204 Observations on the Graphite of Kumaon. [No. 3. 



with them, but all impurity greatly deteriorates its value: the 

 Vizagapatam in its present state, seems to be worthless. 



Graphite has on several occasions been sent from Almorah as 

 in 1849 and 1850 ; again in 1851, and lastly on the present occasion. 

 It was first discovered by Captain Herbert near Almorah, who 

 describes cutting it into slices, of which he made pencils, shewing 

 that it had some of the qualities required in that substance. The 

 specimens sent in 1849 and 1850 were examined and reported on 

 by the late Mr. Phillips and also by the late Mr. Brockenden, the 

 latter of whom was well acquainted with the practical uses and 

 commercial value of Graphite, but he pronounced the specimens, 

 for any purpose that he was acquainted with, as useless, and there- 

 fore worthless. The same opinion was again given to me by Mr. 

 Brockenden before his death. 



If the enormous value (from 30s. to 50s. a pound) of good 

 Graphite, is considered, the declared worthlessness of these Indian 

 specimens seems to be unaccountable. It is desirable to ascertain 

 what constitutes the value of good Graphite, and what causes the 

 deterioration of that from India. For this purpose, it is necessary 

 to notice the different uses to which this substance is applied. 

 These are 1st for making pencils, 2nd to diminish the friction of 

 machinery, 3rd to make fire-proof crucibles, 4th to black lead grates 

 as it is called. For all these purposes, except the last, it is evident 

 that purity is essential. 



1. The best pencils were formerly made of the Borrowdale 

 Graphite, obtained from a mine which is now exhausted. This kind 

 was pure and compact, and sold readily at about 40s. a pound. It 

 was sawn into thin slices, these were inserted into the groove of one 

 half of cedar pencils and the superfluous part filed off, then the 

 other half was glued on to the filled up half of the pencil. It is 

 evident that for such a purpose only the purest specimens were of 

 any value, for the presence of a bit of quartz or of an ore of iron, 

 or of any other metal, would injure the tools and fracture the thin 

 slices or slender prisms of Graphite, and if they did not produce any 

 of these effects, they would be very inconvenient at the point of a 

 pencil for whatever purpose employed. Indeed if it had not been 

 for the discovery that finely powdered Graphite can by an extreme 



