On (he Allocs of Sled. 373 



gave a button, which when forged and polished was exposed, 

 witli many other pieces of ii'on, steel, and alloys, to a moist 

 atmosphere: it was the last of all showing any rust. The co- 

 lour of this compound was distinctly blue; it had the property 

 of becoming harder when heated to redness, and quenched in 

 a cold fluid. On observing this steel-like character, we sus- 

 pected the presence of carbon: none, however, was ibund, al- 

 though carefully looked for. It is not improbable that there 

 may be other bodies, besides charcoal, capable of giving to 

 iron the properties of steel ; and though we cannot agree with 

 M. Boussingault *, when he would replace carbon in steel by 

 silica or its base, we think his experiments very interesting on 

 this point, which is woi'thy further examination. 



We are not informed as to what extent these alloys, or any 

 of them, have been made at home, or to what uses they have 

 been applied ; their more general introduction in the manufac- 

 ture of cutlery would assuredly add to the value, and conse- 

 quently to the extension of that branch of trade. There are 

 various other important uses to which the alloys of steel may 

 advantageously be applied. If our information be correct, the 

 alloy of silver, as well as that of platina, has been to some con- 

 siderable extent in use at His Majesty's Mint. We do know, 

 that several of the alloys have been diligently and successfully 

 made on the Continent, very good specimens of some of them 

 liaving been handed to us; and we are proud of these testi- 

 monies of the utility of our endea\ours. 



To succeed in making and extending the application of 

 these new compounds, a considerable degree of faithiul and 

 diligent attention will be required on the part of the operators. 

 The purity of the metals intended to form the compound is 

 essential ; the perfect and complete fusion of both must, in 

 every case, be ascertained : it is further requisite, that the me- 

 tals be kept for some considerable time in the state of thin fu- 

 sion: after casting, the forging is with equal care to be attended 

 to; the metal nuist on no account be overheated; and this is 

 more particularly to be attended to when the alloying metal 

 is fusible at a low temperature, as silver. The same care is 

 to be observed in hardening: the article is to be brought to a 

 cherry-red colour, and then instantly quenched in the cold 

 fluid. 



In tempering, which is best performed in a metallic bath 



properly constructed, the bath will recjuire to be heated lor the 



respective alloys, from about 70" to 100" of Fahrenheit above 



the point of temperature required for the best cast slcel. Wc 



* AiinaUs de C/iimic, xvi. J. 



would 



