On the Alloys of Steel. 321 



highly probable, that the much-admired sabres of Damascus are 

 made from this steel ; and, if this be admitted, there can be 

 little reason to doubt, that the damask itself is merely an 

 exhibition of crystallization. That on wootz it cannot be the 

 effect of the mechanical mixture of two substances, as iron and 

 steel, unequally acted upon by acid, is shown by the circum- 

 stance of its admitting re-fusion, without losing this property. 

 It is certainly true, that a damasked surface may be produced 

 by welding together wires of iron and steel ; but if these 

 welded specimens are fused, the damask does not again 

 appear. Supposing that the damasked surface is depen- 

 dant on the development of a crystalline structure, then the 

 superiority of wootz in shewing the effect, may fairly be 

 considered as dependant on its power of crystallizing, when 

 solidifying, in a more marked manner, and in more decided 

 forms than the common steel. This can only be accounted for 

 by some difference in the composition of the two bodies, and 

 as it has been stated that only the earths in small quantities 

 can be detected, it is reasonable to infer, that the bases of 

 these earths being combined with the iron and carbon render 

 the mass more crystallizable, and that the structure drawn out 

 by the hammer, and confused, (though not destroyed,) does 

 actually occasion the damask. It is highly probable, that the 

 wootz is steel, accidentally combined with the metal of the 

 earths, and the irregularity observed in different cakes, and 

 even in the same cake, is in accordance with this opinion. 

 The earths may be in the ore, or they may be derived from the 

 crucible in which the fusion is made. 



In making the alumine alloy for the imitation of wootz, we 

 had occasion to observe the artificial formation of plumbago. 

 Some of the carburet of iron before mentioned having been 

 pounded and mixed with fresh charcoal, and then fused, was 

 found to have been converted into perfect plumbago. This 

 had not taken place throughout the whole mass ; the metal 

 had soon melted, and run to the bottom ; but having been 

 continued in the furnace for a considerable time, the surface 

 of the button had received an additional portion of charcoal,. 



Vol. IX. X 



