The Mineral Wealth of India. By Captain C. C. Townsend.
(Times of India Press, Bombay.)—The special subject of Captain Townsend's book is the iron of India. No country, he tells us, is richer in the ores of this metal; yet it imports the metal from Europe. Of course there are reasons for this, chiefly connected with fuel. These are dealt with in the sixth chapter. The diffi- culties appear to be considerable, though, of course, more serious in some regions than in others. The Bengal ironflelds, for in- stance, have good coal within reach. The character of native labour is another important consideration, which our author does not neglect. Altogether, this is a useful book, and commendably short and condensed. " Bad one-tenth of the trouble and money lavished on gold-mining been devoted to scientific iron-smelting, the result would have been worthy of the country and remunera- tive to its promoters." But then, people are so keen to get wealth ready made, and this gold•mining seems to promise.
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