induced
to work with any other tool than a crowbar, with which they produce an
altogether disproportionate amount of small coal and dust. The pillar
and stall is generally practised in preference to the long wall system
of "getting" the coal. None of the mines are of great depth, and a
perfect freedom from fire and choke damp render it possible to carry on
the work without its being necessary to adopt the precautions which in
England only too often fail to secure the object aimed at. Many of the
seams are of considerable thickness; one which is worked contains
nearly 40 feet of coal. As a rule, however, the thick seams, especially
those in the lower measures, do not contain the best coal. Compared
with ordinary English coal, the Ranigunj coals, and Indian coals
generally, are very much inferior in working power. Still they are
capable of generating steam in both locomotive and other engines. In
1868 the total amount of coal raised in the Ranigunj mines was 564,933
tons; but in 1872 the total amount was only 322,443 tons.
I quote the following from the resolution on the subject by the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal for the year 1879 :—
The
year was a prosperous one for the coal companies of Ranigunj. There was
a large demand, and production was greatly stimulated. The output is
estimated to have been 523,097 tons against 467,924 tons, the average
of the three previous years. The number of persons employed was 388,931
men, 194,647 women, and 27,277 children.
The
coal, which is fairly representative of Indian coals, may be described
as a non-caking bituminous coal, composed of distinct lamina; of a
bright jetty and of a dull, more earthy rock.
