1843.] Asiatic Society. 737 



1. My former Report (Journal, vol. xi. p. 892,) to which Major Ouseley's Let- 

 ter refers stated, not that '* a very large proportion of silver was attainable, " but 

 simply that the proportion of silver then found " would in Europe be thought worth 

 working.". 



2. The present specimen is a less favourable one, giving a mere trace of silver, and 

 this is a just instance of the uncertainty of these small laboratory trials of ores, espe- 

 cially as far as relates to the value of minute parts. No two experiments agree, 

 and where the proportion of the valuable ore is a mere fraction, the results are of 

 course always the more uncertain. 



3. The appearance qf the matrix, and the presence of the antimony are, as before 

 remarked, favourable indications; but they are nothing more, and indeed my report 

 might stop here, and be comprised in this, that the present specimen is an ore of lit- 

 tle or no value in its present situation, and with present appearances, but offering 

 indications worth farther investigation. 



4. It may however be satisfactory to Government and to Major Ouseley to have 

 the reasons upon which this view is founded, and I therefore take leave briefly to 

 state them here, as it is specially within the province of our institution to explain 

 matters of this nature. 



5. In all mining, and indeed in many other countries, it has been well remarked, 

 that it is not veins and ores that are wanting, but profitable ones. It was the 

 ignorance or neglect of this great and first principle in mining speculations, which 

 sacrificed so many millions of English capital in Mexico and South America. The 

 agents of the Mining Companies could not, or would not, suppose that a Silver mine, 

 or a mine which produced Silver ores could be a losing concern, and they bought up, 

 at enormous prices, hundreds of spots from which indeed Silver was obtainable, 

 but not to a profit. 



6. In the case before us, we have, at the most, an ore of Lead and Antimony, with 

 the minute portion or traces of Silver which always accompany these ores, and sup- 

 posing it to be obtainable in any quantity, and at the cheapest possible price, or 

 indeed for nothing, we should still require all the expensive resources of the best 

 European Metallurgy, and establishments with scientific superintendence to render 

 it a marketable article here. Asa mere ore, it would probably not pay its carriage 

 to Calcutta and freight to Europe. 



7. In a spot then affording only favorable indications, and where we have assumed 

 already much that is doubtful, it is clear that the first step is to know — 



I. What the vein really is 1 



II. "What are«the facilities for, and difficulties against working it, and the expence 

 attendant on all these and on the necessary superintendence 1 



III. What those for transporting the products to a market are 1 



I. The vein may be the outcrop of a rich mine, or it may be worthless or unwork- 

 able, or break off, even for Lead and Antimony, at 10 fathoms deep. It follows that a 

 professional and a scientific man should first be sent to the spot with all necessary 

 means, that a shaft or gallery should be dug, and the ores from it, as far as he can 

 reach, be examined. This is necessarily and indispensably the first step. 



5 D 



