1825.] f>f Claude-Louis Berlhollet. 93 



connected with this subject and with our chemist, to be omitted 

 here There was an urgent demand for cannon, musquets, 

 sabres &c to provide and equip one milUon of men, who were 

 eager to take the field, but wanted arms. The ordmary manu- 

 facturer was unable to meet a demand so extensive; and 

 besides, the fabrication of steel, and even of the finer kinds of 

 common iron, was unknown to him. Here agam the French 

 philosophers came forward. A committee was appointed, ot 

 which Berthollet and Monge were the leading members, remark- 

 able alike for their talents and for their unwearied exertions ; 

 valuable improvements were introduced into the smelting and 

 purification of iron ; a profound investigation was instituted and 

 completed of the processes by which that metal may be con- 

 verted into steel ; and the immediate result was, that the people 

 became instructed ; tlie nation's wants were supplied for the 

 time, and extensive permanent establishments ot that difficult 

 manufacture were formed in various parts of the country. 



It was not only, however, by their talents, nor yet by their 

 inoenuity, that Berthollet and his friends were enabled to aid 

 and to enlighten their country. Occasions presented themselves 

 in which their integrity, and that rare quality of ciyd courage, 

 were not less conspicuous. It was this, indeed, which greatly 

 contributed to give them at first the perfect public esteem and 

 confidence which they long enjoyed. During the reign ot 

 terror a short time before the ninth Thermidor, when the system 

 was a' favourite one of raising up pretended plots to give pretexts 

 for fresh ravages of the guillotine, a hasty notice was given in 

 a certain sitting of the committee of public safety, that a con- 

 spiracy had just been discovered to destroy the soldiers by 

 poisoiiine the brandy which was ready to be served out to them 

 ust prevwus to an engagement. It was said that the sick lu 

 the hospitals who had tasted this brandy all perished in conse- 

 quence of it. Immediatfdy, orders to arrest all those imphcated 

 in suspicion, or rather those previously marked for execution, 

 were issued, and ni'inbers in chains awaited their doom, lo 

 BerthoUetitwas referred to analysethishquor ; he was atthesame 

 time made fully aware that Robespierre 7f-o»/ri have a conspiracy, 

 and all knew that opposition to the will of that monster ^was 

 o-enerally death. Having finished his analysis, Berthollet drew 

 up his results in a Report, which he accompanied with a written 

 explanation of his views, and he there stated in the plainest 

 lantruaoe the simple truth, that there was nothing very detri- 

 mentafmimiled with the brandy, but that it was merely diluted 

 by water holding small particles of slate in suspension— an 

 ingredient which filtration would speedily render innoxious. 

 This Report deranged the plans of the Committee of Public 

 Safety vho accordingly sent for the author to convince him ot 



