(5 Records of the Geological Survey of India. [vol. tv. 
“adjoining areas, that for Ihe present at least, the coal, even if found, could not be worked 
“ to the same advantage or economy as elsewhere.” Nothing can be clearer than that it was 
anticipated that coal would he found near Wurrora to the south of this area of trappean 
rocks, and again possibly near Panjoorni to the north of the same area. 
It is the more necessary to point these facts ont. because geological maps of this part 
of the country have been published since then in public documents which entirely misrepresent 
the true state of the case, but for which the Geological Survey Department is in no way 
responsible. This area of trappean rocks, which is most obviously an outlying or separated 
portion of the immense extent of overflowing volcanic rocks, which cover some thousands of 
square miles of the Deccan, and close to the general boundary of which this area lies, is stated 
to be of “ trap rocks coming up through the sandstone” in one case* and is represented as a 
“trap dyke” in another, f Any geologist will at once see the vastly important difference in 
the two views here alluded to. In the one there is not only a chance, but almost a certainty, 
that the coal will be found under a part at least of the area covered at the surface by these 
rocks, (though we still think this may better be put out of any calculation for the present,) 
while, in the other, everything would be cut off, and there would be no prospects of proving 
the extension of the coal-bearing rocks at all. The same maps, which are issued in a way 
that might lead to the supposition that they had been furnished by the Geological Survey of 
India, represent the structure of the country very erroneously more to the south. I am not 
aware of anything to justify the extension of the Talehir rocks in a broad belt across the 
entire field up to the crystalline boundary on the east, and I believe there is no foundation 
for this representation. Certainly no such idea is held by the Geological Department, which 
is in the same paper stated to have been working out the stiucture ot the field, and which 
might, therefore, be supposed to hold the views represented on these maps. 
It had been my intention to prove the detached areas of sandstones near to Nagpur 
during the past season. This could have been done without interfering with the real progress 
of other enquiries. I am not aware that anything has been done in this direction. 
In the report referred to on the ‘Wurdha river coal-fields,’ I pointed oat that so 
far as information had been obtained up to that date, there appeared to be no question that 
any line of railway to these fields, if laid out with the object of commanding the widest 
area and largest "amount of traffic for a given outlay, ought certainly to be carried into the 
Berar country. And there has been nothing since discovered tending in any way to modify 
this opinion! There is coal, and enough to supply the demand, in the Chanda district. 
But it is neither so conveniently placed, nor so continuous, nor so economically workable, as 
in the Berar district. While the latter has the very great collateral advantage of opening out 
one of the richest cotton districts in India, whereas there is little or no cotton, comparatively, 
in Chanda, and the nature of the soil precludes any hope of much extension of its culti¬ 
vation. It would certainly appear an almost necessary consequence of the geological struc¬ 
ture of the country, that any line, intended to accommodate the hugest amount ot tiaffie 
in these two staples—coal and cotton —must be earned on the right bank of the Wurdha 
river, at least south of the junction of the river Wunna. Any tonnage of coal likely to 
be required from these fields would be common to either line, while the very large cotton 
trade of the rich districts of Berar, Edlabad. and all to the south, can only be accommodated 
to any useful extent by a line passing into, or through, East Berar. 
In connection with the examination of these important fields, it is only a matter of 
justice to the officers of the Geological Survey to point out that, at the first, it was estimated 
that four years would be required to explore fairly and to determine properly the value of 
* Report of Administration of Central Provinces, 1869-70, p. 70, Map, The workings of the Geological Survey 
Department have never been, as here stated, under the direction of Mr. M. Fryar. 
f Mining Journal, London, October 8, 1870. 
