516 



METALS. 



METEOES. 



iron, with an expenditure of only 552 kilog. of coal 

 per metric tonne. Briefly, the result of diiferent 

 trials shows an increase of at least 30 per cent, in the 

 yield, with a proportionate diminution in the con- 

 sumption of fuel. In spite of the greater number of 

 charges, the puddler is very little fatigued. This 

 process, both in Austria and France, is found to 

 eliminate phosphorus and sulphur to such an extent, 

 that inferior brands of pig produce iron equal to 

 charcoal-iron. 



The Warner Process. The refining of cast- 

 iron and its conversion into steel or wrought 

 iron, are the objects sought for in a process 

 invented by Mr. A. "Warner, of Lee, Kent, 

 England, which is thus described : 



In order to remove the silicon, sulphur, and phos- 

 phorus, any carbonate of lime is used, alone or in 

 connection with aluminous clay, alumina, peroxide 

 of manganese, oxide of iron, or other oxidizing agent. 

 Carbonate of manganese or carbonate of iron (spathos- 

 ore) may be employed. When the iron is greatly 

 charged with sulphur and phosphorus, hydrochloric 

 acid, chloride of sodium, or a hyperchlorite, is em- 

 ployed in addition. The alloys of potassium and 

 sodium are found to change materially the character 

 of the iron, and are most beneficially used after the 

 removal of the silicon. Salts of ammonia also im- 

 prove and toughen the iron. Salts of alkalies are 

 beneficial, preferably the carbonates, suphates, and 

 chlorides of potash, soda, or ammonia. Small quan- 

 tities of prussiate of potash are also used alone or in 

 connection with the above salts for giving the iron a 

 steely character. The materials are kept down at 

 the bottom of a deep receiver until it is charged with 

 molten metal, and above them a cupola or other fur- 

 nace is erected so that the metal can run into each 

 receiver by a trough lined with suitable materials. 

 In the cupola there is a depth of red-hot coke of not 

 less than six or seven feet. The cupola is also used 

 for containing, as well as coke or charcoal, chemicals 

 or ingredients. For the conversion of iron, refined 

 as hereinbefore described, into steel or wrought 

 iron, the purified iron is granulated or reduced to 

 powder and oxidized at the surface by watering it 

 with a solution of chloride of lime, or powdered 

 haematite or other oxide is mixed therewith. In this 

 state it is thrown into a reverberatory furnace, where 

 it very quickly comes to a welding heat, when it is 

 so acted upon by the oxide that it does not require 

 to melt, but may be balled up, squeezed, and rolled. 

 Or the mixture can be melted together either in 

 crucibles to make steel, or in a Siemens regenerating 

 gas-furnace or Bessemer furnace, and then run out 

 into ingot-moulds. Or the refined pigs are melted 

 in a suitable furnace, such as Siemens's, Bessemer's, 

 or other furnace, and add either wrought, scrap, 

 puddled, bar, or the mixture of powdered oxidized 

 iron before referred to, but which has been previous- 

 ly brought to a bright-red heat in another furnace, 

 where it has been formed into a spongy wrought- 

 iron. 



The Haseltine Process. This, the invention 

 of Mr. G-. Haseltine, of London, England, is for 

 the production of malleable iron, steel, or cast- 

 iron, direct from the ore. The author claims 

 the following advantages : 



The peculiar construction and arrangement of the 

 hearth of a furnace-stack kiln, or a curb wall on any 

 open plane, in its relation to the blast, the surround- 

 ing wall or curb, and any suitable runout opening or 

 channel for the passage _of the fluid metal and slag, 

 whereby the malleable iron, steel, or cast-iron pro- 

 duced, may be immediately and suitably disposed 

 of. The peculiar construction of the water tuyere, 

 for an intensified or other hot blast, in ore-reducing 

 furnaces, whereby a copious and eifective supply of 

 cool water can be maintained at the fire end of the 



tuyere. The combination of a partition or division 

 and a special blast-pipe with the gravity-vessel, or 

 deepened pool, the exit portion of which is open to 

 the main blast-channel that communicates with the 

 stack, so that a very powerful special blast of atmos- 



Eheric air can at any time be driven through the 

 quid metal and slag, passing downward on ono 

 side of the partition or division, under its lower 

 edge, and upward on the opposite side into the 

 main-blast channel, where provision is made for ita 

 escape through an adjustable opening in the roof 

 when it is not desirable that the rising blast shall 

 accompany the main blast into the stack ; the object 

 being to decarbonize the liquid in the gravity-vessel, 

 and thus produce steel or malleable iron when desir- 

 able, and to utilize the intensified heat produced 

 thereby as the blast passes with the main blast into 

 the stack. 



New Metallic Alloy. To avoid the danger 

 to health, resulting from the employment of 

 all alloys containing copper in the manufac- 

 ture of cooking-utensils, M. Helonis proposes 

 the use of a platinum bronze, which is in- 

 oxidizable. It is a nickel alloy, prepared 

 from nickel made pure by various processes 

 and macerations in concentrated nitric acid. 

 The^ proportions are, nickel 100, tin 10, and 

 platinum 1 ; the latter two metals being 

 added to the fused nickel in the proportion 

 of 4 of tin to 1 of platinum, and the re- 

 maining six parts of tin added subsequently. 

 For bells and sonorous articles, the propor- 

 tions are, nickel 100, tin 20, silver 2, and 

 platinum 1. 



METEORS. Brilliant meteoric displays 

 were seen throughout the Northern and West- 

 ern parts of the United States, on the nights 

 of November 24th, 25th, and 27th, and in 

 Great Britain and portions of the Continent 

 November 27th. The exhibitions were stud- 

 ied with much interest, on account of the sup- 

 posed connection of the meteoric stream with 

 Biela's comet (see COMET, BIELA'S). The Amer- 

 ican Journal of Science gives an interesting 

 summary of observations, taken at manj 

 points far apart in this country. The met 

 were first seen at New Haven, about 7.30 P. 

 November 24th, and fell at a rate of about 

 an hour until after midnight, when the count- 

 ing ceased. About three-fourths of the flights 

 were conformable to a radiant region near 

 Samma Andromeda though several & 

 from the eastern heavens, perhaps from ne 

 Orion. The latter were so like the other 

 teors in appearance that they were supposi 

 to belong to a group of themselves. On the 

 night of the 25th many meteors were seen, 

 although clouds obscured a portion of the sky. 

 At least one-half of the meteors belonged to 

 the Andromedae group. A storm prevented 

 further observation until the night of the 27th, 

 when a true star-shower occurred. At least 

 1,000 meteors per hour were visible. One 

 flight was noticeable for its length and brill- 

 iancy, being 12 long. The flights generally 

 were slow-moving and faint, the luminous 

 lines narrow, often unstable, and not in well- 

 established right lines. The position of the 

 radiant was clearly defined, its centre being 



