20 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



facture of finished iron, and it was calculated that a savins: of 

 1,500,000 tons of coal alone would result from the general applica- 

 tion of this sj'stem. Particular stress was laid upon the fact that 

 in carrying out this process no extensive or expensive alteration 

 of existing works was required, and a saving of from 3^ to 4 cwt. 

 of puddled iron would be secured upon each ton of finished rails 

 or plates now turned out, the cost of mailing malleable iron being 

 reduced to a very considerable extent. 



The "London Mining Journal" says: "This paper was fol- 

 lowed by one by Mr. Siemens, the inventor of the gas furnace, in 

 which he gives some very interesting details of the working of a 

 puddling furnace on his system, claiming extraordinary merit 

 therefor, on account of its producing a larger quantity of iron 

 than the ordinary system of furnace permits. Mr. Cowper stated 

 that, in his opinion, one great cause of the superior yield, as also 

 quality, of the iron was that the great heat of Mr. Siemens' fur- 

 nace caused it to run more freely from the cinder than was possi- 

 ble in an ordinary furnace, 



*' Messrs. W. Whitwell & Co., Stockton-on-Tees, put up their 

 first furnace in January this year ; it was very successful, but it 

 had grate bars at the bottom, partly to meet the prejudices of the 

 men, and to overcome them. In the month of March Mr. Wilson 

 persuaded them to allow him to put up a furnace without bars, 

 Avhich he did. Forthwith the success was positive ; all difficulties 

 had completely vanished. For a little time minor points of con- 

 struction had to be met ; but for some time every furnace was put 

 up exactly like its neighbor, and at this moment nearly all the fur- 

 naces at the above works are on Mr. Wilson's system. Several 

 of the works in the district have trial furnaces at work, the results 

 fully bearing out those of Messrs. Whitwell. 



" At a trial made by Messrs. Hopkins, Gilkes, & Co, (week Gth 

 to 11th July inclusive) the coals used were 17 cwt., 1 qr., 22 lbs., 

 to the ton of puddled bar ; the yield of iron iu excess. Another 

 experiment (week ending Aug. 22), the coals used were 16| cwt. 

 to the ton ; 1| tons of fettling saved ; iron charged, 13 tons, 16 

 cwt., 3 qrs., 13 lbs. ; iron drawn, 12 tons, 18 cwt., qr., 16 lbs. ; 

 loss, 18 cwt., 2 qrs., 27 lbs. Messrs. Richardson, Johnson, & Co., 

 of the North Yorkshire Iron Works, Stockton, furnish a return 

 (Aug. 31), coals, 18 cwt. to the ton of iron ; yield 13 lbs. average 

 j)er heat in excess of ordinary furnace. Messrs. Whitwell & Co. 

 are charging all their patent furnaces 4| cwt. per heat, and they 

 find very little loss of iron ; the quality is in all cases superior. 

 We think that these statements justify us in saying that the iron 

 masters have an ojDportunity of saving a large amount of money 

 in the manufacture of iron. 



*' We will now point out the improvements in the furnace. Air 

 is forced into the fiue-bridge by a steam-jet; it passes into a con- 

 duit at the back of the furnace, thence into the fiame-bridge and 

 up into a chamber, where it arrives red-hot ; it thence passes into 

 and on to the incandescent fuel. 



"By this arrangement much fettling is saved, being the cause 

 of a great economy. Mr. Siemens states that his furnace used an 



