Manufacture of Steel, 111 



Art. XII. — Manufacture of Steel. 



In a letter from Mr. O. L. Clarke, dated New York, August 9th, 

 we are informed that he is vigorously pursuing the very important 

 manufacture of steel ; that for two years past, his whole attention 

 has been applied to this subject, and that last autumn he erected a 

 furnace of the capacity of about five tons and in which, at two opera- 

 tions, he made ten tons of steel. This steel is stated to be equal in 

 every respect to good English blister or (L) steel, and that it has been 

 so pronomiced, by a large number of the most emment and respect- 

 able mechanics and artizans in New York and elsewhere ; its capa- 

 city for hardening it is said, far exceeds any thing they have ever 

 seen, and consequently, it is necessary to reduce the temper propor- 

 tionably low for edge tools, &;c. — it appears that it has been severely 

 tried, and with uncommon success. It is manufactured from iron 

 found and prepared in the state of New York, and from actual ex- 

 periment, this iron proves to possess all the qualities necessary for 

 making steel, equal to the best English (l"). Its qualities are uniform, 

 and the quantity of tlie iron is presumed to be sufficient for ages to 

 come. Such is his confidence in this undertaking, that Mr. 

 Clarke is determined to push the manufacture as fast as the ne- 

 cessary means can be obtained. His ambition is to complete 

 the manufacture of steel in this country, by making cast steel, which 

 is produced from the best blister that can be obtained. As yet he 

 has not been able to obtain a crucible to stand the trial, but he has 

 every prospect of speedy success. No efforts have yet been made to 

 give publicity to his manufactui'e, any farther than by his own person- 

 al applications to have it proved. 



Actuated by a desire to promote so important a manufacture, and 

 wishing to have the specimen of steel which Mr. Clarke transmitted 

 with his letter, brought to a trial, by persons who possess both science 

 and skill; we committed the subject to the care of Mr. Eli W. 

 Blake of Whitneyville, near this place, who with his brother Mr. 

 Philos Blake, ably and successfully superintends the excellent estab- 

 lishment for the manufacture of small arms, erected and for many 

 years sustained by the late Eli Whitney, Esq. In the note to Mr. 

 Blake, a question was proposed respecting, the scintillations from 



