No. 199.] 411 



casion — and that the power of manufacturing steel is now thoroughly 

 possessed by ourselves. 



The speaker made particular reference to the cutlery, and tne spe- 

 cimens of cast steel on exhibition, manufactured at the Jersey City 

 Works. He considered them articles of the highest interest in a na- 

 tional point of view. 



The value of cast steel imported into the United States per annum, 

 iS not less than three millions of dollars. The works referred to, turn 

 out about one ton per day, or the one-sixtieth part of a supply. The 

 immediate cause of this success, is to be found in the fortunate expe- 

 riment of using black lead melting pots with anthracite coal, (cast 

 steel being made in England with clay pots and coke for fuel.) He 

 held up to view a sample black-lead pot, now in use here. 



The American Institute, continued the speaker, has heretofore en- 

 couraged a number of meritorious indi\iduals for improvements in 

 the manufacture of iron and steel. The handsome beginning now 

 exhibited, gives confidence to the hope, that within five years, dLftUl 

 supply of the very indispensable article of steel will be produced in 

 our own c^ntry. 



Premiums bad been offered some time since by the Institute, to en- 

 courage, not only improvements in the iron manufacture, but espe- 

 cially in the use of anthracite coal and a new formation of the foun- 

 dry. The speaker had the pleasure to announce that this object had 

 been accomplished, and that good bar iron could be made directly 

 from the ore, solely by the use of anthracite fuel; which he consider- 

 ed another great point gained — quite as important as that of a few 

 years since, in the manufacture of pig iron with that fuel. 



He then pointed to several bars of wrought iron on exhibition, 

 stated that they were made by the new process, direct from the ore, 

 and eminently worthy of attention. He made particular reference 

 to the good effects of this improved mode of manufacture, in super- 

 ceding the various heatings and blasts, and greatly increased expense 



