502 KHILOSOVHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1795. 



with acid (§ 5. e). It is not so brittle as raw iron, nor even as steel (^ 2). On 

 solution in sulphuric acid and water, it affords about the same quantity of car- 

 bon, and rather less hydrogen gaz than steel (§6). From these and other pro- 

 perties related in the preceding experiments and observations, it is evident that 

 wootz approaches nearer to the state of steel than of raw iron ; though it pos- 

 sesses some properties of this last substance. 



With regard to the kind of steel to which wootz is to be referred ; it is not of 

 that sort in which there is either an excess or deficiency of carbon (p. 590, 1. 22, 

 et seq.) ; but it must contain something besides carbon and iron, otherwise it 

 would be common steel. It appears that the solution in nitrous (§ 5.) and di- 

 luted sulphuric acids (§ 6.) contained only oxide of iron, and the residue of car- 

 bonaceous matter, as in common steel. Hence it is obvious to suspect that wootz 

 contains oxygen, either equally united with every part of the mass, or united with 

 a portion of iron to compose oxide; which is diffused throughout the mass. That 

 this is really the ingredient in wootz which distinguishes it from steel, seems 

 to be proved, or at least consists with its properties. For it accounts for the 

 smaller quantity of hydrogen gaz than was afforded by common steel (^ 6) : it 

 accounts for the partial fusion (§ 3. h) : it accounts for the great hardness even 

 on reducing its temper (§ 3. f) ; for its little malleability (§ 3.) ; perhaps it is the 

 reason of the fine edge and polish (§ 2, § 3.) The experiments (^ 3. g, h) con- 

 firm this conclusion. The oxide is not perhaps equally diffused ; hence the 

 wootz is not quite uniform in its texture and hardness, till it has been re-melted 

 (§ 3. h.) The brittleness of wootz when white hot (§ 3. b.) is a property of cast 

 steel ; and shows that it contains no veins or particles of wrought iron, and also 

 that it has been melted. Common steel, which is all made by cementation, is 

 very malleable, when white hot, only perhaps because it contains iron which has 

 escaped combination with carbon. 



The pro]3ortion of oxygen in wootz must be very small ; otherwise it would 

 not possess so much strength, and break, with so much difficulty (<^ 2), and 

 much more oxide would have melted out (§ 3. h). This oozing out of matter is 

 analogous to that which appears on refining raw iron. 



Though no account is given by Dr. Scott of the process for making wootz, we 

 may without much risk conclude that it is made directly from the ore ; and con- 

 sequently that it has never been in the state of wrought iron. For the cake is 

 evidently a mass which has been fused (^ 2), and the grain (^ 2) of the fracture 

 is what I have never seen in cement steel before it is hammered or melted. This 

 opinion consists with the composition of wootz ; for it is obvious that a small 

 portion of oxide of iron might escape metallization, and be melted with the rest 

 of the matter. The cakes appear to have been cut almost quite through while 

 white hot (§ 2), at the place where wootz is manufactured; and as it is not pro- 



