12 
Records of the Geological Survey of India. 
[vol. IV. 
said, “ so far as known, a discovery of coal under such circumstances is without precedent.” 
But so far from this being really so, coal has not only been known, hut worked for many years 
in the eastern end of the Ranigunj coal-field under exactly similar circumstances, the only 
difference being that the covering or thickness of the laterite is much less than at Midnapore. 
In other respects the cases are analogous.” 
Undoubtedly “similar discoveries may be looked for elsewhere under similar geological 
conditions.” “ But although there are in the Madras Presidency vast tracts of country in 
which the geological formation of the surface is laterite, there is not that I am aware of 
any single locality where there is the slightest reason to suppose that this laterite covers 
up and conceals coal-measures below. There is no place where such coal-measures appear in 
the adjoining country, or in any of the sections. At Midnapore there is at a limited distance 
to the north the extensive and rich field of Eanigunj, which is at its eastern limit all covered 
up with laterite. And again to the south, similar sandstones, &c., appear near Cuttack, 
rendering it beyond a question more probable that if any distinct formation did occur under 
the laterite and above the crystalline rocks, that formation would certainly he the coal-hearing 
rocks. * * But there is not as yet known a shadow of evidence that any similar 
conditions exist anywhere in the Madras Presidency.” 
Publications,— The “ I! nconus of the Geological Survey” have regularly appeared at the 
fixed intervals of three months. This series has proved, as anticipated, most useful in giving 
early and timely notices of geological facts, which could not he given to the public for many 
months if it were necessary to wait for a tolerably complete report, such as could be published 
in the Memoirs of the Survey with maps, &c. In the four numbers for the year 1870 will he 
found, in addition to the annual report of the Geological Survey and of the Geological 
Museum, a general sketch of the geological structure of the neighbourhood of Madras; the 
alluvial deposits of the Irvavvadi valley ; geology of country around Gwalior; the Wurdha 
river coal-fields ; the Mohpanl coal-field in the Narbadda, valley ; geology of Mount Tilla, in the 
salt range, Punjab ; full accounts of the copper deposits of Singbhum; the coai near Korba, 
Bilaspur, with brief notices of lead lodes at Ghicholi in Raipiir; lead and copper in 
Manbhum; lead Ores near Sleemanabad in Jabalpur; on petroleum in Burraah, &c., and in the 
Punjab, Ac., &e., with the customary lists of additions to our library during each quarter. 
The lead found in Manbhum by Mr. Ball proved to he extraordinarily rich in silver, yielding- 
more than 119 ounces to the ton of lead ! We have had several very satisfactory testimonies 
to the value of this series of papers. And one of the best perhaps is the readiness with 
which our results are quoted in the Geological Journals of Europe, Ac. The quick publication 
of results in this way renders it unnecessary to enter into the same detail in our annual 
report, for these records contain at full, or in full abstract, the descriptive reports, Ac., of the 
officers of the survey for a large part of the year’s work. 
Of the larger publications, The Memoirs of the Geological Survey of India, we have, 
we regret to say, been able actually to issue only one part. Great progress has been made in 
the preparation of others. But it has not been possible to bave the geological maps and 
sections prepared and ready for issue in time. A long and fully detailed report on the country 
lying between Madras and the Kistna river is actually printed, but cannot he issued until the 
map to accompany it be ready. Reports on the small coal-fields of Itkhuri (Eetcooree); of 
Daltongunj, or Palamaun ; of IvaranpunS, south of Hazarfbdgh, Ac., are also ready for issue, 
with the exception of the maps which are to accompany them. These unavoidably take 
much time. They are useless unless prepared with considerable accuracy, and the colouring 
requires much care and special attention. This too is work which cannot be done in the 
ordinary way without the supervision of a geologist who understands the maps. A 
detailed and beautiful map of Kutch is also being printed off now. This is being printed 
