D. CHEMISTRY AND METALLURGY. 63 



HEATON STEEL. 



A French investigator, in the course of certain experiments 

 upon steel prepared by the Heaton process which, it ap- 

 pears, contains a rather larger proportion of phosphorus than 

 the Bessemer steel concludes that phosphorus, in a quantity 

 of from two to four thousandths in steel, causes the metal to 

 be rigid, and, while tending to increase the elasticity and re- 

 sistance to breaking, does not modify the hardness. Such 

 steel, however, he thinks, is wanting in real strength and 

 toughness, being brittle, and not sustaining sudden shocks. 

 His general conclusion is that even very small quantities of 

 phosphorus, when present in steel, not only do not improve 

 it, as has been asserted, but actually deteriorate it. The best 

 method of estimating the percentage of phosphorus in steel 

 is said to be the examination of the spectrum produced by 

 the combustion of hydrogen obtained by the action of chlo- 

 rohydric acid upon the metal. 1 A,3farch 25, 142. 



PREPARATION OF BAR-IRON FROM PHOSPHURETED CAST-IRON. 



In view of the great eminence of the Mining Academy at 

 Freiburg as a school for instruction in practical metallurgy 

 and mining, it may be of interest to know that one of its pro- 

 fessors, T. Scheerer, has lately announced that he has discov- 

 ered a method by which an excellent bar-iron may be pre- 

 pared from cast-iron containing any amount of phosphorus. 

 The expense of the process (which is not at all complicated 

 nor very peculiar) is said to be trifling, and the discovery 

 must be considered of the utmost value to workers in iron. 

 Although it has been patented in various countries, the dis- 

 coverer is quite willing to place it at the service of iron-mas- 

 ters throughout the world at a very moderate rate. With- 

 out as yet announcing his terms, he invites all persons inter- 

 ested to visit the establishment in Germany, where iron is at 

 present being manufactured according to the new method. 

 14 (7,CC,,242. 



BERARD PROCESS FOR MAKING STEEL. 



Many methods have been indicated of late years for man- 

 ufacturing steel direct from pig-iron, that of Bessemer being 

 well known, and worked in a great many establishments in 



