50 



that the presence of chromium raises the tensile strength of iron, 

 but of this there is no certain proof. The greatest increase of tensile 

 strength, supposed to be due to the presence of chromium, that has 

 come under my notice, was only about 4001b. per 1 per cent, of 

 chromium per square inch, ani in this case it would be unsafe to 

 assume that the increase was due to the presence of chromium, 

 because other elements were present and might have had some influ- 

 ence. At all even's one case, and that a doubtful one, could not be 

 taken as proof that chromium did materially increaee the tensile 

 strength of iron. Again, it is stated that the elastic limit is raised 

 even more by this element than the tensile strength; this, however, is 

 altogether unproved. One cise came under my notice where the 

 elastic limit was nearly identical with the tensile strength, but in 

 other samples of the same material it was either normal or un- 

 usually low, so that no reliance can be placed upon this one case. 



As regards the ductility of steels, all the available information seems 

 to show that the presence of chromium has neither a beneficial nor 

 deleterious influence. Chromium does exert a hardening tendency. 

 Unhardened chrome-steels are harder and more difficult to cut 

 than chromeless steels of like carbon content, and their hardness 

 increases with the percentage of chromium. 



Judging from recent and reliable information, my belief is that 

 chrome steel has an enormous future in front of it, and I have no 

 hesitation in stating that the true article is fully entitled to rank as a 

 most important material fo^ many purposes. Several of the Tasmanian 

 ores are eminently suitable for the manufacture of this material, and, 

 providing the metal b. j produced of a uniform quality, there is every 

 reason to anticipate the establishment of a most remunerative industry 

 on the Northern coast of Tasmania.- 



Careful chemical supervision and absolute honesty between the 

 manufacturer and consumer are the most important factors to be con- 

 sidered, and providing these conditions are complied with, there is 

 no reason whatever why the venture should not be an unqualified 

 success. Of course there are many points of importance to be con- 

 sidered, but a paper such as this is not the proper medium, they being 

 purely matters of detail, and consequently uninteresting to any but 

 those engaged in the industry. 



So much then for the chromium ores and the prospect of their being 

 developed and utilised ; now we can consider the enormous deposits of 

 iron ore that are free from this element. These are of infinitely more 

 importance to Tasmania, and are amongst the finest in the world. Two 

 assay reports now in my possession give the percentage of oxide of iron 

 as 99.05 and 99.41, which is equal to 69*33 and 69*58 metallic iron. 

 Chromium and alumina are both entirely absent, of phosphorus, there 

 is only a slight trace, and the sulphur is too low to be of any trouble 

 either in the manufacture of pig iron or in the finished article. This 

 is an exceptionally pure class of ore, easy to mine, and peculiarly adapted 

 for treatment in the blast furnace. 



It would require very little flux, and for this purpose excellent 

 limestone exists inthe neighbourhood This is only one of the deposits 

 of non-chromium ores, but there are several others with practically 

 the same composition, and which could be treated with equal facility. 

 It is not the object of this paper to advertise the merits of one 

 particular deposit, but rather to indicate the broad lines along which 

 any venture must travel if the manufacture of iron and steel is to 

 become an accomplished and remunerative fact for Tasmania. There is 

 no doubt in the near future the great problem of localy manufac- 

 turing the iron and steel required by the Australasian colonies will 

 have to be faced. But for the indifference and apathy shown by 



