Editorial Notes. 99 



non-ferrous, offers much greater uncertainties than coal-mining, 

 and, indeed, is almost always inevitably in the nature of a gamble. 

 This is simply a matter of geology, and it is unnecessary to labour 

 the point. Now it is manifestly impossible for the State to enter 

 upon such a hazardous type of speculation with the public funds 

 as capital ; even the most academic economist and the most 

 theoretical socialist must recognize this fact, and the inevitable 

 result of the interference of the State and control by a Government 

 department would be the total stoppage of enterprise and 

 development in this direction and a complete cessation of any pro- 

 duction of non-ferrous metals in this country. Such a state of 

 affairs is unthinkable. 



The Board of Trade Committee on non-ferrous metalliferous mines 

 has now completed the taking of evidence, and a rej)ort is being 

 prepared which it is hoped will be ready for presentation in the course 

 of a few weeks. At the later sittings of the Committee some 

 interesting evidence was given concerning lead, zinc, and barytes. 

 With regard to the last-named product Col. J. V. Kamsden, of the 

 Shropshire Mines, Ltd., pointed out the need for improved methods 

 of preparation, and also for protection against the dumping of 

 cheap foreign material, if the barytes industry in this country is to 

 be j^reserved. Mr. J. Mitchell, of Wanlockhead, described the 

 scheme for a very long deep-level gravity tunnel for the drainage 

 of the Wanlockhead-Leadhills district. Much evidence was given 

 concerning the present position of the lead-zinc mining industry 

 in the North of England. It was stated that the Ashover Mines 

 in Derbyshire are now worked almost exclusively for fluor-spar, 

 for which there is a good demand as a flux in metallurgical work. 

 It appears that in many localities the visible supplies of ore are now 

 approaching exhaustion, and Professor Louis considered that the 

 allocation of national funds to investigation of the Melmerby Scar 

 Limestone would be justified, as in his opinion this offers the most 

 promising prospects. In this connexion it may perhaps be allowable 

 to point out that purely geological considerations are of great 

 importance. If the ore came from below there should be a tendency 

 for it to accumulate under such an impervious rock as the Whin Sill. 

 Now it is well known that the sill is transgressive, occurring in 

 different places at very various stratigraphical horizons. Hence 

 the most likely place for ore would seem to be in places where the 

 Whin Sill rests on a well-marked bed of limestone, if such can be 

 found. This evidently needs a close and detailed study of local 

 stratigraphy. 



