128 BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE OF 
much satisfaction, since the time he invented them, 
which is somewhere about 21 or 22 years ago. 
“Tt was he also, who about that time first 
informed me of the fact of tough iron being ren- 
dered short and brittle by the fine hammering of 
it upon the anvil in a black heat. 
‘** He had a piece of ironwork to make, which 
required to be neatly done, and to be very strong, 
for which purpose he carefully selected a bar, the 
best he could select, and put it into the hands of 
his smith. When the work was finished, he hap- 
pened to throw it down, or let it fall, when it 
snapped in two quite short. Being surprised at 
this, he made a further selection of a bar of iron, 
and had a similar article made, which was attended 
by the same unfavourable result. He then began 
to consider that the nature of the iron must have 
been changed by the fine hammering of it in a 
black heat. He therefore had a further trial, by 
having the same kind of article made from the 
same bar as the last was made from, taking care 
that the hammer did not touch it, except ina 
good red heat, by which means the article thus 
made was found fully to answer his wishes. 
