but of a limited number of varieties, can be produced; fourth, that
the margin of profit upon local manufacture will, under the most
favourable circumstances, be a very narrow one—so narrow as to be
subject to be swept away with the oscilations in prices in the English
market. At the same time, it must be borne in mind that India is so
large a customer of England, that a failure of demand from that quarter
would certainly result in the lowering of English prices to a
considerable extent.
It
is my belief that a factory on a small scale could not possibly pay in
India. It could not afford to keep up such an establishment as would
provide for the carrying on of operations in the event of casualties,
and from this and other causes, its operations would be subject to
interruptions, which would be fatal to success:
Whether
a colossal scheme of iron factories working in connection with one
another at different parts of the country might not be successful is
another . matter to which attention may well be directed. It seems to
be not improbable that had the Government started the manufacture of
iron on an extended scale,* when the trunk lines of India were being
opened up, great benefit would have been accrued to the State. That it
would have been possible, politically speaking, for any Government to
have done so continuously, may be doubted, owing to the opposing
interests involved; but had there been a special department of the
State—similar, say in its organisation, to the Forest or Salt
Departments—it is certain that the effect of establishing factories for
iron manufacture would have been to keep vast sums of money in
circulation in 'tfte country, and to have given employment to large
numbers of people who now crowd the land.
In
a suitably officered department there would be a margin of officials,
to allow for leave and casualties; and what is perhaps of more
importance, the managers of individual factories would be upheld in
their authority by a prestige which the managers of companies
do not possess, and the want of which was a cause of incessant trouble
at Bepur, Dechanri, and other places.
Whether
a large scheme be ever undertaken by private enterprise or by the
Government, the production of a variety of classes of iron should, if
possible, be attained. Not only should the factories be able to turn
out good qualities of rails and bar, but by producing an easily
malleable iron, such as that made in the simple charcoal furnaces of
the natives, and which commands a very high price, the use of iron in
the interior might be largely extended, and an important industry
created.
Of
other metals found in India, besides those above mentioned, the most
important are platinum, cobalt, manganese, and chromium. The occurrence
of mercury is doubtful. Regarding what is known of these and a few
other rare metals, full particulars will be found in my volume. Pottery Clays, &c.
The
pottery clays most commonly used in India are of the coarsest kind, and
the ware prepared from thein is baked at a low heat. In certain parts
of the country finer and more refractory clays are used for special
varities of pottery. And there can be little doubt that were the
occasion to arise, clays of high quality would be forth-coming. There
is at present one European pottery in Bengal, the work turned out by
which demonstrates the excellent quality and variety of the materials
which are obtainable in the vicinity of Kaniganj. Good fire-clay is
obtainable, it is known, by actual trial in several parts of the
country, and would probably be found in other parts should occasion for
its use arise.
Miscellaneous.
Under
this general heading I include a few of the many mineral substances not
above mentioned, but| which occur in India, and have a greater of less
commercial value. These are, graphite, or plumbago, sulphur alum,
mica, and asbestos.
