THE TECHNOLOGIST. [Jcne 1, 1865. 



508 MINERAL SUBSTANCES FOR WRITING ON. 



clumsy, but among the most expensive of the ancient materials for 

 ■writing. The Russians have printed on very thin sheets of iron. 



A letter recently received at Birmingham from the Sligo Ironworks, 

 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was written on a thin sheet of rolled iron, 

 very flexible, which did not weigh more than twice the weight of an 

 ordinary sheet of paper of the same size. The maker challenged all 

 England to surpass it for strength and tenacity. 



This is no novelty ; for at the Exhibition in 1851, the Baron von 

 Kleist, of Neudick, in Bohemia, received a Council Medal from the 

 Jury for his iron-paper, which was remarkable for its extreme thinness, 

 flexibility, and strength, and was entirely without flaws. A book of 

 this iron-paper was shown. 



A lively competition in iron-rolling ensued among British iron 

 manufacturers, excited by the above challenge from America as to the 

 thinness to which steel could be rolled cold. Mr. Gillott rolled sheets, 

 the average thickness of which was the 1,800th part of an inch. In 

 other words, 1,800 sheets piled upon each other would collectively 

 measure an inch in thickness ; whilst the thinnest tissue paper to be 

 purchased in the stationers' shops measures the 1,200th part of an inch. 

 These very thin iron sheets are perfectly smooth and easy to write on, 

 although porous when held up to a good light. 



" It may not be out of place," observes the ' Mining Journal,' " con- 

 sidering the great interest that is taken by those connected with that 

 great branch of industry, the iron trade, to give a few curious par- 

 ticulars relative to the extent that iron can be welded, and the thin 

 sheets which can be rolled out. Brother Jonathan little thought wdiat 

 a hubbub would be created in the old country when from Pittsburgh 

 he sent that wonderful letter, written on a sheet made from iron, which 

 took no less than 1,000 sheets to make 1 inch in thickness ; the 

 dimensions being 8 in. by 5^ in., or a surface of 54 in., and weighing 

 69 grs. The fact had no sooner made its appearance in print but that 

 Britain's sons began to work, and soon we heard of a sheet containing 

 the same number of surface inches, but weighing only 46 grs., had been 

 made at the Marshfield Ironworks, Llanclly, Carmarthenshire, being 

 exactly one-third less in v eight. But soon the Welsh leek had to give 

 way to the rose of England, for Staffordshire was anxious to take its 

 wonted lead. The Hope Ironworks succeeded in making a sheet of 

 118 surface in., weighing but 89 grs. ; which, reduced to the American 

 and Welsh standard of 44 in., gives about 33 grs. ; Messrs. R, Williams 

 and Co., 69 in., 49 grs. ; reduced to the same standard, about 31 grs. 

 For a time Staffordshire wears the belt ; but Wales becomes very 

 restless, and is anxious for the honour of St. David, so further attempts 

 must be made. No sooner said than done. Marshfield comes again into 

 the field, and through the Press is wafted to the reader. They succeeded 

 in making one sheet, 8 in. by 5 J in., or a surface of 44 in., of the 

 astounding weight of 23J grs. only, which required no less than 2,853 



