96 
BALL AND SIMPSON : COALFIELDS OF INDIA. 
It can only be determined by deep borings. Dr. King's memoir i 
on the geology of the Pranhita-Godavari valley contains the latest 
information on the subject. 
Kunnujiri or Kanigheri. — This is a small tract of Barakar rocks, 
which extends for a distance of about 6 miles at the salient angle 
of the Lower Godavari basin, 25 miles south-west by west of Bhadra- 
chellam. No coal has yet been found, but the presence of the 
coal-measure rocks is of great importance with reference to future 
exploration by boring. 
Madavaram or Damercherla. — This small field is situated in the 
bed of the Godavari below Bhadrachellam, extending thence for a 
short distance on either side into British and the Nizam's territory, 
respectively. It was first reported upon by Dr. W. T. Blanford ^ 
in 1871, by whom it was estimated that on the British side, as 
above stated, there are 25,000 tons of coal, of which perhaps only 
half are available on account of the great admixture of shale. 
Under the orders of His Grace the Duke of Buckingham a shaft was 
sunk to a depth of 56 feet in 1880 ; but the work was not completed. 
In the bed of the river on the Nizam's side a series of 14 
borings was suggested by Dr. Blanford, but after six had been 
carried out operations ceased in consequence of representations 
made by the Nizam's Government. In 1874, according to Dr. 
King,^ some borings were made by the Nizam's officers in an 
area 3 miles from the village of Ryagoodium, and 5 miles south of 
the Godavari. Three seams of coal were discovered as follows : 
(1) One foot thick at 247 feet from surface ; (2) four feet thick at 
272 feet ; (3) six feet thick at 314 feet. The quality of the coal 
appears to have been somewhat inferior. 
The following statement concerning later developments on the 
British side of the river was furnished by the Collector of the dis- 
trict in 1897 : — " The extent of coal-bearing rocks on the British 
side is about 16 square miles, of which about 10 square miles may 
be taken as containing workable coal. A seam of fine quality has 
been found opposite the village of Rajahzompalli, and over 2,000 
tons were taken out of the trial pit. It averages 5 feet 6 inches 
in thickness. This seam is estimated to yield, after deducting J for 
waste, about 24 million tons of coal." According to the ofiicial 
1 Mem., 0. S. I., Vol. XVIII, pt. 3, (1881). 
» Rec, O. S. I., Vol. IV, p. 59, (1871). 
* Oj), cit. 
