Mav 14, 1 891] 



NATURE 



43 



ing a wide range of subjects and a long span of time. The 

 duration of Sir Frederick Abel's official life has been long, 

 exceptionally long for the years he has lived, for he obtained 

 employment in the Government service at an early age. It was 

 shortly after the outbreak of the Russian War that he succeeded 

 the illustrious Faraday in the Professorship of Chemistry at the 

 Royal Military Academy, and since then he may be said to 

 have seen almost the whole history of the birth and subsequent 

 growth of applied science in connection with the industries of 

 iron and steel making. At the beginning of his career, he tells 

 us in his address, those who, in this country, appraised at their 

 proper value the services which the analytical and scientific 

 chemist could render to the iron-master and manufacturer of 

 steel might be counted on the fingers. Systematic mineral 

 analysis was just in process of application, volumetric analysis 

 was altogether in its infancy, and spectroscopic analysis was not 

 even dreamt of. The metallurgic operations in the Arsenal at 

 Woolwich were limited to the production of small castings of 

 brass for fittings of gun carriages, and to the casting of bronze 

 ordnance for field service. Our supplies of cast-iron ordnance 

 for siege and naval use were drawn from a very few of our most 

 renowned iron-works, and our shot and shell were exclusively 

 supplied from private works. What Woolwich has become 

 since those days— and in spite of its faults of administration it 

 is something of which the country may be proud — and how large 

 a part Sir Frederick has borne in this development, most of our 

 readers must be well aware. In those days our most powerful 

 guns were 8-inch smooth bore 68-pounders of cast-iron, weigh- 

 ing 95 hundredweight, and fired with a charge of 18 pounds of 

 powder. Now we have the no- ton breech-loading rifled gun, 

 built up of steel hoops and tubes, the calibre of which is 16^ 

 inches, and which throws a steel projectile weighing i8co pounds 

 with a powder charge of 960 pounds. Notwithstanding the fact 

 that the lio-ton gun is in advance of its time — our mechanical 

 skill and engineering knowledge not yet being sufficient to pro- 

 perly carry out the design — it would be difficult perhaps to find a 

 more striking example of the application of scientific principles 

 to the industrial itGU; although we must not forget that the 

 credit of the adva$;e is due rather to Elswick than to 

 W'oolwich. 



Leaving the region of historical retrospection, the address 

 makes reference to the proposal of Prof. Langley, of Michigan 

 University, made at the last Bath meeting of the British 

 Association, that a series of samples of steel should be dis- 

 tributed between the metallurgical experts of diffisrent countries, 

 in order that they might be analyzed and a part deposited as 

 standards in each of the countries. The sets of samples supplied 

 to each country were to be identical in composition, but each set 

 would contain specimens varying in composition. The results 

 of the analyses were to be compared, the object being to promote 

 greater uniformity of procedure and a selection of the best 

 methods. The Crescent Steel W^orks of Pittsburg have 

 supplied the samples, and the English experts have almost 

 completed their work. Should the Commission succeed in 

 bringing about uniformity of practice in this respect, it will do 

 much towards lightening the work of those who have to compare 

 the results arrived at in different countries. Sir Frederick next 

 referred to Dr. Sorby's method of examination of iron and steel 

 by microscopic examination of carefully prepared samples, in 

 which the structure has been developed by treatment with a weak 

 acid. It will be remembered that Dr. Sorby gave a description 

 of his process in a paper read before the Iron and Steel Institute 

 two or three years ago ; and since then Dr. Herman W^edding 

 has followed the matter up with success. Many years previously 

 Faraday had pursued an analogous course of investigation. It 

 is satisfactory to learn that "the systematic application of 

 Sorby's system of microscopic examination of prepared surfaces 

 of steel and iron is continually extending at the German works, 

 and that many series of experiments have demonstrated that by 

 this system of examination characteristic features of grades of 

 iron may be discovered, physical differences co-existing with 

 identity of chemical composition explained, and evidences of 

 the true grounds of disasters obtained." A very interesting 

 subject next occupied a place in the address. This was the 

 self-destruction, if one may use the term, of steel projectiles by 

 the development of cracks. It is well known that steel pro- 

 jectiles may be received from the manufacturer to all appear- 

 ance perfectly sound, and after a time cracks will develop 

 themselves. In extreme cases the occurrence has been so sudden 

 that a violent rupture, attended by a sharp report, has taken 



place. The cause doubtless is the surface treatment to^ 

 which the shot is subjected in order to get the requisite 

 hardness, and which leads to internal strains being set 

 up. In one case mentioned in the address the head of the 

 projectile had been thrown to a distance of many feet by 

 the violent spontaneous rupture of the metal. The importance 

 of rest in bringing about a diminution, if not entire disappear- 

 ance, of internal strains in masses of metal is illustrated by 

 the behaviour of chrome steel projectiles, which had to be 

 stored for several months before their transport to a dis- 

 tance could be ventured upon. In connection with this 

 subject Sir Frederick referred to a previous report in which he 

 dwelt upon the effect of time in establishing chemical equilibrium 

 in masses of metal. He also quoted a letter written to him by 

 ThonTas Graham, when Master of the Mint, in which was dis- 

 cussed the tendency to the development of cracks in tempered 

 steel dies, and stating that in the Mint it was generally considered 

 that if such dies were kept in store for a year or two, they 

 became less apt to crack when in use, and coined more pieces 

 than dies newly tempered. The same phenomena have to be 

 considered in the manufacture of steel ordnance ; and an 

 instance was given by the lecturer of the tube of a large gun 

 which had fired three proof rounds. A circumferential crack 

 was found to have become developed in the front threads of the 

 breech screw, and, upon removing the jacket from the tube the 

 crack extended forward along the chamber and into the rifling. 

 When the tube was placed in the lathe, with a view to cutting off 

 the injured portion, the crack suddenly developed itself with a 

 loud report, and ran along to within eight feet of the muzzle ; a 

 spiral crack at the same time ran completely round the tube, 

 which fell in two upon removal from the lathe. This instance 

 will strengthen the hands of those who are opposed to oil- 

 hardening the parts of a steel gun ; and Sir Frederick's own 

 words in connection with this vexed question are worth quoting. 

 '* One effect which the oil-hardening treatment has occasionally 

 exercised in the case of particular qualities of steel is that of 

 developing minute fissures or cracks in the metal, either super- 

 ficially or in the interior of the mass. This cannot, of course, 

 be rectified by any annealing process, and it is still a question, 

 to be determined by the teachings of experience and the result 

 of investigations, whether any definite or reliable modifications 

 in the composition of steel used for guns, lending to secure the 

 desired combination of hardness and tenacity may not be intro- 

 duced, with the result that a method of treatment of the metal 

 may be discarded which, however carefully applied, and however 

 efficient the means adopted for reducing or neutralizing its 

 possible prejudicial influence upon the physical stability of the 

 parts of which a gun is built up, carries with it inherent elements 

 of uncertainty and possible danger." Dr. Anderson's remarks 

 on the subject of oil-hardening should also be read in connection 

 with the observations contained in the President's report. On 

 the whole, perhaps, it would not be rash to predict that the 

 days of this process are numbered in connection with the manu- 

 facture of steel ordnance for Her Majesty's service. For a long 

 time many of our best authorities have been opposed to it. 



We have not space to follow the address into the subject of 

 the effect of silicon in cast-iron. General interest in this matter 

 was aroused a year or two ago by a paper read before the Iron 

 and Steel Institute by Thomas Turner, of Mason's College ; 

 and since then the investigation has been followed up by 

 German experimentalists, with a general result that, under 

 certain conditions, it is concluded that silicon will contribute to 

 the production of dense and homogeneous castings. 



The following passage from the address speaks for itself. It 

 would be well if it could be printed and distributed to every 

 British iron or steel maker : — 



•'The absolute dependence of the development of new metal- 

 lurgic processes upon the results of the labours of the analyst, 

 the chemical investigator, the physicist, and the microscopisi, 

 and the thoroughness with which this all-important fact is 

 appreciated by the German metallurgic establishments, afford 

 new occasion for a regretful recognition of the distance which 

 we are still behind our Continental brethren in availing ourselves 

 of the advantages afforded by the constant pursuit of scientific 

 research, and the thoroughly efficient, systematic, and direct 

 application of the labours of the scientific investigator to the 

 daily operations at works of all kinds, although it must be 

 acknowledged that of late years v\e have made important pro- 

 gress in these directions. It has certainly been humiliating to 

 have to admit that industries which the genius of individual 



NO. I I 24, VOL. 44] 



