640 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



Mr. Seeley hacl examined the ore as a chemist. It had been long known, 

 and was by no means new. Scientific men generally examine and analyze 

 everything found out or suggested ; and though they do not always state 

 their value, nor seek profit, they keep printed records of the facts. He 

 had seen about six analysis of the iron, and they were almost all alike. It 

 is a definite compound of iron, zinc, and manganese— the proportion of 

 oxyde of iron 66, the other metals about 17 each. It was a very pure iron» 

 but the zinc carried away much heat, so that it was found more profitable 

 to work it as a zinc ore. Zinc is a volatile metal. The franklinite, when 

 used as an iron ore, evaporates its zinc. He considered it had no other 

 metallic element than manganese ; it has no sulphur. It is a very hard 

 iron, but scarcely as hard as stated ; its most valuable quality was its 

 uniting with cast and other iron. He thought the zinc accidental to it. 

 It was just the right iron to make steel of; but it is not harder than steel, 

 with the same brittleness. With a file the same impression could be made 

 on either. It would not answer for cutting glass, as had been stated, 

 though it would scratch it. There are bits of steel sold for this purpose 

 for a few cents, which cut glass in the same manner. The franklinite is 

 brittle ; it varies with the amalgam in it. A complete account of the ore 

 is published in Leslie's book. Mr. S. thought Dr. Deck mistaken in re- 

 gard to its fusibility at a low heat. He gets a very high heat from a 

 cylinder stove, sufficient to melt silver in it often. 



Mr. Wetherall. — Most of the books give an analysis, but not of the true 

 franklinite ore. Mr. Trumbull, of Jersey City, uses about 60 tons per 

 week ; he gets about 26 or 27 per cent oxyde of zinc. 



At this point the Association accepted an invitation to witness the expe- 

 riments of Dr. Vanderweyde. Dr. Y. had found some curious electrical 

 properties, some of which he explained, as he could not at the time show in 

 quantities large enough for the occasion. He stated that a piece of frank- 

 linite iron, suspended with platina, had remained in nitric acid for 12 hours 

 without being acted upon. The doctor then showed that franklinite iron 

 is almost free from magnetic influence ; and gave an interesting account of 

 the properties of manganese, in explanation of the properties of iron 

 charged with it in connection with the battery. He also tried an experi- 

 ment with a piece of franklinite iron, in the place of platinum in the bat- 

 tery cup. The peculiarity appeared to be, according to Dr. V., that frank- 

 linite, in place of platinum, gave more power as a motor than as a combus- 

 tible agent. 



Mr. Seeley showed a solution of iron which was free from sediment, and 

 which contained five per cent of carbon. Mr. S. asked, " is manganese a 

 part of steel ?" He thought it was oxydized and separated. 



The Chairman thought the material not well understood ; there is much 

 to learn on the subject. 



Dr. Vanderweyde. — It is important to know if it is a chemical combina- 

 tion or a mere state of crystalization. 



