Oft the Alloys of Steel. 327 



magnifying power. The specimen forged remarkably well, 

 although very hard; it had in every respect the most favour- 

 able appearance. By a delicate test every part of the bar 

 gave silver. This alloy is decidedly superior to the very 

 best steel, and this excellence is unquestionably owing to 

 combination with a minute portion of silver. It has been 

 repeatedly made, and always with equal success. Various 

 cutting tools have been made from it of the best quality . 

 This alloy is perliaps only inferior to that of steel with 

 rhodium, and it may be procured at a small expense ; the 

 value of silver, where the proportion is so small, is not worth 

 naming ; it will probably be applied to many important pur- 

 poses iu the arts. An attempt was made to procure the alloy 

 of steel with silver by cementation ; a small piece of steel 

 wrapped in silver leaf, being 1 to 160, was put into a crucible, 

 which being filled up with pounded green glass, was submitted 

 to a heat sufficient to fuse the silver ; it was kept at a white 

 heat for three hours. On examining it, the silver was found 

 fused, i.nd adhering to the steel ; no part had combined. The 

 steel had suffered by being so long kept at a high temperature. 

 Although this experiment failed in effecting the alloy of steel 

 with silver, there is reason to believe that with some other metals, 

 alloys may be obtained by this process ; the following circum- 

 stance favours this suggestion. Wires of platinum and steel, 

 of about equal diameter, were packed together, and, by an ex- 

 pert workman, were perfectly united by welding. This was 

 effected with the same facility as could have been done with 

 steel and iron. On being forged, the surface polished, and the 

 steel slightly acted on by an acid, a very novel and beautiful 

 surface appeared, the steel and platinum forming dark and white 

 clouds ; if this can be efleoted with very fine wires, a damasked 

 surface will be obtained, of exquisite beauty. This experiment, 

 made to ascertain the welding property of platinum, is only 

 named here in consequence of observing that some of the 

 largest of the steel clouds had much the appearance of being 

 alloyed with a portion of the platinum. A more correct survey 

 of the surface, by a high magnifying power, Mrent far to confirm 



