1822.] On the Alloys of Steel. 69 



steel with indium and osmium, and latterly, steel with chro- 

 mium. In this last series of experiments we were particularly 

 fortunate, having hy practice acquired considerable address in 

 the management of the furnaces, and succeeded in procuring 

 the best fuel for the purpose. Notwithstanding the many ad- 

 vantages met with in the laboratory of the Royal Institution, 

 the experiments were frequently rendered tedious from causes 

 often unexpected, and sometimes difficult to overcome ; among 

 these, the failure of crucibles was perhaps the most perplexing. 

 We have never yet found a crucible capable of bearing the 

 high degree of temperature required to produce the perfect 

 reduction of titanium ; indeed we are rather disposed to ques- 

 tion whether this metal has ever been so reduced : our furnaces 

 are equal* (if any are) to produce this effect, but hitherto we 

 have failed in procuring a crucible. 



The metals that form the most valuable alloys with steel are 

 silver, platinum, rhodium, iridium and osmium, and palladium ; 

 all of these have now been made in the large way, except in- 

 deed the last-named. Palladium has, for very obvious reasons, 

 been used but sparingly ; four pounds of steel with y^th part 

 of palladium has, however, been fused at once, and the com- 

 pound is truly valuable, more especially for making instru- 

 ments that require perfect smoothness of edge. 



We are happy to acknowledge the obligations due from us 

 to Dr. Wollaston, whose assistance we experienced in every 

 stage of our progress, and by whom we were furnished with 

 all the scarce and valuable metals ; and that with a liberality 

 which enabled us to transfer our operations from the labora- 

 tory of the chemist to the furnace of the maker of cast steel. 



In making the alloys on a large scale, we were under the 

 necessity of removing our operations from London to a steel 

 furnace at Sheffield ; and being prevented by other avocations 

 from giving personal attendance, the superintendence of the 

 work was consequently entrusted to an intelligent and con- 

 fidential agent. To him the steel, together with the alloying 

 metals in the exact proportion, and in the most favourable 

 state for the purpose, was forwarded, with instructions to see 

 the whole of the metals, and nothing else, packed into the cru- 



* We have succeeded in fusing in these furnaces rhodium, and also, though 

 imperfectly, platinum in crucibles. 



