680 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



L'lndustrie du Fer en France. Par J. Levainville, d. es L. [Pp. vi + 211, 

 with 4 maps.] (Paris : Collection Armand Galin. Price 5 frs. net.) 



The experience acquired by the author of the iron mines and deposits of 

 Prance and North Africa enables him to write with authority on the economic 

 aspect of the French iron industry. In this book the subject has been treated 

 ifrom the historical, technical, and economic points of view and the work is of 

 value as a guide to the activities in France both before and since the war. 

 A brief account is given of the chief ore deposits of France and Africa, and 

 the historical survey of the industry as presented by the author proves 

 interesting reading. Until the middle of the nineteenth century France 

 made little progress, but from that time onwards the growth of the industry 

 has been rapid, and the author considers that when the works have been 

 reconditioned after the war, France should occupy second place — immedi- 

 ately following the United States — in this industry. The increased con- 

 sumption, for home requirements and for export, is clearly indicated ; the 

 former due to the growing demands for mechanical transport of all kinds 

 and to the increasing use of iron and steel in structural and mechanical 

 work. A valuable addition, which we should like to see more often in tech- 

 nical books, is the extensive bibliography at the end of each chapter. 



E. COURTMAN. 



L'Acier (Elaboration et Travail). Par Colonel Jean Rouelle. [Pp. vi 

 + 200, with 45 illustrations.) (Paris : Collection Armand Colin. 

 Price 5 frs. net.) 

 In this little work the author has provided a concise introduction to the 

 inetallurgy of steel which will enable the reader to gain a good knowledge 

 as to the importance of the modern steel industry. This has been achieved 

 in spite of the limited space available in which to describe the many pro- 

 cesses now in use for the production and subsequent working of steel, and 

 considerable credit is due to the author for his careful selection of the in- 

 formation. The first section traces the manufacture of steel from cast 

 iron to the finished product, and includes all the usual processes now em- 

 ployed. Compared with the other processes, crucible steel does not appear 

 to have received sufficient attention, for although, as the author mentions, 

 the amount produced is very small, the product is of considerable impor- 

 tance and of high commercial value. 



It is satisfactory to notice that in a work of this nature a chapter is 

 devoted to the special steels, which are attaining an important position 

 with the increasing use of the electric furnace and the growing demand for 

 high tensile and non-corroding materials. 



The second section deals briefly with the constitution and testing of 

 steel and describes the various processes of mechanical treatment. The 

 importance of heat treatment, without which the valuable properties of 

 the special steels cannot be utilised, is not overlooked, a chapter being given 

 to its consideration. 



The illustrations are chiefly diagrammatic ; especially is this the case 

 with those of furnaces, which indicate the main features but are in no sense 

 drawings of modern furnaces. 



The author is to be congratulated on adding a very useful volume to 

 the Armand Colin Collection and to steel metallurgy in general. 



E. Courtman. 



Les Applications Elementaires des Fonctions Hyperboliques a la Science 

 de ringenieur filectricien. Par A. E. Kennelly, D.Sc. [Pp. vii 

 -\- 151, with 31 illustrations.] (Paris : Gauthier Villars et Cie., 1922. 

 Price 15 frs.) 



This book gives a concise and simple introduction to the applications of 

 the theory of hyperbolic logarithms to electrical problems. 



