32 HATCH: THE KOLAR GOLD-FIELD. 



CHAPTER IV. 



SURFACE EQUIPMENT. 



Power employed.— The power required on the Kolar field for 



pumping, winding, driving air-compressors, stamps, rock-breakers 



and for workshops and electric lighting is approximately io.ooo 



horse-power. The ratio in which it is utilized is as follows : — 



Air-compressors ....... 36 per cent. 



Mills, rock-breakers, workshops, and electric lighting 28 „ 



Winding 19 „ 



Pumping 17 „ 



100 per cent. 



The cost per horse-power varies in the different mines from £28 

 to £35 and averages about £31 per annum. The main item of this 

 cost is the coal. bill which amounts to 84*5 per cent, of the total ; 

 next comes labour, 8 per cent; administration and supervision, 5 

 percent.; and stores (comprising lubricants, waste, packing, kero- 

 sene, anti-friction metals, etc.), 2*5 per cent. 



A scheme has been initiated by the Mysore Government to sub- 

 stitute for steam-power, water-power, transmitted by electricity. 

 It is proposed to utilize for this purpose the falls on the Cauvery 

 river at Sivasamudram, which are 95 miles distant from the Kolar 

 gold-field. The Cauvery river at this place has a fall of 430 feet, 

 of which an effective head of 350 feet can be obtained for power- 

 generation. It has been planned to convey the water to the turbines 

 in two channels each 19 feet wide by 5 feet deep, the distance from 

 the intake to the pentstock being 3! miles. Each channel, it is 

 estimated, will convey 250 cubic feet of water per second. In case 

 of a short-fall of water during the dry season it is proposed to sup- 

 plement the power transmitted from Sivasamudram by steam- 

 power generated at the central distributing station on the Kolar 

 gold-field. The power will be taken by various companies to drive 



