These
seams are, and have been, worked for many years by the Narbada Coal and
Iron Company. In 1874 the out-turn ranged from 700 to 1,000 tons per
month. It was sold to the railway company at about ten rupees, or at
from three to four times the price of Ranigunj and Karharbari coals. It
could command this price in consequence of the cost of carriage
respectively of Karharbari, and of English coal from Bombay.
In 1878, the average cost of Karharbari coal on the line between Jabalpur and Allahabad amounted to P.1 2s. 4-2/3d. per ton.
XXV. Tawa*
The coal seams of the Tawa valley are of no great promise; they are of irregular thicknesses and the coal is generally inferior.
XXVI. PENCH.f
There
are many seams in this area, some of which are of considerable
thickness, and the coal is often of fair quality. The position of the
field, surrounded by hilly country, renders it improbable that it will
ever be of much commercial value.
GODAVERI VALLEY.
XXVII Bandar. +
This field is situated near the village of Chimur, thirty miles N.E. of Warora, in the Chanda district.
* " Manual," vol. i. p. 218. t Loc. cit.
X Hughes, "Memoirs Geological Survey of India," vol. xiii. pp. 145-154. " Manual," vol. i. p. 226.