10 REPORT 1870. 



delay, the valuable investigation into the composition and geological distri- 

 bution of the haematite iron-ores of Great Britain and Ireland, which has 

 been already in part published in the Memoirs of the Geological Survey.' 



"Your Lordship is doubtless aware of the remarkable process invented 

 some years ago by Mr. Bessemer, for the conversion of crude cast iron into 

 steel or wrought iron, — a process by the apphcatiou of which those important 

 materials can be manufactured at a much cheaper rate than formerly. The 

 royalty which at present exists on iron to which the Bessemer process has 

 been apphed will shortly expire, and its expiz-ation will probably give a great 

 impetus to the iron trade of the countrj'. 



" It is not, however, every ii'on-ore that u'on-masters have been in the habit 

 of employing which can be used for the production of cast iron destined for 

 conversion by the Bessemer process ; for there are certain impurities which 

 that process fails to remove, and which are extremely injurious to steel or 

 wrought iron. This difficulty is got over by preparing the iron from hsema- 

 tite, an iron-ore which is free from those impurities. 



" Accordingly, on the expiration of the Bessemer royalty, a great demand 

 for haematite is Hkely to arise ; and it will be important for the iron trade of 

 the country that it should be known where haematite is to be found. For 

 many of the counties of England the requisite information is contained in 

 the Memoirs referred to in the resolution quoted above ; and the object of 

 the British Association is merely to urge on Her Majesty's Government the 

 importance of continuing and completing, vrithout delay, the investigation 

 thus so ably begun. 



" Although the application of the British Association relates to trade, I 

 have addressed myself to your Lordship rather than to the President of the 

 Board of Trade, because it is to be presumed that the investigation would be 

 best completed by the same body by which it was begun, namely the Staff 

 of the Geological Survey ; and that belongs to the department over which 

 your Lordship presides. 



" The Committee vnll be ready to wait on your Lordship, should you think 

 a personal interview expedient. The Committee consists of Professor Harkness, 

 President of the Geological Section at the Exeter Meeting of the British 

 Association, R. Godwin-Austen, Esq., F.E.S., Vice-President, and myself. 



" I have the honour to be, &c., 



" To the Eight Honourable " G. G. Stokes." 



TJie Earl de Grey and Ripoyi, 



Lord President of the Council.'^ 



To this application the following reply was received : — 



" Science and Art Department, London, W., 

 8th day of February, 1870. 



" Sir, — Your letter to the Lord President, of the 17th of December, 1869, 

 stating that, at the last Meeting of the British Association for the Advance- 

 ment of Science, a resolution was passed appointing a Committee ' for the 

 pui-pose of calUng the attention of Her Majesty's Government to the import- 

 ance of completing, without delay, the valuable investigation into the com- 

 position and geological distribution of the haematite iron-ores of Great 

 Britain and Ireland, which has been already in part pubhshed in the Memoirs 

 of the Geological Survey,' has been under the consideration of the Lords of 

 the Committee of Council on Education. 



" I am directed by their Lordships to inform you that, after consulting -with 

 Sir Eoderick Murchison on the subject, they have come to the conclusion that 



