560 Mineral Resources of India. [No. 139. 



1832,] by Colonel Forbes, the following allusions to his labours oc- 

 cur : — 



Par. 115. That good building stone may be obtained in the vicinity of the More, 

 we are aware from the fact, that in a locality adjoining it, the late Mr. Farquhar 

 constructed a dam, (stated to have been of an excellent quality of this material,) for 

 the purpose of turning a stream of water over the wheel of a mill proposed to be 

 employed by him in rolling out iron prepared on the spot from the ore. This dam 

 was considered by the late Mr. Cheap, of Surool, to present the best specimen of 

 masonry at the time (forty years ago,) to be met with in India. 



Par. 117. Broken up for its materials, and consequently neglected, it is believed 

 that at present no part of the dam alluded to, remains. Those who knew Mr. 

 Farquhar, will however acknowledge, that previous to embarking in such a specula- 

 tion, no man was more likely to have been cautious in his enquiries, and few better 

 able to conduct them. 



Par. 118. Certain it is that had the time and talents devoted by Mr. Farquhar 

 to the making of gunpowder been continued to his iron works, the art of manufacturing 

 iron would ere now have been far enough advanced, to have importantly facilitated 

 the construction of this Canal, and many other works of public utility. 



Farquhar was not, however, permitted to proceed in peace. The un- 

 expected manoeuvre of renting the loha mahal direct from Government, 

 had completely disconcerted the plans of annoyance already prepared by 

 the landholders. Continual efforts were made to surprise the autho- 

 rities into some orders that might afford ground for litigation on the 

 right to the loha mahal. In the meantime new aurungs were esta- 

 blished by the Zemindar, who used the uncontrolled power possessed by 

 landholders over the peasantry of their estates, to ruin Farquhar in 

 every way. His people were molested, fuel obstructed, miners bribed 

 away, and perwannas for private furnaces issued. 



On th^ 10th May 1784, a paper of proposals was presented to the 

 Committee of Revenue, to farm Beerbhoom from Government. It con- 

 tained the following paragraph : — 



" That the farmer be allowe J to examine the hustabood of the loha mahal 

 which is included in the jumma, and under-farm it to such persons as the 

 farmer shall like." 



The proposals were rejected. In August, the Zemindar Zemaun 

 Khan presented a Wazeeb-ul-urz, in which he treats the loha mahal as 

 his property as a matter of course. 



