 Kaolin. 

 Kunkur. 



Further search should be made for the Asphaltum if it can be obtained 

 in any quantity. 



Further samples of Kaolin should also be forwarded from the district, 

 that of a white color being valuable for pottery. 



I have also examined the small pieces of the lumps of coal found by Mr. 

 Powell in 1856. It is slightly bituminous or coking coal, and is of a quality 

 very superior to those samples I have had the opportunity to examine as 

 the production of this country. Had this piece been transported from its 

 position " in situ" by the action of water to the place where found, it is 

 not probable but that a further search would have produced more speci- 

 mens ; this from Mr. Powell's letter seems not to have been the case. 



The most reasonable explanation regarding it seems to be that it is a 

 piece of foreign coal that has been conveyed into the district and accidently 

 dropped. 



If however the opportunity offers to Mr. Powell for further search he 

 should do so, along the nullahs in direction towards their rise and towards 

 the part of the country where the sedimentary rocks are to be observed. 



I am informed by Dr. Hunter that D. White, Esq , forwarded to him 

 in 1850, from the TadaTalook in Nellore, a piece of coal. Upon examin- 

 ing this specimen now in the Museum of Industrial Arts, I find it to be 

 Lignite ; this substance is met with very frequently in many parts of India, 

 and occurs in the alluvial deposits in isolated lumps, it burns with much 

 flame and smoke, emitting a strong pyroligneous odour, and upon examin- 

 ing the ash after combustion, it will be found to preserve the original form 

 of the material, it is somewhat lighter in weight than coal, the specific gra- 

 vity of some pieces I met with in the bed of the Godavery was 1'23, whilst 

 that of Coal is from 1-30 to 1-45. 



