METALS imported into India consist of wrought brass, copper unwrought and wrought, cast or pig iron and wrought iron, lead ore, pig lead, wrought lead in sheets, pipes, and tubes, quicksilver and steel, tin unwrought and wrought, zinc. These will be found noticed under their individual names, but the total quantities and value imported were as under :— 1874-75, . . . . 94,375 tons. Rs. 2,60,71,224 1876-77, . . . 140,937 „ 3,56,20,494 1S82-S3, . . . 203,933 „ 4,61,38,538 The metallic products of the East Indies com prise antimony, arsenic, chromium, cobalt, copper, gold, iron, lead, manganese, mercury, nickel, platinum, silver, tin, titanium, and zinc.
Metal casting iu India is very largely practised, and the processes are of great simplicity. The natives generally prepare a model in wax, and imbed it in moist clays, which, after being dried in the sun, is heated in the fire, the wax run out, and the metal run in. A better plan, where accuracy is required, is to cut the model in lead, and, having bedded it in clay, it may, when the. mould is dry, be melted and run out, and the metal run in. In Manbhum, a core is made of plastic clay, all carefully shaped to the internal form of the fish or other object to be imitated. This core is then baked and indurated. On this, the pattern designed to be represented is formed with clean beeswax. This done, and the wax
having cooled, it becomes tolerably hard. Soft clay is Moulded over all. The whole is then baked, the heatindurating the outer coating of clay, but softening the wax, which all runs out of the mould, leaving empty the space occupied by it. The mould being sufficiently dried, the molten brass is poured into the empty space, and, when cool, the clay is broken away, when the figured casting is seen. These are untouched after the casting, excepting on the smooth and flat surfaces, which are roughly filed. The Chinese excel in all work ing in metals, in ordinary blacksmith work, metal smelting, alloys, particularly their white metal of copper, zinc, iron, silver, and nickel, their sonorous gongs and bells, one at Pekin being 14} feet by 13 feet, and their ingenious metallic mirrors, some with engravings. The Burmese, also, are skilled.
Indian metal ware is of several descriptions, some of it being much admired by Europeans. The black engraved work of Moradabad, N.W. Provinces, is well known, and so is the Tanjore brass ware. Madura men also manufacture brass vessels, to sell to the pilgrims.—Iliessrs. Morrison, Rohde, Cal. Cat. Ex. 1862.