In search of steel

Jamsetji journeyed America in order to gather the best expertise and the most advanced technologies for his plant. He studied the coking processes at Birmingham and Alabama, and visited reputed ore markets like the one in Cleveland. Then he proceeded to procure the services of Kennedy, Sahlin & Co. the best firm in the field of metallurgical engineering. At Pittsburgh, he met Julian Kennedy, one of the partners, who warned him of prolonged investigative procedures and mammoth expenditure. But Kennedy was so impressed by his zeal that he directed Jamsetji to Charles Page Perin, a surveyor of international repute, a historic meeting took place between the two which Perin recapitulated later thus:

“I was poring over some accounts in the office when the door opened and a stranger in a strange garb entered, He walked in, leaned over my desk and looked at me fully a minute in silence. Finally, he said in a deep voice, ‘Are you Charles Page Perin?’ I said, ‘Yes’. He stared at me again silently for a long time, and then slowly he said, ‘I believe I have found the man I have been looking for. Julian Kennedy has written you that I am going to build a steel plant in India. I want you to come to India with me, to find suitable iron ore and coking coal and the necessary fluxes. I want you to take charges as my consulting engineer. Mr. Kennedy will build the steel plant wherever you advise and I will foot the bill. Will you come to India with me?’

‘I was dumbfounded, naturally. But you don’t know what character and force radiated from Tata’s face. And kindliness, too. ‘Well’, I said, ‘Yes, I’d go.’ And I did”. Before coming to India himself, he deputed his partner, a geologist, C M Weld, to prospect for raw materials.