to the properties and uses, not merely of this particular 

 family of plants, but the vegetable kingdom generally, it is a 

 subject of deep regret, not on his own account so much 

 as on that of the resources of India, that our colleague 

 to whom so much is due, and from whom so much more is to 

 be expected on this subject, should have occasion to return 

 to a limited field in the Straits. 



We are indebted to Captain Campbell of the Madras 

 Service, for a second valuable communication on the impor- 

 tant manufacture of wrought Iron in India. In his first 

 paper, Captain Campbell points out the expense of trans- 

 mitting iron into the interior, adverting to the fact of an iron 

 suspension bridge having cost 80 rupees a ton for carriage 

 alone. On the other hand, it would seem from subsequent 

 correspondence with Captain Campbell, that good wrought 

 iron may be made in any part of India where ore and 

 fuel are plentiful, for 38 rupees per ton, being less than 

 half the above charge for transport alone. The practical 

 importance of this subject requires no comment. Captain 

 Campbell advocates the improvement of the native process 

 of making wrought iron, rather than the introduction at 

 once of the high blast furnace for the production of cast 

 iron. 



On this point we must for the present submit to the re- 

 commendation of Captain Campbell whether we will or not, 

 for there are difficulties which, until the nature of the ores of 

 the country become better known, must retard their employ- 

 ment for the production of cast iron. These difficulties are 

 only to be overcome by preliminary investigation on a small 

 scale. In the mean-time it is satisfactory to know, from the 

 papers of Captain Campbell, that good wrought iron may 

 be produced from the native ores at the low rate above 

 stated. J. M. 



Calcutta, January, 1845. 



