IS73-] Metallurgy. 535 



Some interesting information on the mineral resources of Upper Burmah is 

 given by Captain G. A. Strover in a recently-issued official report. It appears 

 that iron ore abounds in the Shan States, and that a manufactory on very 

 crude principles is at work at Pohpah Toung. A rich haematite has been found 

 abundantly to the west of Sagaing, and the requisite plant for establishing 

 large works for smelting this ore is to be sent over from this country. Coal is 

 known to occur in several localities in Burmah; some being, it is true, of only 

 inferior quality, resembling lignite, whilst other varieties are said to equal 

 the best English coal. 



Several interesting papers bearing on Cornish mining were communicated 

 to the Institution of Mechanical Engineers at its recent meeting in Penzance. 

 Among them we may refer to a paper by Mr. J. H. Collins, " On the Mining 

 District of Cornwall and West Devon," in which the writer gave a general 

 description of the geological features of the district, the mode of occurrence 

 of its mineral veins or lodes, and the methods of Cornish mining. In a 

 paper u On Machinery for Dressing Tin and Copper Ores," Mr. H. T. 

 Fergusson described in detail the different forms of tin stamps, and explained 

 the advantages of Husband's patent pneumatic stamps; the author also 

 noticed the chief improvements in the dressing of copper ores, including 

 Borlase's buddle, Dingley's pulveriser, and Oxland and Hocking's patent 

 calciner. A description of the tin steam works in Restronguet Creek, near 

 Truro, was presented by Mr. C. D.Taylor, of Devoran. These works yielded 

 large quantities of tin at the end of the last century, and after various 

 vicissitudes have again been opened up by Messrs. Taylor. The Institution 

 visited these works among other places of interest in the county. 



Coal-cutting machinery has undergone considerable improvements at the 

 hands of Messrs. Simpson and Hurd. After introducing many modifications, 

 they have succeeded in producing a very superior machine. A couple of these 

 machines — the first two which had been completed by the makers, Messrs. 

 Matther and Piatt, of Manchester — were recently exhibited at Wigan to the 

 members of the South Staffordshire and East Worcestershire Institution of 

 Mining Engineers. Some lithographs of the machine have been published in 

 the Colliery Guardian (Aug. 8). 



It is reported that recent explorations in the Hundred of Wirral in Cheshire, 

 between the Dee and the Mersey, have led to the opinion -that several seams 

 of good coal exist within this area. A bed of coal, n feet thick, is, indeed, 

 said to have been discovered on the Trelawney Estate at Songhall Massie. 



We also hear of the discovery of a large lode of haematitic iron ore in 

 North Devon, and of a rich silver-lead lode at Poolvash in the Isle of Man. 



METALLURGY. 

 For the first time in the history of the Iron and Steel Institute, it has held 

 a Continental Congress. Liege, on the Meuse, surrounded by some of the 

 great iron-producing districts of Belgium, was the scene of its late session. 

 In delivering the presidential address, Mr. I. Lowthian Bell gracefully alluded 

 to the amicable relations between Belgium and Great Britain, and referred to 

 the great value of the Belgian coal-fields, the exceptional character of their 

 coal seams, and the ingenuity of her mining engineers in developing these 

 resources under adverse natural conditions. It appears that during the past 

 year the output of the Belgian collieries was about 14 millions of tons, and 

 that between 5 and 6 millions were exported. The exports also included 

 nearly 800,000 tons of haematitic iron ore, though iron ores are at the same 

 time largely imported into Belgium. The president reminded our neighbours 

 that the development of their iron trade was in large measure due to one of 

 our countrymen, John Cockerill, who erected the first coke blast-furnace in 

 Belgium, and thus laid the foundation of the great iron works of Seraing. 

 Mr. Bell had a good word in favour of the Ecoles des Mines of Liege, Mons, 

 and Charleroi, and for the kindred schools in other parts of Belgium. Nor 

 did the excellent technical journal which issues from Liege — Cuyper's Revue 

 Universelle des Mines — pass without its due measure of praise. Finally, the 



