Pd = 4 
% 
298 J. J. M. Silliman—Examination of the Bessemer Prime. ¢ 
eo owing experiments were made at the Bessemer Steel 
Works of John A. Griswold & Co., in Troy, while pursuing the 
chemical course in the Winslow Laboratory of the Rensselaer 
Polytechnic Institute. In my observations on the flame I made 
use of the spectroscope, and also of a combination of colored 
glasses. This combination consisted of two light-yellow glasses 
and a blue one, through which the sunlight appeared of a deep 
purplish-blue tint; and as it differed slightly trom Rowan’s, 1t 
gave somewhat different results 
In order to reproduce the appearance of the flame at the dif- 
ferent stages of the process, I prepared a plate consisting of 
about a hundred varieties of colors and tints, all of which were 
numbered and aa referred to a table which indicated their 
power. 
At the beginning of the process that which issues from the 
converter does not appear to be a true flame, but only an illu- 
mined stream of gas carrying with it innumerable we hot pellets 
of iron. This gas has scarcely any illuminating power, extends 
but a short distance from the mouth of the converter, and is 
sometimes sheathed with a whitish smoke. Seen through the 
glasses the flame and sparks have a deep crimson color, the con- 
verter is invisible, and at the base of the flame is a crimson 
band which continues throughout the process. 
As the reaction continues, bet stream of gas grows brighter 
and more elongated, and a ew minutes a small poin nted 
whitish flame appears, which truitelenly increases in size. At 
niet ie the blast-pressure falls from twenty to ale 
washed up on the sides of the converter, and can be seen clinging 
around its mouth in a spongy mass until detached and thrown 
a whe the blast. The greater poros: ns the slag and its con- 
sequen’ a ow rapid cooling would also cause a difference of 
peratu 
Tn the meond period the discharge of slag increases, and_ the 
flame is very norte and php with pa dark 
streaks, glasses e begi of this period 
