22 MR. THOMAS WARD ON THE 



Prices per ton. 



Average. Highest. Lowest, 



s. d. s. d. s. d. 



1871 61 70 60 



1872 12 4 20 o 7 o 



1873 14 8 15 o 12 o 



1874 10 o 12 o 80 



1875 8 '6 90 6 6 



1876 65 80 50 



1877 56 70 46 



1878 6 6 70 50 



1879 5 6 7 ° 46 



1880 56 6 6 46 



During 188 1 the price has been, on the average, only 

 45. 9c?., and stoved salts for India have ruled lower than 

 at any former period. 



It would be interesting to point out the various kinds of 

 salt made, the purposes for which made, and the countries 

 to which sent — also to show the bearing of the salt-trade 

 upon the general trade of the country, and more especially 

 upon the shipping trade of Liverpool. This, however, must 

 be left for another paper, if thought desirable. 



The most remarkable feature in connexion with the 

 manufacture of salt is the extensive subsidence of land, and 

 the great destruction of property caused by it. In mining 

 the rock salt in the usual way (that is, by blasting and pick- 

 ing) an ordinary mine is formed, subject to the usual mining- 

 accidents of water breaking in or the roof falling. There is 

 no bad gas to cause explosions. It is not accidents of this 

 kind that are referred to in speaking of land-subsidence in 

 the salt districts. The whole of the manufactured salt is 

 literally mined by water. A constant stream of water 

 running over the rock salt to the pumping-stations becomes 

 saturated with the salt that it takes up on its way. Being 

 pumped up, the salt is gained by the method of evaporation 

 before described. It is evident that in gaining the salt in 



