Page:TASJ-1-3.djvu/18

 Hakodasshi=pyrites with white (silver) colour. Some of the yellow kinds contain a little gold and are used for the extraction of gold, especially in Iwami Kinsan.

The chief places of occurrence are: Toza, Shinano, Mikawa TæzimaTaezima [sic], Yamato, Iwami Kinsan etc.

C.— of radiated structure, superficially covered with oxide of iron, are called or  (Eyes of Snake). Old physicians use it against epilepsy and diseases of the heart.

These are the principal iron ores, which we found in Japan. Only the three first named species of ore are used itin [sic] Japanese metallurgy.

The Japanese distinguish, as we do, three kinds of iron:

or I-tetsu Cast-iron (pig-iron).

or Kera or Kitaye-tetsu Bar-iron (wrought iron.). [sic]

or Ko-tetsu Steel.

The extraction of cast iron from the ore in Japan proceeds on the same principle as our blast-furnace method; there exists however a great difference in the form of the furnaces and accessory apparatus. Iron industry of the west has received in the last century a high degree of perfection, by the aid of modern chemistry. In China and Japan very imperfect and rough furnaces are used. No care and no money are spent to erect proper furnaces, and even although lately some Japanese are convinced of the advantage of European ovens, the people do not like to lay out money for the construction of proper working apparatus. This want of care and mistaken economy in the construction of utensils and proper furnaces is the chief fault in all branches of Japanese metal industry. Although there is an abundance of good material, I believe that it nevertheless will be still a very long time before the Japanese iron founders can compete with the prices of western metal. Whilst iron, with the exception of platina, is the least fusible of useful metals, it can easily be comprehended, that the price of this metal is much more costly a this country than it is in Europe. After Japan was