Prccepsfof malihg Sai- Iron and Natural Steel, 67 



to flow at Erft In a fmall ftream, and afterwards more fpeedily. The aperture is enlarged 

 in proportion as it flows out, and at laft the fcorise fall on the iron, and cover it in the 

 mould. The furnace is then again clofed, and the blaft renewed. Water being thrown on 

 the fcorise which occupy the upper portion of the mould, they become fixed, and in this 

 ftate are removed, A fecond portion of water is then thrown on the naked furface of the 

 metal, which congeals to a fmall depth. The thin congealed plate is taken off, and a fe- 

 cond afperfion of water is made, which affords a third plate. In this manner the procefs is 

 continued, until as much of the metal is converted into plates as can be effedted during 

 the fluidity of the mafs. 



At fome works the iron is melted in a particular furnace from the pig, for this purpofc ; 

 but this fecond operation is evidently wafteful both of time and fuel. 



The plates are intended to be made into either iron or fteel. 



In the procefs fot making bar iron, the firft operation confifls in roafting the plates on a 

 hearth, upon which they are arranged ; a palTage being formed with bricks, in order that the 

 wind of the bellows may be diredled from one extremity to the other. They are then covered 

 with charcoal, and urged ftrongly with the bellows. The plates by this roafting, which 

 dcftroys the charcoal of the caft iron, begin to afTume the qualities of bar iron, after which 

 they are carried to the finery furnace. The body of this furnace is more capacious than 

 that which is intended for fteel. The iron is covered with charcoal and fcorias, and the 

 tuyer is inclined fo that the blafl. ftrikes on the plates of metal. When the fufion is com- 

 plete, the fcorise are let out, the mafs is frequently turned to expofe it to the blaft, and, 

 laftly, the procefs being completed, the iron is conveyed to the hammer. 



If the obje£l be to form fteel, the furnace made ufc of is more contradled and 

 deep. It is lined with pulverized charcoal, moiftened and rendered folid by beating. 

 The plates are difpofed therein, and covered with fcoriae and charcoal. The pofition of 

 the tuyer is nearly horizontal, in order that the ftream of air may ftrike the fuel, and not 

 the metal. When the metal begins to aflume the folid ftate, the coal is taken off, the 

 fcoriae are fufFered to flow out, and fcales and fragments of fteel are driven by hammering 

 into the foft mafs. 



The piece is afterwards melted a fecond" time with the fame precautions as before ; and 

 when the metal is thought to be fufBciently refined, the fcorias are drawn off, and the 

 mafs is conveyed to the hammer to divide it into feveral pieces, which are to be feparately 

 forged out. 



We fee that all thefe operations are dire£led to the means of deftroying the charcoal 

 of the crude iron, when bar iron is wanted ; but when fteel is required to be made, the 

 metal is not only preferved from the contaft of the air, but the veffel is lined with char- 

 coal, in order that, by its contadt with the fufed matter, it may fupply any portion of that 

 principle which may be wanting. 



In the foregoing procefs there are two fufions of the metal. In the latter it is not only 

 completed by the fecond fufion, but it is rendered more homogeneous. This method is ex- 

 cellent, and is perhaps the only means by which an exceedingly good fteel can be had. 



The other part of the procefs is worthy of much attention, namely, the reduction of the 

 crude iron into plates. When bar iron is wanted, thefe plates roaft with more facility 



K2 on 



