158 
Records of the Geological Survey of India . 
[vol. vil 
G-astbofoda. 
Nerita. 
Natica. 
Solarium. 
Turritelld angulatct, J. do C. Sow. ? 
Cerithium. 
Bostellaria Noorpoorensis, d’Arch. P 
Some nummulites also occur in the upper beds of sandstones; and a m'onocoty- 
ledonous aquatic plant Was obtained in the shales of the coal horizon in the Deka valley. 
On the coal and its economic value. 
From the foregoing it will appear that the best seam of coal which has been discovered 
in these hills is only 9 inches thick. This seam is continuous for upwards of a mile 
just inside a low run of hills flanking the Karvada range, which borders the Chamarlang 
valley on the south-east. 
The subjoined assay by Mr. Hughes, of the Geological Survey, of a specimen of coal 
from the seam shows that, if found in quantity, if would afford an extremely valuable fuel. 
It may be described as a light non-coking coal. In the absence of all trace of vegetable 
structure, it would perhaps be incorrect to speak of it as a lignite. 
“ The mean of two assays give loss by drying, 6'7 per cent. (=water). 
Carbon ... ... ... ... 57'81 Does not coke' 
Volatile ... ... ... ... 38'8> even when ra- 
Ash ... ... ... 34) pidly heated. 
Total ... 1000 
Ash fiocculent, reddish in colour.' 
Another sample, taken as it came, that is to say, without the removal of the yellow clay 
which has infiltrated between the cracks and joints in the coal, gave the following result ■ 
from which it will bo seen the proportion of water is somewhat greater, and that the 
percentages of carbon and ash exceed those in the preceding, but the result is still good :— 
Loss by drying, 8 per cent. (=water). 
Carbon ... ... ... ... 59'2 
Volatile ... ... ... ... 35'8 
Ash ... ... ... ... 5'2 
Total ... 1002 
In my preliminary report I pointed out that, notwithstanding the excellent quality of 
the coal, a seam of only 9 inches is practically valueless. 
Were the seam situated near to any line of traffic, some hundreds of tons could without 
doubt be extracted from near the surface at a small cost. But, however situated as regards 
traffic, it is a perfectly obvious fact that such a seam could not be worked to the deep with 
profit. 
It remains then to discuss the prospect of better seams being hereafter discovered. In 
favor of this prospect the only thing that can be urged is, that since a period did exist during 
the deposition of these rocks when vegetable matter was accumulated in sufficient quantities to 
form layers of coal, it may have happened that in some places the vegetable growth was 
exceptionally active, or the period exceptionally prolonged, and, as a consequence, the fossilized 
vegetable matter or coal was formed in exceptional quantities. 
