APPENDIX. 277 



the pulla or 3 maunds of cuicha Iron only giving 1^ maund of pucka or useable 



Iron. For tlie reduction of this quantity there is required of 



It. A. P. 



Charcoal, 6 



1 head workman, 6 



6 workmen, @ 2 annas each, 12 



18 

 or a total of one rupee eight annas for the cleaning of 1-| maund of Iron. This 

 pucka Iron however sells for 14 rupees 4 annas per pulla or 3 maunds, having 

 cost as above 13 rupees (viz. 6 maunds of cutcha IronzrlO rupees and cost of 

 reduction 3 rupees=13 rupees). This is the price at which the Iron manufac- 

 tured in the jail is sold (4 rupees 12 annas) per maund, that manufactured in the 

 district can be purchased for 12 rupees the pulla. Lieut. Keatinge has introduced 

 the use of a heavy tilt hammer, worked by the feet, which has necessarily improv- 

 ed the quality of the Iron, by more thoroughly expressing the slag, than could be 

 done by the use of small hand hammers. The reduction of the raw or cutcha 

 Iron, to the more pure, or puclca condition is therefore a more profitable process 

 than the original smelting, and I believe it was with a view to taking greater 

 advantage of this that the proposition, I have alluded* to above, to extend the 

 manufacture of the cuicha Iron by setting up new furnaces was made." 



" The pucka Iron again loses £ of its own weight in being wrought up into tools &c." 



" The present cost therefore of the " cutcha" Iron or the first produce of the 



smelting of the ore is 5 rupees for 3 maunds, or about £4-12 per ton. Of the 



"pucka" Iron the present price is about £12-15 per ton. And it is certain that 



these barely yield a profit in the manufacture as at present carried on." 



" It is equally certain that, at these prices, imported English Iron will command 

 the market, from its greater purity, and the very greatly more convenient forms 

 in which it is procurable. Bolts, bars, plates of every size which may be required 

 can be had ready prepared, while the native Iron involves great trouble and time 

 m bringing it into the same forms. With a view to obviate this objection Lieut 

 Keatinge is I believe most anxious to introduce a small rolling machine, and 

 practically to test the applicability of this Iron to rolling purposes. The Iron 

 is of excellent quality, though soft, and I have no doubt could be easily wrought, 

 and certainly the experiment could not easily be placed in more competent hands, 

 than in those of Lieut. Keatinge, who has already devoted much time and 

 attention to the improvement of this manufacture within his district." 



Dated, April \Uh 1856. 



Geologically considered the Iron ores of the JNerbudda Valley may be con- 

 veniently separated into four groups. 



1. The detrital ores or surface accumulations of gravel and shingle formed of 

 fragments of Iron ore with ferruginous sand and clay. 



