'Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, from January 1847 to May 1849. Edited by the Secretary. Volume VIII.' [‎36] (51/496)

XXXVI
those of the chalk. I see in your paper of the 17 th, which I this morning receiv
ed, a notice of Dr Giraud's examination of the jet from Kalibag, which is a richly
bituminous coal, as was to be expected. In my diary, which is now in the hands
of Government, I mentioned this coal as being jet of fine quality, but have not
yet had leisure to analyse my specimens. It is perfectly different from the prin
cipal coal deposit of the salt range, and occurs in white sandstone and shales
among the variegated sandstones above the salt, in masses resembling trunks of
trees, presenting in their interior in many instances portions of brown soft half
decomposed vegetable matter. The jet is of fine quality, but does not occur in
quantity—at least near Kalibag, to render it useful as a fuel. Captain Christo
pher also took down with him a quantity of highly bituminous shale as fuel, which
occurs in connexion with the jet deposit but I fear Dr Giraud will find in it a lit
tle more than 3‘2 per cent of ashes, which he states as the amount in Kalibag jet.
I think I mentioned in my letter to you that jet of a similar character occurs in
small quantity in the soft tertiary sandstones at Kuhar on the N. side of the Salt
Range. The regular Lignite seams are deficient at Kalibag, their place being
supplied by an extensive developement of bituminous shale containing mere films of
coal, rendering it admirably adapted for alum manufacture. In the Salt Range to the
east of the Indus, where the Lignite seams are much developed, the alum shales are
deficient, and vice versa. These shales at Kalibag are highly pyritous, and in some
places to such an extent as to have caused the spontaneous combustion of the shales,
in consequence of the oxidation of the bisulphuret of iron. At one place the com
bustion of the shale is so active that from the mouth of one of the old shafts from
which the shale is excavated, there is a constant discharge of smoke, resembling that
from the funnel of a steamer. In this shaft the combustion has gone on for five
Hocks .—The rocks met with at Jelalpore consist of—
1. Limestone,
2. Sandstone,
3. Sandstone Conglomerate,
4. Red and green Marls,
5. Gypsum,
6. Conglomerate.
Conglomerate. -- Resting upon the five rocks mentioned, in an unconformable position, there
is a conglomerate, held together partly by calcareous, and partly by siliceous matter • in it occur
rounded masses or boulders of granite, syenite, trap, quartz rock, and limestone &c> ’ the last of
which abounds with organic remains. We met with this rock in ^itu somf miles to the
Westward, and on the road leading to Kalabag-h, as well as at tint rPnop
direction followed by the stream which deposited the conglomerate? P ’ P tS ° Ut ^
it ^ Very c . ompact ’ and varies in colour from greyish white to erevish black
ratefte^d rnTncteX^odhatVocr ° T f t J h eM P ore is inclined sandstone conglome-
arranged in a niche ofttemountains * • ve i . ry i’ r ? tty a PP eara nce, the houses being neatly
to the*time * 1 2 3 4 of Jelnmgeer^atwhich^nerkl^t Up acclivit y : the nam c dates back
two hundred feet above the present site testifv t'n I' 0 I' u lous ;-the rums, now seen about
by Ksu"maL S 6 * * * “ Hhfdo^now “hTbnfk ofthe then princ^aUylnhlbited
angle varying from 35° to 60 ° • there is no nnifn? 10 °p era4e mentioned, are highly inclined, the
there any- plutonian rock ^ to ^c„nnt°foTihTs“ ttorltaarv L‘ hey , Clip N .' E ' “ d ’ nor is
Gypsum—Economical Uses —The gypsum occurs imbedded , 1 !^ 1 8ern ? nt *
color being either white, rose, or brick red • from thiV^nna+^i tl?e red an . d £F een raaids ’ lts
half eoss, masses of any size might be carried ‘inrl a t ^ ie rive r, which is only distant
alabaster of the European continent ; it is of this subst^nc^thaTn CCl i Ual finest gypseous
the state of a white powder, which has a strong afflnit; foTX^Tite^ranMi^TpS