327 



3. Occurrence of Native Iron in Liberia, in Africa. From 

 a Letter of Dr A. A. Hayes, Chemist, Boston, U. S.. to 

 Professor H. D. Rogers. Communicated by Dr Gregory. 



Dr Hayes states that there is evidence establishing the fact that 

 pure native iron exists abundantly in the country back from the 

 central part of the colony of Liberia. Early travellers state that 

 the natives of Africa find iron ore so pure, that they heat and ham- 

 mer it into form. Explorations by the Liberians show that the 

 inhabitants of towns are engaged in manufacturing iron, and an in- 

 telligent native has recently shown how it is done. Last year a 

 mass was sent home by a working blacksmith, who cut it with a 

 chisel from a mass of larger size connected with rock. This proved 

 to be native iron, malleable and ductile, yet unequal in its molecular 

 structure. The general arrangement of the particles is unlike that 

 of any artificial iron known, and there are among the iron particles 

 of crystalline and transparent quartz, octahedral crystals of magnetic 

 oxide of iron, and one of the silicates of soda and lime. No traces 

 of carbon exist in connection with it, and no piece of artificial iron 

 has yet reached Dr Hayes which does not contain carbon. When 

 analysed by Dr Hayes' mode of electrolysis, it rapidly shows points 

 which are positive to the surrounding portions, and, the action pro- 

 ceeding, the mass becomes honeycombed in texture, while the final 

 chemical result is — » 



Pure iron, . . , . 98-40 



Quartz, magnetic oxide iron, and silicate lime, 1'60 



100- 



The positive points are the crystalhne aggregates of the simple 

 minerals, the iron in immediate contact being more open in texture, 

 and always positive in relation to the crystals which are negative. 



Professor Rogers supported the view taken by Dr Hayes of the 

 genuineness of the alleged native iron from Africa, by testifying to 

 the experience of that chemist in the technical examination of ma- 

 nufactured iron, and by the statement of his belief, derived from a 

 comparison of many analyses, that the presence of carbon in an iron 

 is the best test of its having been artificially brought to the metallic 

 state. The reputed telluric iron of Canaan in Connecticut, is almost 



2 D 2 



