Ill 



primeval seas, and traversing the blocks in every direction, the footprints probably 

 of Crustacea as they roamed at the bottom of their native ocean. A specimen 

 of this remarkable " medal of creation " was carried away, and will be forwarded 

 by Mr. Lewis to London for examination, and we hope to be able to revert to the 

 discovery on a future occasion. 



From this spot, the party made the best of their way to Leominster, passing 

 Brockmanton, Bach, and Puddlestone, and arrived at tne Royal Oak at 5 o'clock, 

 where an excellent dinner was provided for them by Mr. Jackson in his usual 

 style. The President, the Rev. W. S. Symonds, of Pendock. occupied the chair, 

 and there were also present Rev. T. T. Lewis, Rev. J. F. Crouch, Rev. H. Barker. 

 Rev. H. T. HiU, Messrs. W. Stubbs, Woodhouse. H. Price, T. H. Lee Warner, 

 Dr. Rowan, Rev. T. Hutchinson, Messrs. Arthur Thompson, and J as. F. Suter, 

 Honorary Secretary. 



After dinner, the Rev. Thomas Hutchinson was proposed as a member by 

 Mr. Crouch, and seconded by Mr. Thompson, and in consideration of his services 

 on that day, it was proposed by Mr. Lewis, and seconded by the President, that 

 the formality of the ballot be dispensed with ; he was accordingly enrolled a 

 member. 



A highly practical and suggestive paper was read by Dr. Rowan, on the 

 fracture of iron, which gave rise to an animated conversation. 



THE FRACTURE OF IRON. 

 By Dr. A. Rowan. 

 My attention has been called to a notice which appeared in a number of 

 " Chambers' Edinburgh Journal " stating that a paper had been read before 

 some of the Philosophical Societies upon the " fatigue of metals"— (this term 

 is used by way of explanation of that property possessed by metals whereby they 

 are subject to fracture from repeated strains). I desire to lay before this Club a 

 few particulars relative to the crystallisation of iron occasioned by percussion. 



It has been ascertained, upon the examination of railway axles which have 

 been fractured (by which accidents of a serious nature have occurred), that the 

 fracture was always crystalline, although the axles, when constructed, were 

 originally fibrous. The same thing occurs with the coupling-rods of railway 

 carriages. The repeated jerks they receive, especially at starting of trains, 

 render them liable to break, and when broken, the fracture is invariably crystal- 

 line. 



I have myself observed that some smiths, in the process of forging iron, render 

 it pecuUarly susceptible of breaking, and others again materially improve the 

 quality of the iron they work ; and I have observed a diflference in the percussive 

 force of the blow given by each, the blow of the latter being like the solid stroke 

 of the tilt-hammer, whereas the blow of the former rebounds from the iron as he 

 strikes, like the stroke of a stonebreaker. 



I was conversing a short time back with a practical and very intelligent 

 workman upon the subject, and he related many instances in which he had 



