100 
Records of the Geological Survey of India, 
[vol. vix. 
With examples of stone work which range in age from before the Christian era up to 
modern times, the engineers and architects of India have an immense advantage over those of 
newer countries. 
It should be scarcely requisite to observe that the proof of a certain formation affording 
Care requisite in section of material. ^°od building stone is not sufficed to justify the conclusion 
that all the stone of that formation is equally durable. Yet 
the passing of individual block's of stone is under these circumstances, there is reason to 
believe, often performed in an imperfect manner. Cases might he quoted where ill-chosen 
stones have not proved equal to the work which might justly be expected from the material 
bad a little care been used in the selection, and thus, too often, a material has received a bad 
name and evil reputation where in truth its qualities have not been put to a fair trial. 
Although locally, in the construction of bridges and other works where stone has been 
Skilled stone-workers more numer- employed, vast numbers of coolies have been trained so as 
ous formerly. to become very fair stone-cutters, still the number of highly 
skilled artizans is probably less than it was in former times, when the inhabitants of almost 
every district in India into which Aryans penetrated erected their temples of stone. In many 
cases these temples, to the present day, exhibit admirable workmanship in the most difficult 
materials. 
To show bow little has been done towards developing and rendering these resources of 
The building: stone resources of India available, it is only necessary to refer to the grim 
iudia undeveloped. advertisements which daily meet our eyes in the newspapers, 
of tombstones of Aberdeen granite and Italian marble. 
In further illustration of this, I may mention that at Raniganj, 120 miles inland 
from Calcutta, I have seen at the potteries enormous granite mill-stones for crushing quartz 
which had travelled probably 15,000 miles to their present destination, while within a radius 
of 20 miles several places could be indicated whore stone suited to -the purpose could be ob¬ 
tained were quarries only opened up. 
With increased facilities for carriage, by rail and canal, and with some modification of 
„ .... , , the traditions in favor of Public Works Department bricks, 
Prospect of future development. * 
we may yet look forward to a time when the splendid build¬ 
ing materials existing in India* will be brought into more general use for our public and 
private buildings. And we may thus yet hope to see structures of an ornamental aud lasting 
character worthy of our position in this country. 
The order in which the several classes of materials are arranged in this paper is that 
followed by Professor Hull— 
I.—Gbanitic and Gneissose Rocks. 
II. — Basalt and Teaps. 
III. — Seepentine, Potstones, and Soapstone . 
IV. -— Maeble. 
V.—Gypsum and Alababtee. 
VI.— Obnamental Stones. 
VII.— Limestones, Kunkue. 
VIII.— Sandstones, Quaetzites. 
IX.— Lateeite. 
X.— Slates. 
* Some trials of Indigenous limestones from the Vindhyans and from Karnul for lithographic purposes 
appeared to give promisiug results; but the large quantity of stones which are used in the Presidency towns are still, 
1 believe, exclusively imported from Europe, 
