hj' means of the Diamond. ^393 



of the produtSls obtained in my own manipulations. A fcries 

 of experiments, which I fliall coninuuiicate through the me- 

 dium of this publication, will, I hope, carry with them the 

 mod evident demonllration, that in attributing to their refults 

 the merits of call fteel, or ftecl of any quality, the French 

 chemills have deceived thcmfelves, and led into error many 

 whofe confidence in their labours was. entire. 



I cannot, however, fubfcribe with the fame facility to the 

 conclufion drawn by Sir George, that the fufion of malleable 

 iron does not in the lead alter its quality: but 1 fliall at pre- 

 fent wave adducing any experiments to prove the contrary; 

 they fliall, however, be given hereafter in their proper place. 

 The baronet's experiments afford one inftance, however, 

 which he has overlooked in forming the opinions on which 

 his aflertions are founded. He fuled two parcels of iroa 

 filings, the one alone, the other mixed with oxide. From 

 thefe were obtained two buttons of iron exaftly fimilar in 

 quality, which quality, from the eulogium of the artift, we 

 may juftly infer was improved bv the fufion. 



Thequeftion which molt forcibly occurs here is this: 

 What revived the oxide in contaft with the iron ? What 

 affinity, in this cafe, was exerted to difengage the oxygen 

 and revive the metallic particles ? The preience of carbona- 

 ceous matter mull be inferred. This again we mull: fuppofe 

 united to the iron, involving this confequence, that good 

 malleable iron contains a portion of charcoal capable of re- 

 viving at leaft i-TOih part of its weight of oxide of iron. If 

 this mixture is neceflTarv to conftitute good malleable iron, 

 and a iubftance be added, which, to a phyfical certainty, 

 mufl: deprive it of this neceflary conltituent part, will the 

 fuied aggregate ftill be of the fame quality as a portion of the 

 fame iron iufed alone, or an original portion compared with 

 it from the bar * ? 



I ihall conclude this paper with the following obfcrvation, 

 founded upon dear-bought experience, and which I hope 

 neither Sir George nor nis artift will conceive as in the leaft 

 degree perfonal. 



In fubmltiing metallic refults to undergo the neceflary 

 lefts by a workman, the gr^ateft poffible degree of caution is 

 neceflary not to imprt'l's him with the nature of the wiflied- 

 for refult. A finele exieriment often is the foundation of a 

 theory ; and workmen, from tht laudable motive of picafing 



■* I hope h rcaf:cr to (how that all m illtable iron contains a portion of 

 charcoal ; that tliis is ("(Tcnti:illy '.icccli'aiy to it") prtipcr cxillcncc . and th;it 

 depriving it of ttiis carbonaceous mixture drb^fct iu <^uaiicy by a total- 

 annihilauon ot its prupcrticj. 



T 3 a fuperior. 



