WILLIAM SIEMENS, F.R.S. 233 



direction, are by no means complete ; nevertheless, I have ob- 

 tained most beneficial results from the introduction into the bath 

 of lithariM', in conjunction with oxidising salts containing strong 

 bases, such as the alkaline nitrates, chromates, chlorates, stannates, 

 titanates, &c. 



The choice of the reagents and the quantity to be employed 

 depend, naturally, upon the quality and quantity of objectionable 

 matter to be removed. 



By the aid of the process just described, it will be possible to 

 convert old iron rails into steel rails of sufficiently good quality at 

 a cost scarcely exceeding that of re-rolling them into fresh iron 

 rails. The non-expensive nature of the process may be judged by 

 the fact that extremely little labour is required in conducting it ; 

 that the loss of metal does not exceed from 5 to G per cent., and 

 that from 10 to 12 cwt. of coal suffices to produce a ton of cast 

 steel. 



ORE. Although I have succeeded in producing malleable steel 

 from ordinary English iron by this process, it would be unreason- 

 able to expect steel of really high quality, in using those materials 

 which are already contaminated in the blast-furnace ; and I am 

 sanguine in the expectation of producing cast steel superior in 

 quality, and at a low cost, directly from the better description of 

 ores, such as the hematites, magnetic oxides, and the spathic 

 carbonates. My experiments in this direction extend over several 

 years ; and last year I sent a few bars of steel produced 

 from hematite ore, to the French Exhibition, which had stood 

 a high test in Kirkcaldy's machine. A " grand prix " was 

 awarded for this and other applications of the regenerative gas 

 furnaces. 



Having tried various modifications of the furnace, I have 

 arrived at a form of apparatus (Plates 89 and 40) not dissimilar 

 to the one just described. 



The furnace and tapping arrangements are, indeed, the same, 

 except that for the slanting hoppers, vertical hoppers over the 

 middle of the bath are substituted, in which the ore gradually 

 descends. Each hopper is formed of a cast-iron pipe, supporting 

 a clay-pipe which is attached to it by means of a bayonet-joint, 

 and reaches down into the furnace, while the cast-iron pipe rests 

 with its flange on the charging platform. 



