526 Mr. LITTLE'S Obfiruatins on making Steer 
to a veflel that will bear a ftrong fire. 5, Jute.on. a clofe cover,.io 
as to prevent the cement taking flame and:confuming ; put.the 
velel i ina furnace where the bars may be kept red-hot till they 
are converted into ftecl, which will be i ina longer « or fhortex 
time, according to the bignefs. of the tesy and the -quantity of 
cement. Yo uq 
"This latter method has chiefly engaged my. attention, whith 
“Method is pretty well known in fome parts of America, and, for 
many years pat, fteel has been made. by it in feveral of the 
United. States. Yet, fo far as T have been informed, it has ge- 
nerally been. ‘of an inferior quality, and very little ufed for edge 
tools, which I fuppofed could not arife from the quality. of the 
fron, for we have the greateft variety, and the beft fort, in many. 
parts of the country. I then conjectured there might be found 
fome other inflammable fabftance for a cement, which, if pro~. 
perly applied, would i impregnate the iron with phlogifton more 
adyantageoufly. And, after many experiments, T found a parti-, 
cular marine plant that. requires no other preparation but drying: 
and pulverizing, 2 and is commonly known by the name of rock. 
weed, or rock-ware, and i is in the _greateft plenty, on our. rocky, 
fhores, coves, creeks and harbours of the fea, In making fome 
experiments upon | this. plant for a flux powder, a. fmall bit of. 
iron was put into a crucible, and filled with the faid cement; 
and, very unexpeGtedly, after i it had been in a little more than a 
cherry heat for five or fix hours, it was converted into fteel,- 
which gave me the firft hint of its ufe in making fteel ; fince, 
which I have had repeated experience of its excellency for the, 
fame. purpofe. 
It needs no other preparation than to be cut off from the rocks. 
with a {cythe or fickle, » fpread on the dry land till the rains have 
wafhed 
