On the Component Tarts oflron-Jlones. ig$ 



portion of fuel, coaks or wood char, by weight, is underftood 

 to be fufficient to fmelt, and give principle to a determinate 

 weight and quality of iron-ftones combined together, in order 

 that a certain quality of crude iron may be produced. In 

 this cafe, fhould a newiron-ftone be fubftituted for one whofe 

 quality and effects are already known, and fhould its appli- 

 cation be productive of iron lefs carbonated than formerly, it 

 would inflantly be denominated a bad iron-flone, or an iron- 

 flone containing bad iron — an aflertion only true compara- 

 tively fo far as it would affect the intereft of the manufac- 

 turer, unlefs corrected by an addition of fuel, a change of the 

 mixtures of ores, or a varied application of the lime-ftone 

 ufed as a folvent or flux. But this is no proof that the qua- 

 lity of iron, as it exifts in the ore, is bad, fince a larger pro- 

 portion of coaks, or a change of mixture, which incurs no 

 additional expence, can correct the evil. It rather furnifhes 

 a demonftration that the iron in all ores is the fame ; but 

 that, in calling it into a metallic form, the quality is affected 

 chiefly by the reduction of thofe mixtures originally united 

 with it. 



As the quality of the fuel is improved in a direct ratio to 

 the quantity of carbon which the coal contains, and its pu- 

 rity, hence arife the great variety of coaks ufed in fmelting 

 iron-ftones; fome of which will fmelt, and give principle to 

 the iron contained in double the weight of the fame ores 

 that others will. From this then may be deduced another; 

 proof, that good and bad iron are terms of comparative 

 meaning only, confined to fituation. Let it be conceived 

 that a change of fuel oppofite in its quality to that now men- 

 tioned was to take place ; the fame quantity of ore, which 

 with the good coaks would have afforded metal richly carbo- 

 nated, would now yield its produce in a partial degree, and 

 that highly oxygenated — almoft unfit for any purpofe. The 

 confequencea here entailed are the fame, though they may 

 be attributed to different caufes; the former as derived from 

 the hoftile mixture of the ore, but the latter as arifing from 

 a deficiency in the quality of the coaks, 



O % Be6de9 



