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2 excavation, smelting, and manipulation. The mines might doubtless be
3 efficiently and profitably worked, ifeompetent miners were located there ;
4 but in such working the first great obstacle would relate to the want
5 of combustible material in sufficient quantities. Fuel might be obtained.
6 At some litile distance, forest timber might be procured. Lignite exists
7 in the locality, to what extent, further exploration must show. ‘Coal
8 unfortunately has not been, and probably ‘will not be, discovered. On
9 the other hand, neighbouring streams or rivers would generally supply
10 motive power. Another obstacle would be the difficulty of transport.
11 The mines or localities of the ore are all more or less in the Hills.
12 Some of them are intercepted by high opposing ranges, and are
13 approached with difficulty even by visitors. Roads and approaches to
14 most of the mines or iron localities would be troublesome and costly, -
15 though certainly they might be made. But then the question would
16 ~ Practical difficultiag of arise as to whether, after such an outlay, the
17 producing iron. iron so produced could compete advantageously
18 with iron from elsewhere. Much might doubtless be effected by
19 European enterprise and capital. But at present the fact, is that at
20 Madhopoor, the Canal station, which is one of the nearest stations to
21 the Kangra District, and where there are extensive work-shops and.
22 appliances, it is found cheaper to obtain wrought iron from England than
23 from the Kangra mines, not a hundred, or a hundred and fifty miles
24 distant | Again the ore now produced by the natives costs as much,
25 or more, at the mimes, than English sheer iron at Lahore! There is
26 no inferiority. in the Kangra ore, which is excellent, but the difference
27 arises solely from the immense superiority of the European over Native
28 ‘method of working and means of transport. In some respects the.
29 Dalhousie mines are promising, because they are near to,the Ravee
30 and the produce might be conveyed by water carriage. In the Kenana:
31 Hills veins of iron ore undoubtedly exist, but it would probably be
32 necessary to sink the shafts to a great depth.
33 200, Coal and lignite have been already alluded to: The hope of
34 Lignite, lead, copper, discovering coal is small. Lignite has been found
35 borax. in the Salt Range (extending from the Jhelum to
36 the Indus), but its quality does not appear to be superior. As above:
37 mentioned, it exists in the Kangra Distriet. Whether it could be made a
38 substitute for coal is doubtful. In the same District, lead and copper.