230 NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 



from the fact that cents were hoarded to such an extent as to keep them out of 

 circulation, that in the present state of the currency it would be futile to attempt 

 to carry out the project. More than this: we believe the end of our nation's 

 troubles is nigh, and that peace will soon bless our country. With peace we may 

 confidently expect an influx of silver, always more acceptable than any substitute, 

 which will supply every want and furnish a currency of ' small coins ' equal to any 

 demand." 34 



Pollock's prophecy as to the return of peace and the return of 

 fractional silver currency into circulation were both fulfilled, 

 and further experiments with aluminum alloys became unneces- 

 sary. The work of this committee of the Academy, which was 

 indeed limited in extent, led, therefore, to no practical results.* 5 



COMMITTEE ON THE EXPLOSION ON THE UNITED STATES 

 STEAMER CHEN AN GO. 1864 



During the Civil War the Government ordered the construc- 

 tion of 27 light-draft side-wheel steamers, intended for use as 

 gun-boats. Among these was the Chenango. These vessels 

 were known as " double-enders," or " double-bowed," from the 

 circumstance that they were fitted with a bow and rudder at each 

 end. The Chenango was built at a private shipyard in New 

 York. The boilers were constructed at the Morgan Iron Works 



34 Rep. Seer. Treas. for 1864, pp. 214-215. The report of the assayer to the committee of 

 the Academy, which contains many interesting details, is given in full in the Annual 

 Report of the Academy for 1864, PP- 8-10. (House Exec. Doc. no. 66, s8th Congress, 

 2d Session.) 



M The experiments mentioned above seem not to have become generally known. We read 

 in Richard's "Aluminum: Its History, Occurrence," etc., the following: 



" Aluminum has often been proposed as a material for coinage, but the only recommenda- 

 tion it ever possessed for this purpose was its high price It is said that the United 



States Government made experiments, in 1865, in making aluminum coins, but that the results 

 were not sufficiently successful to induce its adoption. What the difficulties were I cannot find 

 out, but they were aside from the uncertain value probably the fact of the great power 

 required to stamp the coins, which is stated to be several times that needed for silver 

 unless the metal is of exceptional purity. The problem of hardening it by adding a little 

 silver or nickel did not probably stand in the way of its adoption. However, as an alloy 

 in ordinary silver coins to replace copper, aluminum can be successfully used, since 5 per 

 cent of aluminum added to silver makes an alloy as durable as ordinary silver coin with 

 10 per cent of copper, without giving it the yellow color of coin silver." 



Aluminum: Its History, Occurrence, Properties, Metallurgy and Applications, including 

 its Alloys. By Joseph W. Richards, M. A., A. C. 2d ed. 8. Philadelphia, 1890, p. 370. 



