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TAMAR, HEMATTTE IliON COM
PANY.
{Communicated).
Among the numerous efforst lately made
with, a view to the development of the
mining and manufacturing industries of
Tasmania, none are of more importance
than those undertaken with a view to the
establishment of iron manufacture. The
want of success hitherto attending these
efforts is matter of regret, but we are glad
to observe that temporary difficulties have
in no way damped the ardour of those who
have set their minds upon the accomplish-
ment of an object so great and so impor-
tant. Perserverence is said to overcome
every difficulty, and if steady perseverance
and pluck were ever entitled to a rich
rewards, it is in the case of those who have
undertaken to plant and iron industry in
Tasmania, and who mean to do it. In spite
of many discouragements these gentle-
men stick manfully to their purpose, and
we venture to assert that before another
year rolls past Tamar iron will have found
its way in considerable quantities into the
.Australian markets.
Accounts of the various efforst made to
utilise the great deposits of iron ore found
in various parts ot Tasmania have from
time to time appeared in these columns.
e.g., the British and Tasmanian, the Ilfra-
combe, the Derwerit, arid, lastly, the
Tamar Hematite Iron Company, and as
the works of the last company have
made great progress lately, arid bid fair to
be the first to bring Tasmaniaii iron into
the market, it is presumed a short account
of them would not be unacceptable at the
.present time. The company is composed
of some:half-dozen Melbourne Capitalists,
and was formed eighteen months ago for
the purpose of making iron on land at the
head of the Middle Arm, on the west side
of the River Tamar, and seven miles from
the lighthouse at the entrance of ihe
river.
The company 'hold under lease from the
Crown and also from private individuals, :
an estensive-area of mineral lands. The
mine now propsed to be worked, and the
site upon which the various works are
built, are on Crown lands situated at the
head of Middle Arm, where is erected
a small blast furnace, in external
appearance similar to the one built at the
Derwent Iron Works, Hobart Town, a
description of which appeared in the
Chronical lately. The furnace is built
close tothe waiters edge, adrid is calculated
to turn out from 20 to 25 tons of pig iron
per week. It is built of freestone and
bricks, the former quarried on the spot
and the latter made from clay equally
handy, The inside of the furnace arid
where the greatest heat prevails, is lined
with the best English firebricks. The
whole is substantially built, well bound
together with strong hoops, and the base
firmly cramped, together. The internal
conformation, of the furnace and the
dimensions of the various parts are secrets
confined to the initiated alone, and are
varied according to the nature and quality
of the ore and fuel. The contrivance by
means of flues get rid of radiated heat;
and vapor, deserves notice. The entire
construction reflects the highest credit
upon the. builder, Messrs Shields, of
Hobart Town. Close to the furnace
and in course of erection is a hori-
zontal high pressure steam engine
of 16 horse-power, for the purpose of
working two vertical blowing; cylinders;
each 30 in diameter and 3ft stroke, worked
by interniedittte gearing from the main
shaft of the engine. The boiler is already
in situ and fire under, and working a
small steam pump connected with a well
of fresh water close at hand. Boring
operations are now being conducted for
the purpose of making if possible an
artesian well, and thereby procuring an
unfailing supply of water. It may be re-
marked that the strata now being gone
through is the carboniferous, and thin
seams of coal are cut. The water is also
highly impregnated with petrplem and it
is not improbable that a payable seam of
coal may be cut, as there is every indi-
cation to warrant this probability, Mr
Jackson (of Archibald and Jackson, Laun-
ceston), has charge of erecting the
machinery, and having had great experience
in an engineering shop in the great em-
porium of engines and engineers, Glasgow,
in which the manufacture and erection of
blowing engiries and machinery for blast
furnaces was their speciality, is a guar-
antee for the quality of the workmanship
in his department. Near the furrface
is a large charcoal shed filled with
an excellent quality of that fuel..
The manager's house, store, and work
men's cottage's, &c., compose the only
buildings. The iron ore and charcoal
are brought direct from the mine by the
: tramway to the' mouth of the furnace,
which is on the level with the line. The,
.tramway is two miles long, the gauge is
.3ft,;rails of wood. 4 x 4. The whole of
the line from the mine to the furnace is
.through gently sloping; land down to the
works. and its construction the easiest
possible, only requiring three culverts,
.that over Brandy ijreek being the largest.
Great quantities of wood for making
charcoal are piled the whole length of the
tramway. Two large kilns for burning
charcoal are alongside the tramway, which
turn out, from twelve to fifteen hundred
.bushels of sound charcoal at a time. They
measure 10ft wide by 50ft long, and are
constructed in the simplest manner by
slabs stuck on end into the ground. At
one end the walls lire 4ft high and gradu-
ally rise to 8ft or 9ft nt the other end ;
nostril holes are formed in the sides 4ft
apart by the insertion of earthen drain
pipes, the inside walls are formed of sods,
and when the kiln is filled with wood
even the branches of the trees are utilised.
The whole is covered with sods and
fired, and carefully attended to for
three or four days and nights. until
.charred. The iron ore is the ordinary
brown heniatite so very abundant in this
/eighborhood. The limestone for flux is
also handy. The lime from these quarries
is celebrated for its excellence and purity.
In the course of a month or six weeks the
management anticipate being in a position
for a successful trial smelting. A great
difficulty is experienced in obtaining men
skilled in the management of the charcoal
furnuce, or "keepers" as. they are called
in the trade ; but this difficulty will be
overcome as soon as it is known there is
a demand for this class of artizans in Tas-
mania. It is only fair to state that the
management of these works has apparently
proceeded with great care and economy.
Every natural advantage that presented
itself has been utilised, and it is most
earnestly to be hoped that the result will
be a grand success. The value and im-
portance of these and similar works to
Tasmania cannot be overrated, but the
great benefit their establishment must
confer upon the country, seems to be very
imperfectly understood. No industry
that could be introduced calls for such an
outlay of capital, or promises employment
to such an army of laborors. This may
be better understood when we say that
already over £40,000 has been expended
.by the various companies in plant and
tabor for merely preliminary operations.
A single blast furnace, with accompanying
machinery, is now on the way to Tas
mania, the cost of which free on board at
Glasgow was we understand, over £10,000.
In the face of such facts, and the immense
quantity of presently useless iron stone
scattered through the colony, it is deplor-
able, to find Government and Parliament
so illiberal as they have been in regard to
legislation on the subject of iron bearing
lands. Their present short-sighted policy
is keeping hundreds of thousands of
pounds from being invested in this colony,
and throwing needless difficulties and dis-
couragements in the face of those who
are trying to turn the resources of the
place to account. Thanking the Editor
of tjie Chronicle for his past advocacy of
more liberal measures, and wishing the
"powers that be better manners, I sub-,
scribe myself.
W.L.
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