WILLIAM SIEMENS, F.K.S. 359 



for the open hearth process, but sti.l in that case they would have 

 to compare his results with those obtained by simple puddling, 

 i he President) had lately made some experiments at the 

 request of Messrs. Hopkins, Gilkes, and Co., which proved in a 

 satisfactory manner that Cleveland pig metal, when puddled 

 r.nvfully in a rotative furnace, and then melted on the open hearth 

 furnace, produced a very good steel. He believed Mr. Hopkins 

 had exhibited some of the steel upstairs which was so produced, 

 and Mr. Cramptou had given them proofs long before that time of 

 the suitability of Cleveland pig to produce steel if treated in his 

 (Mr. Crampton's) puddling furnace, and subsequently in his (Dr. 

 Siemens's) open hearth furnace ; therefore, in that case they would 

 have to compare the results obtained by the refinery process 

 proposed by Mr. Bell with those of ordinary puddling done in the 

 most careful manner. In other respects he was ready to compli- 

 ment Mr. Bell upon his very valuable communication. He had 

 placed before them experimental facts which he (Dr. Siemens) 

 believed were entirely reliable, and which in themselves consti- 

 tuted most valuable information. Whether or not the particular 

 process which he had lately followed would lead to practical 

 results or not, was a matter which perhaps did not interest even 

 Mr. Hell very much, because he was searching for information at 

 present, and in those researches he was powerfully assisted by the 

 North Eastern Railway Company, who acting very differently to 

 railway companies in general encouraged research instead of 

 rather throwing impediments in the way of those who proposed 

 any new method of manufacture. His (the President's) experi- 

 ence had been that even when they had got a result it was very 

 difficult to make people take the trouble to test that result, and it 

 was a very refreshing sign that here a great railway company not 

 only encouraged research, but found large means for carrying that 

 research into effect. One of the implements proposed to be used 

 in carrying out those researches was a very large hydraulic 

 squeezer. That machine had been constructed by Sir William 

 Armstrong & Co., and they would have an opportunity of seeing 

 it to-morrow. 



A vote of thanks having been passed to Mr. Bell for his 

 valuable paper, 



Mr. Menelaus said the President could not very well include 



