974 Museum of Economic Geology of India. [No. 106. 



MEMORANDUM. 



Numerous specimens of coal, and of ores of the useful metals, 

 recently received by Government from the Court of Directors, have 

 been placed, with the consent of the Asiatic Society, in one of the 

 Society's rooms, at their house in Park Street, where they are arranged 

 for public inspection. These specimens form part of a collection, to 

 which it is intended that additions shall be made, until a complete 

 series, exhibiting the mineral products of Great Britain shall be ob- 

 tained ; exemplifying at the same time, their modes of occurrence in 

 rock formations, and the processes of converting the rough ores to the 

 metallic state. With this view communications have been opened 

 with the Director of the Geological Survey of England, for the supply 

 and interchange of specimens suited to the objects proposed. 



Simultaneously with these, it is proposed to collect, with the aid of 

 Engineer Officers, Officers of the Revenue Survey, and by donations 

 from individuals interested in the subject, specimens of similar pro- 

 ducts and processes of manufacture of this country, which will be ar- 

 ranged in a manner convenient for comparison with the foregoing, and 

 for exhibiting at one view the mineral resources of India. 



To these will be added specimens of soils, and other substances, 

 showing the application of Geology to Agriculture ; specimens of ma- 

 terials used for public buildings, and for roads ; models of machinery 

 adapted to mining and agriculture in India ; and, lastly, records of 

 mining operations which have been undertaken, or are still in progress. 



Materials will thus be obtained, at no distant date, for a Museum 

 designed to illustrate the application of geology to the useful purposes 

 of life, to be entitled " The Museum of Economic Geology of India." 



The Museum already possesses a series of specimens of British coal 

 and ironstone from the South Wales and South Staffi)rdshire districts, 

 from the forest of Dean, and from Newcastle. In British tin and copper 

 ores, chiefly from Cornwall, the collection may be considered complete. 



The collection of specimens, exhibiting the various stages of metal- 

 lurgical processes, comprises illustrative series of iron- smelting, and 

 manufacture, as practised in South Wales; of the tin smelting of 

 Cornwall ; and of copper smelting, as practised at Swansea. To these, 

 it is intended to add the Bristol mode of manufiicturing brass and the 



