^Tperhneiiis on the Alloys vf Steel. 27 



jjeriments on its composition, which appeared very uniform, gave 

 94-36 iron, +5'64 carbon. Tliis being broken and rubbed to 

 powder in a mortar, was mixed with pure alumine, and the whole 

 intensely heated in a close crucible for a considerable time. On 

 being removed from the furnace, and opened, an alloy was ob- 

 tained of a white colour, a close granular texture, and very brit- 

 tle : this, when analysed, give 6-4 per cent, alumine, and'a por- 

 tion of carbon not accurately estimated. 700 of good steel, with 

 40 of the alumine alloy, were fused together, and formed a very 

 good button, perfectly malleable ; this, on being forged into a 

 little bar, and the surface polished, gave, on the application of 

 dilute sulphuric acid, the beautiful damask which will presently 

 be noticed as belonging peculiarly to wootz. A second experi- 

 ment was made with 500 grains of the same steel, and 67 of the 

 alumine alloy, and this also proved good ; it forged well, and 

 gave, the damask. This specimen has all the appreciable cha- 

 racters of the best Bombay wootz. 



We have ascertained, by direct experiment, that the wootz, 

 although repeatedly fused, retains the peculiar property of pre- 

 senting a damasked surface, when forged, polished, and acted 

 upon by dilute acid. Tiiis appearance is apparently produced 

 by a dissection of the crystals by the acid ; for though by the 

 hammering the crystals have been bent about, yet their forms 

 may be readily traced through the curves which the twisting 

 and hammering have produced. From this uniform appearance 

 on the surface of wootz, it is highly probable, that the much- 

 admired sabres of Damascus are made from this steel ; and, if 

 this be admitted, tliere can be little reason to doubt, that the 

 damask itself is merely an exhibition of crystallization. That 

 on wootz it cannot be the effect of the mechanical mixture of 

 two substances, as iron and steel, unequally acted upon by acid, 

 is shown by the circumstance of its admitting re-fusion without 

 losing this property. It is certainly true, that a damasked sur- 

 face may be produced by welding together wires of iron and steel; 

 but if these welded specimens are fused, the damask does not 

 again appear. Supposing that the damasked surface is depend- 

 ant on the development of a crystalline structure, then the su- 

 periority of wootz in showing the effect, may fairly be considered 

 as dependant on its power of crystallizing, when solidifyiiig, in a 

 more marked manner, and in more decided forms than the com- 

 mon steel. This can only be accounted for by some difference 

 in the composition of the two bodies; and as it has been stated 

 that only the earths in small quantities can be detected, it is 

 reasonable to infer, that the bases of these earths being combined 

 wtth the iron and carbon render the mass more crystallizable, 

 and that the structure drawn out bv the hammer, and confused, 

 D 2 ■ (though 



