Chambers. — New Zealand Ironsands. 



225 



until it was ready for the squeezer ; or, in the case of the first trials, the 

 ball was placed on the anvil of a steam-hammer and gently squeezed into 

 a square form, after which it could be hammered with the full force of the 

 hammer and drawn into the shape of a billet or bloom. 



The cost of the first furnace was £500. It was completed early in 

 February, 1883, and on the 27th the first iron by the new process was 



Design of Ftrnace. 



A, deoxidizer : B. balling-furnace ; C, puddling- furnace ; 1), fire-grate; 



F. flues; R, retorts. 



made into billets, and it was shown that the quality exceeded all expecta- 

 tions. On the 5th March George Fraser and Sons, Auckland, made three 

 bars, 8 ft. long, 2 in. square, of perfect quality. The furnace, under the 

 charge of W. H. Jones, was kept working for about ten days, and at that 

 time good blooms were produced, which were worked up into bar^ and 

 thoroughly tested by several leading blacksmiths in Auckland, Mr. George 



8— Trans. 



