The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-09-09

Under the title of the Tata Iron and
Steel company. limited, a company has
been organized in London with a capital
stock OF e1,0O0,0OO, divided into $4,000 ordi-
nary shares of Go each. $1,000 8 per cent
cumulative preferred shares of go. each
and GS2O,OOO 3 per cent construction de-
benture stock. The directors are Charles
j. Stoddart, chairman of the Park Gate
Iron and Steel company, limited, Roth
cram; w. b. M Bird, director of the
Dalmellington Iron company limited;
Charles P. Perrin of New York, president
of the Embree Iron company of Tonnes
see; Alfred Simson, chairman of the In
dia General Navigation and Railway COM
pany limited, and d. j. Tata of Tata &
Sons, Bombay.
1t is proposed to erect two blast FUR
naces, II by 70 feet with a minimum an
nual capacity of 10000 tons of pig iron;
Acton basic open hearth furnaces with
an annual capacity of $4,000 each; bloom
ing mill and a rail and beam MILL in
Guiding three stands of rolls, operated by
a reversing engine and three merchant
bar mills; also engines, boilers, machin-
cry. foundry and machine shops at total
cost, exclusive of freight. foundations and
erection. of about $33S3,oOO. The total
capital needed is placed at $6,5oO,O0O, which
includes colieries, coke oven by-product
plants. employees quarters and water
reservoirs. In addition there is the sum
of 1915, 900 required for working expenses
to begin with. and $2S7 900 for contingent
cies
The manufacture of iron and steel in In
dia was not given any attention worthy
of mention until few years ago a FORM
er secretary of state for India suggested
to the late j. n Tata, prominent cot
ton spinner and merchant in Bombay,
the possibility of establishing on large
scale. the manufacture of steel and iron
in that country.
Acting on the suggestion, Mr.. Tata
visited Europe and America. In this coun-
try he secured the cooperation of A. p.
Cochrane who represented his firm in
the United States and later on he met
with Julian Kennedy of iPttsburg. who
suggested consultation with Charles p.
Perrin of New York.
The first step necessary was to find out
the mineral resources of India and for
this purpose C. M. Wild was employed,
who spent two years in studying the
question and making observations. After
ward Mr.. Perrin and Mr.. Weld visited
India together and their reports on the
situation led Charles ]. Stoddart and
party of English engineers to investigate
the matter who fully confirmed the re-
ports of Perrin and Weld.
According to these reports, the conclu-
sion was reached that an iron and steel
industry could be established in India
which would not alone be able to supply
the native demand, but also to compete
successfully with other iron producing
countries.
The existence OF large deposits of iron
ore in the district of Chanda was reported
to Mr. Weld but the supply did not just
ify the establishment of the industry
there, especially as the coal in the neigh
borhood proved to be non-ookng. Ex-
plorations were continued until 1t was
discovered that large deposits of iron ore
existed at Gurumaishini Hill in the north
ern part of the native state of Majurb-
hanj, Orissa, and with the discovery the
problem of the supply of iron ore was
solved.
The next question presehting itself to
the promoters was a coal field having coal
in such a quantity and of such quality
and so accessible as to justify its use.
The search for coal led to the Iberia
coal field, where coal was found which
fllded the two conditions-quality and
quantity. hut still the point of assem-
blage of the materials was very inn
portant question, and in this respect
MANY considerations had to be enter
tanned After making due allowance for
all the requirements in the matter of
water supply. railroad communication
with the seaboard and the locations of
the ore and coal mines. SIM Junction. on
the Bengal Naspur Railway, was the site
selected.
The report of Messrs. Perrin and Weld
furnishes an interesting study of the an
nual importation Of steel and iron prod
,.oas far the ten years 1S93-19o2. which