338 The Philosophical Society of Glasgow. 



One gentleman attempted copper smelting in Glasgow, in 1848-49, 

 having previously arranged for consecutive cai'goes of Australian ores. 

 The works were erected, and two cargoes turned into copper, but 

 whether he had begun at a bad time, or bought his ore too dear I know 

 not, but he found after a little that the ore unsmelted produced more 

 in proportion at Swansea than he could make by any metaUurgic opera- 

 tion, so the ores were sold to arrive, and as he had begun to see the 

 hopelessness of solitary competition, the works were taken down, and 

 copper smelting in Glasgow was strangled in its birth. 



Much might be arranged in Scotland by a determined and well 

 regulated union of smelters and importers ; for to Glasgow merchants a 

 large proportion of the rich Cuban and Cobre ores are consigned. 



They are of course forced to sell at Swansea, subject to the regula- 

 tions of the assay court, instead of bringing their ships and cargoes 

 direct to the Clyde, where they ultimately come in ballast, to be reladen 

 for the foreign markets. The ores might be sold in Glasgow similar to 

 corn, cotton, or any of our foreign importations ; and as in Scotland 

 much copper is used in all our great engineering and manufacturing 

 departments, the smelter would find no difficulty in making his metal 

 sales. Coal, and aU the material for reduction, are at the door ; and if 

 some of our large capitalists were to unite heart and soul in this branch 

 of metallurgy, as a commercial feature in this great and increasing city, 

 there could not be a doubt of success ; for with our cheap labour, coal 

 abundant, and the foreign and British merchants determined to lend 

 their aid, the smelting clique might be set at nought. 



Of course the English smelters do not carry out these constringent 

 laws and regulations without much abuse ; but what do they care ; for so 

 long as the mining interests are so mulcted in the sale of their ores the 

 balance must always be in their favour. 



The smelting of copper, as now conducted at all the great works, does 

 not differ much from the process in use when Mr. A'^ivian wrote in 1823, 

 except that it is a little longer and more tedious. 



The operations as laid down by Mr. Philips, the latest writer on 

 copper smelting, are ten in number. 



1. Calcination of the ores of the finest and second classes. 



2. Melting for coarse metal, or fusion of the roasted ores with 

 minerals of the third class, not calcined. 



3. Calcination of the coarse metal. 



4. Melting for white metal, or fusion with the coarse metal, with 

 the addition of rich minerals belonging to the fourth class. 



5. Melting for blue metal, or fusion of the calcined coarse metal with 

 roasted minerals rich in copper. 



