fart 3.] Mallet: Recent Coal explorations in the Darjiling District. 
.145 
The main object of the drift—the determination of the question whether the coal 
improves at all in the interior—has however been satisfactorily accomplished, the seam 
having been followed to a distance of about 80 feet from the original outcrop ; and owing to 
a small land slip which took place last rains, two outcrops have been exposed in an adjacent 
water-course which yield more information respecting the continuity of the .seam than could 
be hoped for from a further prosecution of the drift. As, therefore, there is no object in 
carrying the work on any longer, it is advisable to place on record the results obtained. 
Friability of the coal .—With respect to the friability of the coal, no difference whatever 
is perceptible between coal taken from the fourth cross-cut and that at the actual outcrop. 
The former position is about 45 feet from the surface measured along the shortest line; 
a distance quite sufficient to prove that the friability is, as was anticipated, entirely due to 
crushing, and not in any degree to surface alteration. No hope can be entertained of obtain¬ 
ing coal from the Darjiling Damudas in anything but the powdery state already described. 
Composition .—Neither is any difference discernible in the coal as to composition. In 
the following table assays are given of samples taken at various distances from the 
surface— 
Distance from 
original outcrop 
along drift. 
Distance from 
mouth of drift. 
Distance from 
nearest point of 
surface. 
Fixed carbon. 
Volatile matter. 
Ash. 
0 
0 
66-3 
12*4 
21-3 
10 
0 
? 
66-8 
11*4 
21-8 
20 
10 
7 
675 
14-4 
18-1 
30 
20 
15 
64-4 
10-4 
25-2 
70 
60 
40 
63-8 
12*5 
237 
Continuity of the seam .—The section of the seam at the outcrop is as follows 
Ft. 
In. 
(a)—Yellowish (slightly rusty) sandstone, seen about 
12 
0 
(b, d )—Brown shale... 
6 
0 
(e )—Coal 
11 
0 
(g) —Sandstone, similar to (a), seen ... ... 
8 
0 
The shale ( b , d) is only partially exposed, and may include the layer of coal (c) visible 
elsewhere. The dip of the main seam here is west-15°-north at 80°. 
In the first cross-cut there is only 5 feet 6 Inches of coal, with sandstone on loth sides 
of it, the shale (l, d), and the lower part of the seam, being evidently cut out by a small 
slip. The dip is badly seen, hut appears to be about north-west at 70°. 
At the second cross-cut, 6 feet 6 inches of coal is exposed, but the seam has not been 
cut through on the left side. 
In the third cross-cut it is 7 feet 6 inches thick with shale below it. Dip seems to 
be about west-41),“-north at 80°. 
In the fourth, 10 feet of coal is exposed in the main seam, which is not cut through to 
the right. The dip appears to be the same as in the last cross-cut. There is a thin bed 
of coal included in the brown shale below. 
