ECONOMIC RESOURCES. 91 



11. With regard to furnaces, I think that the notion of erecting works for 

 the manufacture of charcoal-pig on anything but the smallest scale cannot be 

 entertained. 



12. The most attractive furnaces are those of Messrs. Siemans and Crampton. 

 However, neither inventor has as yet been able to make the adaptation of the 

 principle upon which his furnace is founded a practical success ; and until such a 

 result has been achieved in England, I certainly would not advise India being made 

 an arena for experiments. These furnaces promise, when perfected, to be of great 

 value to such a country as this, where there is a want of good fuel, as there is less 

 chance of the iron being contaminated with impurities than when the whole amount 

 of fuel is consumed in contact with the charges in the blast furnace. 



13. If blast furnaces be erected, I would not advise the construction of works for 

 a larger outturn than 500 tons of pig-iron in a month, as I believe that commercial 

 success will be more assured by commencing on a moderate but not too small a scale, 

 and thus limiting the adverse influence of untested liabilities, than by launching out 

 into extravagant expectations. For a rotating furnace such as Siemans', however, 

 where most of the fuel is burnt in the gas producers, less pure coal might be employed, 

 and there is no reason why for this and for rough purposes Panchbyni and Hurin- 

 singah coal should not be used. Taking the lowest estimate, however, for Panchbyni 

 coal (which is somewhat better, it appears, than Hurinsingah coal), viz., 2 annas a 

 maund cartage and 3 pies a maund for rental and raising, it cannot be set down at 

 Mullarpore much under Es. 4-12 a ton. This I consider to be the cheapest rate at 

 which it could be procured, and if Eaniganj rubble cost Es. 5, or even 5-8, the latter 

 would be a more economical fuel. If the difference in rates, however, exceeded this 

 proportion, I would recommend the use of Panchbyni coal. 



10. The working value of the Eaniganj coal is higher than that of Panchbyni, 

 and within certain limits it would be cheaper to pay more for a ton of the former than 

 of the latter. The proportional values o£ these coals are as Es. 4-12 to Es. 5-8. 



When the technical and other difficulties inseparably connected with the attempt 

 to establish a new undertaking have been overcome, then more extended schemes may 

 be entertained. 



14. All the requisite raw materials for the production of iron occur within a 

 short distance of Mullarpore with the exception of coal. This is the one weak point 

 in the project of iron smelting at that and other places in the lolia mehals near the 

 line of railway. Otherwise there would be no reason to doubt the entire success of 

 making Mullarpore a centre for the manufacture of iron. 



15. As compared with the project now afloat in the Eaniganj field, the excess in 

 the price of coal is counterbalanced to a certain extent by a less quantity of iron ore 



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