■a \ a Xihj'tfvatms on the jitialyjis of Slal. 



of a faggot of Reel, and maiiuf;ictured out of a mixture of half its weight of old iron witli 

 the fame quantity of pij;;-iioii. This iron, from which llic ftecl prefciited to the Academy 

 appears to have been made, is of the lirfl (Quality- It cannot be broken without tearinjj. 

 Jt extends under the hammer with the greatclt facility, whether heated or cold. 



The famples of Heel from Mr. Soller exhibited in thefe trials the qualities of the ordi- 

 nary fteel of cementation which we receive from England under the name of acicr punte *. 

 Like that Heel, they may be tAilled while hot without cracking, but they cannot be com- 

 pared with the fine Englilh fleels. 



Mr. Soller has likewife commynicatcd to us the details of his procefs, and the dcfign of 

 liis furnaces. We have every reafon to believe that he may fabricate fteel of an excellent 

 t)uality. But to prevent the objections which might be made on the fuppofition that thefe 

 pieces had been fclecled, he has drawn out the whole contents of a cafe of ftecl made by a 

 new cementation. This fteel will be lent to us, with every atteftation in form which can 

 be defired. We fliall fubmit it in like manner to different trials, and render an account to 

 the Academy. In the mean time, we are of opinion, that the enquiries and the under- 

 taking of Mr. Soller are among thofe which the Academy will never fail to applaud. 



Done at Paris, at the Academy, March 15, 1786. f VANDER MONDE 



(Signed) s and 



L BERTHOLLET. 

 I certify that the prefent extradt agrees with its original, and the judgment of the 

 Academy. 

 . Parh, March iS, i-]26. (Signed) CONDORCET. 



SECTION I. 



INTRODUCTION f. 



THE analyfls of fteels is one of the leaft advanced and moft difficult parts of chemiftrjr, 

 more efpecially when the accurate proportions of conftituent parts are required to be de- 

 termined. 



The agents commonly made ufe of to difunite thefe principles do themfelves fuffer part 

 of their elements to cfcape, which re-a£l on thofe of the fteel, and put them into a fitua- 

 tion which renders it difficult to form any eftimate. 



Thus, for example, we find, that when fteel is diflblved in the fulphuric acid, diluted 

 with water, the hydrogene gas which is developed, diflblves, and carries with it a portion 

 of carbone, the quantity of which varies from a great number of circumftances. 



The infufEciency of the methods hitherto propofed for acquiring this knowledge is well 

 (hewn from the refults they have afforded to thofe who invented them, and who were no 

 lefs flcilful in experiments than in the art of reafoning. 



It is well known that we are indebted to Bergman for the firft analytical proceffes with 

 iron and fteel; and that little addition has been made to them Cnce. But thefe proceffes 



• Is this fpur-llcci ? N. 



+ Thit word, and feveral other fcntencet or fubordinate titles, appear in the margin of the original as fide- 

 notes. I have infcrtcd them in the text. N. 



are 



