] 20 
[VOL. VII. 
Records of the Geological Survey of India. 
This is not the place for going into details or enumerating the various theories winch 
have been suggested to account for the origin of this most singular deposit. It may be 
mentioned, however, that no theory accounts satisfactorily for the sources whence the large 
amount of iron can have been derived. 
The distribution of laterite in India is widespread throughout the Peninsula, Ceylon, 
and in Burma. It occurs not only as a costal deposit underneath the Eastern and Western 
Ghats, but also in many parts of the interior, not unfrequently capping lofty hills and 
plateaus to a depth of several hundred feet, often producing the dead level surfaces which 
constitute a striking feature in Indian scenery. Although perhaps it shows its finest deve¬ 
lopment on or in the vicinity of trappean rocks, it occurs resting on rocks of all periods, 
occasionally far removed from any exposure of trap. It has not been observed, I believe, in 
any part of the Himalayas. 
As a building stone, though it can hardly be called ornamental, it possesses some quali¬ 
ties which render it acceptable in the eyes of the natives; it is easily worked, hardens on 
exposure, and wears well. In the costal districts many temples, some of considerable anti¬ 
quity, are built of laterite and appear to have stood well. In the Kajmehal Hills there is a 
small fort built of neatly cut blocks of laterite without mortar. These blocks have retained 
their original sharp edges. 
In Midnapur and Orissa slabs of from 4 to 5 feet long are extracted by cutting 
a groove round the slab above and another underneath, a few wedges are then driven into 
the latter, and the slab splits off. This or a nearly similar process is used for the extraction 
of blocks of laterite in all parts of the country where it is worked by natives. 
Mr. King, in his Geology of Trichinopoli, says: “ Where of poor quality, the laterite 
soon crumbles away when exposed to the influences of weather and moisture, as may be 
seen in the basement of many of the houses in the Port of Tanjore. The laterite has there 
weathered away, leaving the walls perfectly honeycombed, and the layers of mortar, which 
are more durable, standing out as a regular net-work.” In a note Mr. Foote adds : “ The 
laterite in this case was in all probability badly selected, for in all my subsequent observa¬ 
tions of this stone as a building material, it would appear that continued exposure to at¬ 
mospheric influences, or wet, as in the case of tanks or bowries, only tends to improve the 
stone. Most of the religious edifices and tanks constructed of this stone show the lines and 
angles of the carvings as sharply as though fresh from the builder’s hands.” 
Mr. H. Blanford also remarks: “ At Andanapet I noticed some carved blocks forming 
part of an old and ruined pagoda the mouldings of which were as perfect as when first cut. 
Owing to its porous structure, however, laterite is but little fitted for fine sculpture.” 
Laterite has been largely used in the works in connection with the irrigation operations 
in Orissa. The anicut on the Kossai at Midnapur has been altogether built of this mate¬ 
rial. The stone for these purposes has, I believe, given the engineers much satisfaction. 
The Yellour anicut at Chetia-tope near Bhowagiri in the Trichinopoli district is partly 
built of laterite. 
Dr. Balfour gives the Arcade Inquisition at Goa, St. Mary’s Church, Madras, and the old 
fortress at Malacca, as examples of its use in the construction of buildings by Europeans.* 
* References. 
Midnapur, Orissa, Mem. Geol. Surv., India, I, p.’277. 
W. T, Blanford, on Laterite, Mem, Geol. Surv., India, I, p. 280. 
H. Blanford, Southern India, Mem. Geol. Surv., India, IV, p. 200, 
King, Trichinopoli, Mem. Geol. Surv., India, IV, p. 372. 
Balfour, Cyclopaedia, Art . Laterite. 
