3 13 Proceedifigs of Philosophical Societies . [ A p r ^ ;., 



Article X. 

 proceedings of Philosophical Societies. 



ROYAL SOCIETY. 



Feb. 28. — Communication of a curious Appearance lately 

 observed upon the Moon. By the Rev. F. Fallows. 



On the Difference in the Appearance of the Teeth and Shape 

 of the Skull in different Species of Seals. By Sir Everard Home, 

 Bart. 



March 7. — Experiments and Observations on the Develope- 

 ment of Magnetical Properties in Steel and Iron by Percussion^ 

 By William Scoresby, Jun. (Communicated by the President.) 



March 14 and 21. — A paper was read on the Alloys of Steel* 

 By J. Stodart, Esq. FRS. and Mr. Faraday, Chemical Assistant 

 to the Royal Institution. 



These alloys were first made on a small scale in the laboratory 

 of the Royal Institution. The results proving satisfactory, th^ 

 experiments were extended, and alloys made for the purpose of 

 manufacture to a considerable extent ; these proved equal, if not 

 superior, to the smaller productions of the laboratory. 



The metals that formed the most valuable alloys with steel 

 Tvere stated to be silver, platinum, rhodium, iridium, osmium^ 

 and palladium, and, with the exception of silver, the best pro- 

 portion of the alloying metal about 1 -100th part. Steel with 

 silver will combine with only 1 -500th part; when more is fused^ 

 the metals form only a mechanical mixture. These alloys may 

 be advantageously used for every purpose where good steel i& 

 required, but the scarcity and value of some of the metals must 

 operate as a preventive to their general introduction. 



The experimentalists were most liberally furnished with all 

 these metals through the kindness of Dr. Wollaston. 



The presence of the alloying metal in the alloy was constantly 

 proved by chemical tests, and the compound, after being forged 

 into a bar, was further examined as to uniformity, by acting on 

 the surface previously brightened by diluted acid. 



Such processes of analysis were given as were deemed useful 

 to the manufacturer, the general process was to act by dilute 

 sulphuric acid, to burn off the carbon 8cc. from the residuum, 

 and then examine the matter left by the means generally required 

 for each particular metal. A remarkable fact was noticed as to 

 the promptness of action exerted by acids on some of the alloys; 

 those, for instance, containing platmum, and some other metals 

 being acted on many times more rapidly by acids than unalloyed 

 steel. 



The action of acids on hard and soft steel was found also to 

 leave residua very different in kind ; that from hard steel being a 



