66 
Records of the Geological Survey of India. 
[vol. VI. 
... The coal of Labuan is reported to be of good quality, and very fair coal occurs 
in the Sarawak territory. 
... There are large coal-fields in this splendid country. 
.. ... There is coal in this as in so many other dependencies of the English crown. 
.. ... Only a small quantity of coal is raised in the island of Bornholm. 
... These islands contain coal. 
.. ... Lignites have been worked at Koumi. 
.. ... The coal of this country is said to be cretaceous. 
... The calculated amount of coal in New Zealand is four thousand millions of tons. 
.. ... A large area of coal is stated to occur. 
.. ... A small coal-field exists near the mouth of the Douro. 
., ... This coal was brought to light by Livingstone. 
.. ... Some coal, said to be Zanzibar coal, was analysed by Mr. Tween, of the Geological 
Survey, and gave— 
Carbon ... ... 42‘4 
Volatile matter .... 304 (moisture 4 per cent.) 
Ash ... ... 27*2 
100-0 
The geographical positions of most of our fields have been already indicated in the 
“ Coal Resources of India” compiled by Dr. Oldham and published in 1807. It was pointed 
out in that work that a chain of coal-fields extended across India from near Calcutta to the 
Hoidrabad Assigned Districts (the Berars), lying within the 20° and 25° parallels of 
north latitude; that other fields occurred in the valley of the Godavari and its affluents, 
and that throughout Assam, Burrnah, and the Tenasserim province there were deposits 
of coal. 
Some of these fields lie in the route of direct railway communication between 
Bombay and Calcutta, and of course would prove useful sources whence to draw fuel. But 
the geographical positions of others again are such that they will probably not answer any 
useful purpose for many years to come. 
The quality of Indian coal is usually denoted by the adjective bad, but I believe this 
word has been too freely used. The average of Indian coal is certainly inferior to 
that of English; but there are many seams in the Raniganj field, and more notably 
one or two in the Karharbari field, which yield very good coal indeed. Much of the Assam 
coal is said to be excellent. And it is justifiable to entertain the idea that if our fields had 
been more extensively opened out and worked to a greater depth, coals would have been met 
with of a quality sufficiently good to make us cautious in regard to the indiscriminate use 
of the word bad. Several attempts have of late been made on one of the short lines of the 
north of England to burn inferior coals in the locomotive engines; and I liavo been informed 
by a gentleman personally interested in the matter that the experiment in which he was 
concerned proved very successful. The principal modifications of existing arrangements are, 
I believe, in connection with the grate and draught, but there are minor ones with which 
I am not acquainted. Nearly the same amount of work, it is stated, was done by the inferior 
coal as is at present done by the best locomotive coal. Itow important these practical 
experiments are in respect to India no one will deny, and I hope the day is not far distant 
when we shall profit by them. 
Chandah, 
1st January 1873. 
Borneo ... 
Brazil 
Cape Colonies 
Denmark... 
Falkland Islands 
Greece 
New Granada 
New Zealand 
Persia ... 
Portugal ... 
Zambesi ... 
Zanzibar ... 
