RECORDS 
OF THE 
GEOLOGICAL SU1LVEY OE INDIA. 
Part 2.] 1877. [May. 
Note on the books of the Lower Godavari, fry W. King, a, b., f. g. s., Geological 
Survey of India. 
In the Madras Presidency my work of last season was carried on in the Godavari 
District, the Nizam’s Dominions adjacent to this, and thence northwards by Sironeba and 
Maleri, over which latter country Mr. Hughes and I made a joint survey of some unsettled 
features in its geology. 
In the Godavari District, as far as it is included in Sheet 94, the survey of all the 
more important formations has been completed ; while the area of the crystalline rocks, 
though not examined in much detail, has been ascertained, and the inland boundaries of the 
great alluvial deposits of the Delta and thence along the coasts have been laid down. 
In addition to the regular survey of the country, I was occupied for some time in 
directing the coal-borings at Beddadanole, which were carried on until the end of May, when 
the works were stopped by the coming on of the monsoon. Some delay was caused by the 
loss of boring rods and the unsuitability of the tools for greater depths than 350 feet; but 
sufficient exploration had been made to lead me to the conclusion that it was not advisable 
to continue the trials any longer. The trial borings were made over about one-third of 
the area of the field, sixteen holes wero put down, from 193 to 356 feet in depth, and 
six seams of carbonaceous clays, clays with films of mineral-charcoal, and coaly shale wero 
passed through. None of the coaly material met with was of any use as a fuel; and there 
were no indications of improvement in the scams as they were tested in their extension. 
From the floor of the field, which was struck on its eastern edge, to the highest exposed beds 
as they crop out from under the Kamtliis on the western edge, there was no improvement 
in the seams as to their depth in the field. The line of bore-holes across the strike lead me 
to conclude that more than GOO feet of Barakavs were pierced. Ou the other hand, the coun¬ 
try of Kamthis to the westward, overlying any possibly bidden scam in the upper part of 
the Barakars, rises too rapidly to allow of search in that direction to moderate depths with 
any hope of success. On these grounds I sent in my final report to the Madras Govern¬ 
ment, advising that the explorations should be discontinued ; and the order thereon has since 
been issued intimating that it is not necessary to continue the borings ; but that it may be 
worth while having a shaft sunk to see the material of the best seam in some quantity. 
I am, on this, directed to advise the Executive Engineer in charge as to the site of such 
shaft in case of its being decided to excavate it. 
