The presentation inscription on the upper margin of the wrapper reads: “Dr Percy F.R.S. With the author’s comps”. John Percy, a British metallurgist, compiled a report about the quality of the Inzer’s iron ores based on numerous samples given to him by Berdmore.
Rare. An early account of prospecting on the Inzer River in the Southern Urals (modern Bashkiria). General Ouchakoff, owner of the estate, employed the author to ascertain “whether the iron ore, stated to exist on his property, was of such extent and such quality as to offer an inducement to an English Company to invest capital in the erection of iron works there”.
Berdmore spent sixteen days on the estate and concluded that there were “magnificent forests of finest timber”, “vast iron fields”, an “abundance of lime, brick earth, refractory stone and sand” and “magnificent quantities of marble of the finest quality”. His report provides a comprehensive overview of the estate and its resources as well as an assessment of its deposits of gold, iron, stone, coal and “other sources of revenue.” The report concludes with nine appendices detailing the cost of establishing industrial operations of the estate.
The illustrations include a beautiful lithographed panorama of the Inzer estate taken on the spot by Berdmore, two plans showing the location of the estate in Russia in general and Government of Orenburg in particular, and a large map of the estate showing the main iron, gold and mineral deposits, as well as suitable sites for iron works.
The first iron smelting factory on the Inzer River was founded in 1890, which suggests General Ouchakoff didn’t act on Berdmore’s recommendations.
Not in OCLC; not in COPAC; not in BL.
