178 Conversion of Cannon Balls into Plumbago. 
Aww. XXUL. sihtpyarins Conversion of a — of two cannon 
balls into Plumbago. — Edito 
Is “ie 1779, a + Sah squadron and army, from New- 
York, invaded the coast of Connecticut; and during this in- 
vasion, visited Meth leven: The shullotileke of the water 
in the harbour did not permit their large ships of war to get 
up to the town, but some of the ighter. aieal to favour = 
During the late tempest, (Sept. 3d,) a part of a low bank. 
on the eastern side of the harbour, a little north of the 
fort, was undermined, and discovered a cannon ball, which, 
dhere can be no dou btw was fired into this bank on the occa- 
sion mentioned above, and had therefore, in all dn goed 
lain, ern hee| more than forty-two yea d 
in question, is, in fact, © nly a part of bee 
ofa v creek, dividing a sit inni wich lies 
low that the tide very gre te nap tect: and the place 
where the ® ball lay, is little else than a salt eee) 
~The ball, when first found, was thickly inérasted ‘witht 
chapeless, rusty, brownish substance: which, when removed, 
brought into view the proper shape of the ball, which is @ 
six pound shot 
All these circumstances are only con to the main 
fact. The outside of the ball is ‘changed in a substance, 
so resembling plumbago, or what is Seanieight vy eaitdd black 
lead, that it cannot be readily distinguished from that sub- 
stance. The diameter of the ball is 3.87 in. By means of 
a common saw, a section was easily made through the plum- 
baginous coat, which at the place of the incision, was half 
an inch deep, and supposing the coating to be equally thick, 
one inch of the whole diameter would be occupied by it. 
This is however not exactly the fact. The change is less 
complete in some parts than on others. In one place the 
surface differs little from the common condition of cast iron, 
but is sensibly softer, being easily cut by a file ; and it is 
impressible, even by a knife, and there is gradation in n the 
softness, till it-becomes so soft, that it is cut with the same 
ease as common black lead crayons. It has then the same 
