218 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



6. But that the application of olefiant gas mixed with ammonia, or the 

 application of gaseous cyanogen, produces steel, as does also the dipping of 

 the hot metal into a nitrogenized oil or fat. 



7. That the application of ferrocyanide of potassium (as has been so long 

 known) gives steel. 



8. And that equally with the ferrocyanide does the application of the 

 simple cyanide of potassium result in the production of steel; therefore, it is 

 not to the iron contained in the ferrocyanide that the steel-making property 

 of the latter salt is due. 



9. That potash applied to the hot iron, or keeping the hot iron in contact 

 with the vapor of potassium, does not yield steel. 



10. That with iron of the kind that has so far been referred to and used 

 (i. e., commercially pure wrought iron, containing no material proportion of 

 carbon), the application to it of ammonia, or of nitrate of ammonia, fails to 

 produce steel. 



11. But that the application of ammonia, or its muriate, to iron containing 

 a considerable proportion of carbon, results in its conversion into steel. 



These results tabulated, and the composition of the reagents expressed in 

 formula, will better exhibit the inevitable deductions to which they lead. 



(1.) Fe + C (in excess), every other element excluded Leaves iron. 



(2.) Fe + C (in excess) -{-(atmospheric air) Gives steel. 



(3.) Fe + N (gaseous nitrogen) Leaves iron. 



(4. ) Fe + C O (gaseous carbonic oxide) Leaves iron. 



(5.) Fe + H4C4 (olefiaut gas) Leaves iron. 



(6.) Fe+H4C4(in excess) N Hs (ammonia) Gives steel. 



(7.) Fe + N C2, (cyanogen) Gives steel. 



(8.) Fe -|- K2, Fe Cys (ferrocyanide of potassium) Gives steel. 



(9.) Fe + K, Cy (cyanide of potassium) Gives steel. 



(10.) Fe-j-K.O (potash) Leaves iron. 



(11.) Fe+K (potassium) Leaves iron. 



(12.) Fe + NHs (ammonia) Leaves iron. 



(13.) Fe + NHsCl (sal ammoniac) Leaves iron. 



Fe + C 

 (14.) 95 g-J-NHs (ammonia) Gives steel. 



Fe + C 

 (15.) cjg + Nils (sal ammoniac) Gives steel. 



Now, out of a consideration of these preliminary and merely guiding 

 trials, besides the other deductions they lead to, as those have been already 

 stated, there is made apparent one significant fact, namely, the invariable 

 cooperation, so far as these trials extend, of both nitrogen and of carbon in 

 the production of steel; but these cooperating in some manner yet to be 

 defined and ascertained. It still remains to be determined if this cooperation 

 of nitrogen be a necessity in steel-making; or, if the apparent invariableness 

 of its presence and cooperation will, on a more extended examination, be 

 borne out by the evidence of every other process ; and if so, is it that the 

 nitrogen conjointly with the carbon, forms some combination with the iron, 

 and remains there ? Or, that the nitrogen acts merely as an intermediate 

 agent, and that it still remains a chemical fact that steel is merely iron com- 

 bined with carbon only, though nitrogen plays an essential part in effecting 

 that combination. 



Bat whatsoever may be the functions in steel-making that are exercised by 

 nitrogen if its office be functional at all, and its presence be not a mere 



