434 NOTICES OF THE MEETINGS [May 5, 
MANAGERS, 
Lord Ashburton, F.R.S. Henry Bence Jones, M.D., F.R.S. 
William Wilberforce Bird, Esq. Edward Kater, Esq., F.R.S. 
John Bate Cardale, Esq. George Macilwain, Esq. 
J. Griffith Cole, Esq., M.A. _ | Frederick Pollock, Esq., M.A. 
James William Farrer, Esq. Alfred S. Taylor, M.D. F.R.S. 
Aaron Asher Goldsmid, Esq. Charles Wheatstone, Esq., F.R.S. 
William R. Grove, Esq., Q.C. F.R.S._ | Colonel Philip J. Yorke, F.R.S., Pres. 
Sir Henry Holland, Bart., M.D., F.R.S. Chem. Soc. 
VISITORS. 
J. G. Appold, Esq., F.R S. John Holdship, Esq. 
John Charles Burgoyne, Esq. John Kirkpatrick, Esq. 
William Carpmael, Esq. John Gorham Maitland, Esq. 
Alexander Crichton, Esq. Robert R. I. Morley, Esq. 
The Earl of Ducie. John North, Esq. 
Edward M. Foxhall, Esq. Rev. William Taylor, F.R.S. 
Frederick Gaussen, Esq. Henry Twining, Esq. 
Colonel Francis Vernen Harcourt, M.P. 
WEEKLY EVENING MEETING, 
Friday, May 5. 
The Rev. Joun Bartow, M.A,, F.R.S., Secretary, R.I., in the Chair. 
Henry M. Noap, Pu. D. 
LECTURER ON CHEMISTRY AT ST. GEORGE’S HOSPITAL. 
On the Manufacture of Iron. 
Tue history of this important metal was first briefly sketched ; it was 
shown by reference to the four books of the Mosaic law, that it was 
known and used in the earliest ages of the world: from various 
passages in Hesiod, Homer, and Aischylus it was rendered probable 
that the ancient Greeks, though acquainted with both iron and 
bronze, used the latter in the construction of their warlike weapons 
till the period of the Heroic ages; but that after that time bronze 
was superseded by iron obtained from the Chalybes: and from pas- 
sages from the writings of Polybius, Pliny, and Diodorus, the conclu- 
sion was drawn that even in the earliest times the Romans used 
weapons of iron which they obtained principglly from Spain. It 
was mentioned, on the authority of Mr. Arthur Aikin, as a curious 
fact, that cutting and even surgeons’ instruments were found in the 
excavations at Herculaneum and Pompeii made of bronze, though 
some were also found of iron; from which it was to be concluded 
