250 



The results of smelting of the ores, and of refining the iron, 

 prove that either white forge, or gray foundry pig iron can be 

 made from them by management of the burden of the furnace, 

 and that the refined or bar iron is nearly, if not quite, equal in 

 toughness to that from Russia and Sweden. It also makes fine 

 cast steel, as has been proved by trials made of it in Sheflield, 

 England. 



John L. Hayes, Esq., of Washington, Corresponding Member, 

 confirmed Dr. Jackson's statements, with regard to the Nova 

 Scotia Iron. He remarked also, that American Iron, manufac- 

 tured by means of charcoal, was the only iron used in the chain 

 cables of the U. S. Navy, which are all manufactured at the 

 Navy Yard in Washington. He related instances, where cables 

 of the best English iron had been broken in storms, when those 

 of American charcoal iron had held. He thought that the value 

 of charcoal iron over anthracite iron was underrated, especially 

 in places where wood could be obtained, and readily transported, 

 for making charcoal. English manufacturers are now turning 

 their attention to this country, since the supply of Russian iron 

 has failed, and as the supply from Sweden may be cut off* by 

 political causes ; and he believed that preference would be 

 given, at some future time, to charcoal iron from the Acadian 

 mines, from which steel of the highest quality can be made. It 

 is well known, that some irons make better steel than others, and 

 on this account have been said to have a steely propensity. The 

 cause of this is not yet understood, but as manganese is found in 

 all the steely irons, it is very probable that future investigations 

 will establish the fact of manganese being the cause of the 

 steely propensity. 



Dr. A. A. Hayes read the following communication : — 



ON THE EXISTENCE OF NATIVE IRON, IN A MALLEABLE STATE, 

 IN LIBERIA, AFRICA. 



In the African Repository, August, 1854, p. 240, there is a 

 copy of a letter from Rev. Aaron P. Davis, of Bassa Cove, 

 which accompanied a specimen of what Mr. Davis terms " pure 

 ore, just as taken from its native bed." This specimen, bearing 



