170 On alloying Iron with Manganese. 



The alloy now obtained will be composed otiion jl'A pW, 

 Metallic maganese . . "ZS'G 



100 

 In about ten minutes after the crucible containing the above 

 mixture was withdrawn from the furnace, the contents wcrer 

 turned out in a solid conical form, of a brownish copper colour j 

 the metallic button occupying its proper station at the smaller 

 end of the cone. The mass as it cooled began to cr^ck, swell, 

 and disintegrate; its colour became lighter — and irregular cry- 

 stallization appeared in the dismenibered fragment-^. "I'bese 

 forms, bowEver, were of short duration ; every particle even the 

 most minute became subject to violent motion, which rapidly 

 hurried on a state cf the most perfect decomposition ; the 

 whole matter in a few minutes passing from a stony state ta 

 that of an impalpable white powder. 



9th Exp. Iron ore 500 grs. 



Roasted ore of manganese . , . . 700 



Chalk 400 



Glass 500 



Charcoal 160 



On withdrawing this crucible from the furnace and removing- 

 the cover its contents v.'ere i'oun<\ in a state of tlie most perfect 

 fluidity. The cover was restored, and I went to call a friend to 

 witness the expected decompo>iition. On our return to the la- 

 boratory (within five minutes from the time the crucible >vas 

 taken from the furnace) we found it burst into pieces, and the 

 whole contents heaped up in a state of fine powder, which as it 

 cooled exhibited several metallic shades. A metallic button with 

 a rough surface, but highly carbnretted, was found in the pow- 

 dery matter : this with some globules weighed o20 grains, so that 

 a considerable diminution of produce was here experienced ; bom 

 which it was inferred that the alloy of manganese with iron had' 

 in the last experiment reached its maxinuun under the circum- 

 stances and proportion of mixtures now used, 



I was now satisfied that ores of manganese might be smelted 

 with success along with our coumion argillaceous ironstone in the 

 blast-furnace, with a considerable augmentation of metallic pro- 

 duce, and much jdeased to have discovered the fact that iron al- 

 loyed with manganese in certain proportions ceases to be obedi'.'nt 

 to the magnet. This fact alone renders it extremely probable 

 that the presence of manganese is not essential to the formation 

 of good steel, and that those irons analysed by Bergman contain 

 no notable quantity, seeing that the strongest and most durable 

 magnets are made of steel mamifactured from sudi iron. 



Observations, 



