1870.] Metallurgy. 561 



fire, and provided at its lower end with a spout, closed with a slide, 

 through which, when the lead is melted, it is caused to flow down 

 into a lower vessel or vat, heated only at times directly by a special 

 fire, and at other times by the waste heat from the fire of the upper 

 vessel. When the lower vessel is full, steam is introduced through 

 a central pipe, leading down to near the bottom of the vessel, 

 where it is provided with a cock turned by a rod from above, 

 and with a disc, for the purpose of dividing the steam as it enters. 

 The steam, in passing up through the molten lead, effectually 

 oxidizes all impurities, which then rise in the form of scum to the 

 top of the metal, whence they are removed. The introduction of 

 the steam at the same time produces a violent ebullition of the lead, 

 causing it to crystallize; and when this crystallization has taken 

 place to a sufficient extent the introduction of steam is stopped by 

 closing the cock on the steam-pipe, and the remaining liquid portion 

 of the lead, in which the greater proportion of ih.Q silver will be found 

 concentrated, is rim off through one or more spouts into troughs 

 turning on pivots for conducting the lead into a series of ingot 

 moulds. During this time a fresh charge of lead, containing a 

 percentage of silver approximating to that of the crystals in the 

 lower vessel, has been melted down in the upper vessel, and is run 

 into the lower vessel as soon as all the liquid portion has been 

 removed therefrom. Steam is then again introduced, effecting a 

 further purification and separation of silver, and this process is 

 continued until, by the repeated crystallization, one part of the lead 

 is rendered comparatively free from silver, to be used as merchant 

 lead, while the lead run off is sufficiently rich in silver for the 

 cupelhng process. The duration of each operation for twelve or 

 thirteen tons of argentiferous lead is about from two and a half to 

 three hours. 



The Iron and Steel Institute, whose first provincial meeting 

 was held at Middlesbrough last year, has just held (September, 

 1870) another such meeting at Merthyr Tydfil, the chief seat of 

 the coal, iron, and steel industries of South Wales. The formal 

 business meetings of the Institute extended over two days, and 

 other two days were devoted to the inspection of the iron and steel 

 works at Swansea and Ebbw Yale. Although the Institute has 

 not yet been in existence two years, there are already upwards of 

 350 members enrolled, a large proportion of whom were present at 

 Merthyr, notwithstanding its great distance from the other prin- 

 cipal seats of the iron-trade, and the difficulty attending the means 

 of reaching it. At the meeting just held, the Duke of Devonshire 

 presided, and Mr. Henry Bessemer was elected to the presidentship 

 for the ensuing two years. The Council of the Institute have 

 resolved to discontinue the publication of the ' Transactions of the 

 Institute,' and to issue instead a quarterly journal devoted to the 



