1853.] Memorandum on the Iron Mines of Baneegunge. 487 



The principal, and indeed the only change in these conditions of 

 any importance, to which Major Baker refers, is the greatly dimi- 

 nished cost of limestone, the price of which would be reduced from 

 27s. per ton, (at which I estimated it,) to about 16s. per ton. Of 

 course the sum estimated by Major Baker, as the cost of carriage 

 per Kailway is liable to such alteration, as experience in the cost of 

 working the line may introduce, but taking this estimated cost as 

 correct, we would have a saving in the cost of limestone of from 

 10s. to lis. per ton. But this does not, as Major Baker says, 

 " exactly double the difference of cost of the raw materials in favour 

 of India," as the difference originally estimated by me, of lis. per 

 ton, was per ton of pig Iron, and not per ton of limestone. Taking 

 then the cost of limestone at 17s. instead of 27s. per ton, we would 

 have the entire cost of the raw materials required for the produc- 

 tion of one ton of pig Iron as follows. 



s. d. 



Coal, 7 2£ 



Ore, 14 4f 



Limestone, 12 9 



34 4i 



As compared with 52s. lQ\d. in Great Britain or a saving in prime 

 cost of 18s. 6\d. per ton. 



I should state here, that subsequently to the publication of my 

 former report, I was informed by more persons than one, that I had 

 therein estimated the cost of raising the Iron stone at too low a 

 price, and that in reality the expenses attending it, would be more 

 nearly 6s. per ton, than 4s. My own enquiries did not lead me to 

 think so, but I should not wish to place my casual examinations in 

 comparison with the long acquired experience of those resident in 

 the neighbourhood, and who could not have any very obvious inter- 

 est in misrepresenting the facts, as the establishment of Iron works 

 would evidently benefit the district. But if these statements be 

 admitted as true, and the estimate given above be modified accord- 

 ingly, the cost of the raw materials for one ton of pig Iron 

 would be 



3 Q 



