214 CUTTING, FRANCIS B. 



DAHLGREN, JOHN A. 



which was measurable by the galvanometer was 

 therefore in direct proportion to the quantity 

 of chemical action which took place between 

 the sea-water and the plate, and the indication 

 of the galvanometer gave, therefore, the exact 

 proportionate amount of corrosive effect pro- 

 duced by the sea-water upon each of the 

 plates. The experiments at Terrenoire have 

 confirmed the fact that the corrosion of steel 

 containing more than -^ per cent, of carbon is 

 more intense than that of wrought-iron, but 

 the corrosion of the softest kind of steel con- 

 taining from per cent, of carbon downward 

 is less than that of wrought-iron. In fact, the 

 amount of corrosion of different kinds of steel 

 seems to follow the exact proportion of the 

 percentage of carbon contained in the metal. 

 The relative quantities, as read off the galva- 

 nometer when some of the most character- 

 istic specimens were under test, were as fol- 

 lows : 



Corrosion of steel contnlnin<r 1 per cent, carbon 80 



Corrosion of wromjht-iron plate 65 



Corrosion of soft Bessemer steel plate 55 



The evidence of these galvanometric tests 

 has been corroborated still further by keeping 

 the different plates immersed in sea-water for 

 several months, and ascertaining the loss of 

 weight of the plates regularly every week. The 

 result of this prolonged experiment showed an 

 exact coincidence of the proportionate weights 

 with those indicated by the galvanometer. The 

 regularity is so great that the same galvanom- 

 eter always indicates the same figures when 

 applied to the plate after a considerable lapse 

 of time. 



The experiments of the Terrenoire "Works 

 show in a very conclusive manner that soft 

 steel plates, such as are usually and ought to 

 b*e always employed in ship-building, are less 

 liable to suffer from the corrosive action of the 

 sea- water than iron plates. The advantage of 

 the steel plates is, therefore, enhanced by this 

 newly-discovered superior resistance to corro- 

 sion, which is a property of the softest kinds of 

 steel. 



CUBA. (See SPAIN.) 



CUTTING, FRANCIS BROCKHOLST, an emi- 

 nent jurist and political leader of New- York 

 City, born in New- York City, in 1805 ; died 

 there, June 26, 1870. He graduated from Co- 

 lumbia College about 1825, studied law with 



great assiduity, devoting his attention particu- 

 larly to commercial law, and being admitted 

 to the bar rose to eminence, both as an attorney 

 and counsellor, with almost unprecedented 

 rapidity. In 1836, when he first commenced 

 political life as a legislator, he had already at- 

 tained so high a rank among the great com- 

 mercial lawyers of his time, some of them the 

 most eminent in the country, that he was con- 

 sidered as an authority on commercial ques- 

 tions. He was, moreover, a graceful and bril- 

 liant public speaker, and in the legislative ses- 

 sions of 1886-'37 rendered efficient service to 

 the Democratic party, with which he was affili- 

 ated. But his great love for his profession 

 forbade his abandoning it for an exclusively 

 political life. During fifteen years, from 1840 

 to 1855, there were very few cases tried in the 

 metropolis involving questions of commercial 

 law in which Mr. Cutting was not retained as 

 the leading counsel on one side. From 1853 

 to 1855 he represented one of the districts 

 of New- York City in Congress. This was 

 during the feverish political excitement caused 

 by the Kansas and Nebraska questions. Mr. 

 Cutting refused to follow the lead of the South- 

 ern Congressmen. By this refusal he gave 

 great offence to the Conservative branch of the 

 Democracy, which then controlled the party, 

 and became involved in a personal difficulty 

 with the Hon. John 0. Breckinridge, which 

 attracted much public attention. Mr. Cutting 

 resisted all intimidation from the friends of 

 Mr. Breckiuridge, but the matter was finally 

 adjusted without resort to a duel. From 1855 

 Mr. Cutting took no active interest in poli- 

 tics until the beginning of the war, when he 

 became prominent as a "War Democrat," 

 working vigorously for the cause of the Union. 

 He aided in the second election of President 

 Lincoln, and his influence upon a large circle 

 in New York Avas of much service to the coun- 

 try throughout the entire war. During tho 

 last few years he has appeared only in social 

 and business circles (having declined active 

 participation in important causes), taking care 

 of a large fortune, and moving among his 

 personal friends, esteemed and admired as a 

 man of fine intellect, graceful accomplish- 

 ments, and kindly manners. In person he 

 was a handsome man, tall, and of command- 

 ing presence. 



DAHLGREN, Jons A., a Rear- Admiral in 

 the United States Navy, born in Philadelphia, 

 in 1810; died in Washington, D. C., July 12, 

 1870. He was appointed midshipman from 

 the State of Pennsylvania, February 1, 1826. 

 His first cruise was in the frigate Macedonian, 

 of the Brazil squadron, in the years 1827-'29. 

 From 1830-'32 he was attached to the sloop 

 Ontario, of the Mediterranean squadron, and 



in the latter year was promoted to passed mid- 

 shipman. From 1836 to 1842 he was employed 

 on coast-survey duty, being commissioned 

 as lieutenant in 1837. In 1844'45 he was 

 attached to the frigate Cumberland, of the 

 Mediterranean squadron. Between 1847 and 

 1857 he was engaged on ordnance duty, during 

 which time he perfected the invention of the 

 Dahlgren gun. He was commissioned as com- 



