iron. 187 



of war, among the ancient Egyptians and earlier Greeks ; and even 

 among the Romans (as proved by the relics from Pompeii), and also 

 throughout Europe, it continued long to be extensively employed for 

 these purposes, 



The Chalybes, bordering on the Black Sea, were workers m iron and 

 steel at an early period ; and near the year 500 B.C., this metal was 

 introduced from that region into Greece, so as to become common foi 

 weapons of war. From this source we have the expression chalybeate 

 applied to certain substances or waters containing iron. 



The iron mines of Spain have also been known from a remote epoch, 

 and it is supposed that they have been worked "at least ever since 

 the times of tne later Jewish kings ; first by the Tyrians, next by the 

 Carthaginians, then by the Romans, and lastly by the natives of the 

 country."- These mines are mostly contained in the present provinces 

 of New Castile and Aragon. Elba was another region of ancient works, 

 " inexhaustible in its iron," as Pliny states, who enters somewhat fully 

 into the modes of manufacture. The mines are said to have yielded 

 iron since the time of Alexander of Macedon. The ore beds of Styria 

 in Lower Austria, were also a source of iron to the Romans. 



The ores from which the iron of commerce is obtained, are the 

 spathic iron or carbonate, magnetic iron, hematite or specular iron, 

 limonite or "brown hematite," and bog iron ore. In England, the prin- 

 cipal ore used is an argillaceous carbonate of iron, called often clay 

 iron stone, found in nodules and layers in the coal measures. It con- 

 sists of carbonate of iron, with some clay, and externally has an earthy, 

 stony lock, with little indication of the iron it contains except in its 

 weight. It yields from 20 to 35 per cent, of cast iron. The coal basin 

 of South Wales, and the counties of Stafford, Salop, York, and Derby, 

 yield by far the greater part of the English iron. Brown hematite is 

 also extensively worked. In Sweden and Norway, at the famous 

 works of Dannemora and Arendal, the ore is the magnetic iron ore, 

 and is nearly free from impurities as it is quarried out. It yields 50 to 

 60 per cent of iron. The same ore is worked in Russia, where it 

 abounds in the Urals. The Elba ore is the specular iron. In Germany, 

 Stvria, and Carinthia, extensive beds of the spathic iron are worked. 

 The bog ore is largely reduced in Prussia. 



In the United States, all these different ores are worked. The local- 

 ities are already mentioned. The magnetic ore is reduced in New 

 England, New York, Northern New Jersey, and sparingly in Pennsyl- 

 vania, and other States. Limonite, or brown hematite, is largely 

 worked along Western New England and Eastern New York, in Penn- 

 sylvania, and many States South and West. The earthy argillaceous 

 carbonate like that of England, and the hydrate, are found with the 

 coal deposits, and are a source of much iron. 



The amount of iron manufactured in the world in the year 1373 was 

 14,&35,483 tons, of which Great Britain produced 6,586,000 tons, 

 United States, 2,5'5l ,000 tons, Germany 1,605,000 tons, France 1,331,000 

 tons, Belgium 653,000 tons, Austria with Hungary 425,000 tons, Russia 

 354,000 tons, Sweden 322,000 tons, Luxembourg 300,000 tons. 



