266 MAGNETIC IRON ORES OF VICTORIA COUNTY. 
It is needless to mention there is no industry that is of such import- 
ance to the prosperity of a country as the smelting of iron ; England 
is of course the most striking example of this. Were it not for her 
smelting works the United States would not have the balance of her 
commerce on the export side. 
Concomitantly with the present great prosperity in France, her 
iron industries have taken most gigantic strides. 
Belgium, Germany, Sweden, and even Russia, are examples of the 
great benefits which accrue to countries from the encouragement of 
iron smeltime. 
In Ontario it is a question whether we could smelt with mineral 
fuel, without a high protection. 
It seems very probable that smelting with charcoal can be carried 
on with profit in those parts of the Province where iron ore, large 
quantities of timber, Railroad facilities and good water power are 
edOmbined. 
These essentials are united in the Victoria district. As before 
mentioned, the standard required in the ore to be shipped to the 
United States is such a very high ore that a seriously large proportion 
of good ore is left as a waste product. 
In the vicinity of the iron mines in Victoria County, there are 
large tracts of woods which have been partially culled of the choicest 
timber, yet enough remains for the manufacture of charcaal for a long 
time to come. In lumbering, the branches and tops of the trees are 
left ; these make excellent charcoal. Therefore a smelting works 
would prevent great waste both of the mine and forest. Settlers 
would soon find the burning of charcoal a handsome little per- 
quisite. 
One point in locating a works is important, and that is unless there 
is In any deposit a proved quality of ore in sight, it would be very 
dangerous to risk the supply of a works to one deposit, as the 
deposits vary much in size; but the smelting works should be in a 
position to tap the production of several proved deposits. 
Tn Sweden it is common to combine a saw mill with iron smelting 
works, as the refuse is made of much use in producing gas for the 
regenerative furnaces. 
The cost of erection of a plain but substantial plant, with charcoal 
furnaces, to turn out 100 tons (minimum) per week, would be pro- 
bably $60,000. With Whitewell hot blast stoves, Westman caleining 
