210 
Hecords of llte Geological Survey of India. [vol. xi. 
carbonaceous sandstone, containing perhaps 15 per cent, of combustible matter. 
As fuel, it was of course quite useless. 
It will bo seen, then, that the indications at Tsetama are much more promising 
Prospect of wording Tsetama than those anywhere else, and it remains for me to 
give my opinion as to the prospect of successfully 
working the coal there. 
I have already pointed out that, like that of Upper Assam, it may be divided 
into hard and soft coal. The former is unweathered at the outcrop and can be 
extracted in large pieces. But only one bed, a foot thick, has been discovered of 
this kind. The soft coal is broken and crumbly at the surface, but may improve 
at some depth. Such coal, however, would not be likely to admit of storage for 
any length of time 'without deterioration. 
The following assays have been made to determine the composition :— 
Seam. 
Fixed 
carbon. 
Volatile 
matter 
(exclusive 
of water). 
Hygrosco¬ 
pic water. 
Ash, 
Caking 
properties. 
Color of ash. 
Tsetama (sent by Mr. 
Savage). 
43-5 
28-8 
8-4 
19-3 
Cakes very 
slightly. 
Reddish gray. 
6 feet seam, Tsetami 
38-4 
28-9 
14'6 
18T 
Does not cake. 
Lisrht ffrav. 
1 foot seam, Tsetama 
48-6 
331 
10-8 
7-5 
Cakes. 
Red. 
North-east of Pallaiig Roa 
361 
28-7 
16-2 
190 
Does not cake. 
Pale red. 
The average composition of Raniganj coal, deduced from the assay of 31 
samples, and of coal from the Sanktoria seam, which may be taken as a fair 
example of the best class of Raniganj coal, such as is supplied to sea-going 
steamers, is as follows^:— 
• 
Fixed carbon. 
Volatile matter 
(exclusive of water.) 
Hygroscopic 
water. 
Ash. 
Average 
53-20 
25-83 
4-80 
1617 
Sanktoria 
. 
61'40 
23-20 
2-20 
13-20 
It will thus be seen that the Ramri coal is decidedly inferior to the Raniganj, 
and experience of nummuli'tic coal elsewhere shows that no marked improvement 
in composition can be hoped for at a greater depth from the surface. 
The quantity of coal to be expected depends mainly on the thickness of the 
seams, their continuity and number. There is at least one known of sufficient 
thickness for convenient mining. With regard to their continuity, it would be 
hazardous to express any definite opinion. No natural sections are available by 
which any of the seams can bo traced along the strike, and the attemjjt to do so 
by excavation would be a work involving a far greater expenditure of time and 
money than my instructions would have warranted. Disappointment has before 
now been experienced in Pegu in attempting to work similar coal, which on the 
original outcrop seemed to hold out good prospects of success, but which was 
‘ Eoc. a. S. I., vol. X, 156. 
