896 Asiatic Society. [No. 129. 



consequence of its cheapness, for all rough purposes, such as tipping ploughshares, 

 making axes, &c. &c. 



7. This kind of steel is not made in England, in consequence of the had quality 

 of the iron made from the commoner ores of England. 



In a former report, I have shewn that this " natural steel" can be produced im- 

 mediately from the ore in smelting the " iron sand" of South India, at a very cheap 

 rate j but on further investigation of the process, I have found that by treating the 

 cast iron procured from this ore, in a manner similar to the German methods, a 

 natural steel can be produced without any uncertainty in the result, for less than 

 150 rupees per ton, which is less than iron now sells for in South India. 



9. By experiments on steel which I have made in this manner, I have found that 

 it is fitted for every purpose for which natives now use steel, while the process is 

 so very simple, that it can be learned and practised by natives with very little diffi- 

 culty, and the apparatus requisite costs hardly any thing. 



(Signed,) J. Campbell. Capt. Asst. Surveyor General* 



Ryacottah, 9th May, 1842. 



(True Copies.) 



(Signed) H. Chamier, Chief Secretary. 



(True Copies.) 



H. V. Bayley, Dept. Secy, to the Government of India. 



