The evening times., 1899-12-16

Consul General Turner, of Ottawa. has
forwarded to the State Department clip
pings from the Toronto Globe OF Novem-
ber "a, to the effect that the Ontario Gov
ernment has issued an order In council
which will have a most far-reaching effect
upon the industries of the Province, and
| which may result in the establishment in
| Ontario of extensive works for the British
navy. The government intends to reopen
negotiations with the imperial authorities,
under which the Lords Commissioners OF
the Admiralty may obtain an interest in the
still unpatented nickel lands OF the Prov
ince. and by means of their development Sc
cure an unlimited supply of nickel for the
manufacture OF armor plate for war vessels.
The order in council also provides for the
refining in Ontario of nickel ores produced
from lands that may hereafter be patented,
and, if necessary to the development of the
industry, prohibits the export from the
Province OF nickel ores and matte.
Concerning the value of the product in
recent years, the extract reads as follows:
In the seven years 1892 ls9s, the quantity of ore
smelted and reduced to matter in the Sudbury
district was 59l, ,S52 tons, and the estimated me
tallc contents were 2a.'o5, 600 pounds nickel and
"a, 500 pounds copper. At the selling price oil
matte at the furnaces, which is the form in
which it is exported to the refineries, the total
value of the nickel product for the seven years
total of 1896, s65. But at the average selling
price OF the metals during the seven years, the
value Of the refined metals would be xl03yT. I'D
for nickel and SS,s15,607 for copper. a total
~ T1,e tot mid
in Ontario during the years was 81, ,9e9, ,s9i
and this makes up large proportion OF the eN-
penditure for all purposes in our province Tor
the production of matte. II is certain that the
share of the value OF the refined metals distribut
cd outside OF Ontario for wages, services and
profits has been not less than SO 000, 900, about
two-thirds of the whole.
The Canadian Copper Company. which OBJ
tanned a special charter from the Dominion Par
lisment in 1856. was given full power to sell
the produce of its mines IN any part OF Canada OF
elsewhere. and to establish treating or melting
works in any Province in the Dominion. as in
the interests of the company might be found eS.
pedient. No refining works have yet been erected
by the company in Canada under authority OF the
charter, although the president has declared
under oath that this WAS the determination OF the
company; and all the matte product OF the fur
naces continues TO be exported for refining opera
tions in foreign countries.
BY an act of the Dominion Parliament. the
governor in council may impose export duties
ION nickel contained in matte, or in the ore, or
IN any Ctuue OF
and upon copper contained in any matte or ore
which also contains nickel-when exported from
Canada-upon such nickel an export duty not ex-
ceeding 10 cents per pound, and upon such cop
per export duty not exceeding cents per
pound" but the authority conferred by this act
has not yet been exercised
The means to be adopted for securing TO the
province greater advantages than now pos
sesscd in the conduct of the industry is deserv-
ing OF careful consideration the largest pos
sible employment Of capital and labor in the
reasonable and Just claim The areas of copper
nickel bearing lands OF the province extensive.
and great portions Of them probably remain
the unpatentcd lands Of the Crown Ore bodies
of considerable promise have been discovered this
year between Lake Temagami and Lake Tennis
canning, scventy-fiye miles northeast Of the work
ing mines ut Sudbury. They are within the same
formation which extends across the country from
Lake Huron to Lake Abtibi, on the boundary be.
tween Ontario aud Quebec.
In this extensive tract. 1t seems probable that
large bodies OF copper nickel ores may be found.
and before prospecting operations arc commenced
upon il, the public interests appear to require that
measures should be taken TO for the
Province a larger share in the profits of the min
ing industry than is at present attainable.
Commercial Agent Shots, of Sault Ste.
Marie, on November %, forwards the same
information. and says that the effect OF
the order in his district will probably Ds
to stop all prospecting for new mines. 10
prevent the working of mines applied for
but not yet patented. and to seriously in-
terfere with the early development Of the
general mineral deposits of the district.