1824.] Royal Society. 231 



Trans, for 1822. (See Annals,^. S. v.) In the first part, Mr. S. de- 

 •cribes his new process for the development of magnetism, and 



fives the result of a number of experiments made with different 

 inds of iron, and under different modes of treatment. The only 

 experiments at all analogous to these were performed by Dr. 

 Gilbert about two centuries back, in which Dr. G., hammering 

 a piece of iron in the direction of the magnetic meridian, and 

 drawing it out while red-hot, gave it such a degree of magnetism 

 as to cause it, when floated by a piece of cork on water, to 

 adjust itself in a north and south direction. But Dr. Gilbert 

 went no further. Mr. Scoresby, however, considering, that as 

 magnetism in steel is more readily developed by the contact of 

 magnetizable substances, and particularly if these substances be 

 already magnetic, imagined, " that the magnetizing effects of 

 percussion might be greatly increased by hammering a steel bar 

 with its lower end resting upon the upper end of a large rod of 

 iron or soft steel, both the masses being held in a vertical posi- 

 tion ; and that if the rod were first rendered magnetic by ham- 

 mering, the effect on the steel bar would probably be augmented." 

 The experiments instituted to ascertain the effect of such treat- 

 ment fully proved that these opinions were correct. A small bar 

 of soft steel being hammered while resting upon a surface of 

 stone or metal, not ferruginous, was rendered capable of lifting 

 64 grains of iron, which was the extreme effect ; but on 

 being hammered while held vertically upon a parlour poker, also 

 held erect, it lifted a nail of 88 grains weight after 22 blows. 



The paper now communicated to the Royal Society described 

 a new arrangement and process, by which a much higher degree 

 of magnetic energy was developed. In the former experiments 

 of Mr. Scoresby, a single rod of iron only was used, and the 

 steel bars or wires were hammered upon it, while both were 

 held in a vertical position ; in which case the magnetism of the 

 iron, after hammering, was employed in aid of the power of per- 

 cussion for the development of the magnetism of the steel bars. 

 But the iron acted only on the lower end of the steel wires ; the 

 magnetism of the upper end being spontaneous, or what is by 

 magneticians called consequential. Hence, Mr. S. attempted to 

 supply an additional force for the development of the magne- 

 tism of the steel, to act upon the upper end of the wire as well 

 as on the lower, and this ne accomplished by hammering the 

 wire or bar of steel between two bars of iron. The bars of iron 

 he used were three feet and one foot in length, both made of 

 common iron. The steel consisted of wires of about one-eighth 

 of an inch in diameter. The lifting power produced in the wires 

 was estimated by the heaviest of a series of nails, polished at 

 the points, which the wire was capable of lifting. 



We cannot follow Mr. Scoresby through the details of his 

 experiments ; but we may state a few particulars of the results 

 which he obtained from his investigations. 



