TASMANIAN IRON.

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1061, 8 April 1873, Page 4

TASMANIAN IRON.

The importance of the •maniffaicture -of iron in Tasmania appears to be fully 'realised by the merchants of Hobart Town. The Mercury says.: — "The Tasmanian Charcoal Iron Company in the north are steadily progressing with their works at West Arm, and a little township is springing nip at the jetty. The tramway is making rapid progress, the gauge being -2 feet 6 inches. At Leonardsburg, bridge-making, charcoal-burning, fur-tnace-building, and hut-building are being pushed rapidly forward, and ; there is already quite a township springing up in this dense bush. Two stores and a bakehouse are driving a good trade. The shaft of the first hydrogen furnace is fast being reared to a stately height, and a large and substantial building has been erected to contain the furnaces aud machinery. Three steam engines and a steam hammer, with other ponderous machinery, will bo at work here in a very short time. Two calls of Is petshare on the capital stock of the company have been paid up within the past two months. Mr W. G. Lempriere then observed that the Minister of Lands, the Hon. Mr Meredith, on •visiting the mine, and when tho subject of freehold \vas mooted, expressed himself as being in favor of ninetynine years lease, the company, however, consider that a freehold would .place them in a better position as far as introducing foreign capital is concerned. On the southern side of the island additional discoveries of iron ore have been made on the East Coast, and by tho last trip of the Southern Cross a quantity was forwarded to Melbourne to be tested. In other respects little has been done, but it is understood that in a few weeks a commence•ment will be made by Melbourne capitalists to erect smelting works oienr Hobart Town. Tasmania has gained two medals for exhibits of iron at the Victorian Exhibition. The first, a silver medal, has been Awarded *o the Jifracombo Iron Company, they having exhibited manufactured iron, viz, a number of pigs and a cast bell. The Tasmanian Charcoal Iron' Company, the first which as yet has done any real work, contented themselves with exhibits of the crude ore, for which they have been awarded ii buouzo medal.