New Phenomena in Chemistry. 



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gold hunter as the magnetic dip needle is to the searcher 

 afteriron ore. Still, there is something inexplicable about 

 it, for this apparent attraction of gold can hardly be mag- 

 netic, and it seems to me we must look for explanation 

 to cohesive, molecular power. 



I have shown that the combination of mercury and iron 

 was long since effected; I have now to claim as a dis- 

 covery the direct amalgamation of steel, even when of the 

 toughest and hardest character. The blade of the best 

 pen knife is readily amalgamated, and suffers from the 

 contact, while a plate of fine sheet steel, used in the 

 manufacture of superior instruments, is easily coated with 

 mercury and made to resemble a sheet of silver. By mag- 

 netizing soft steel, reducing a sufficient amount of it to 

 filings, and dissolving the filings in mercury, I have. pro- 

 cured a magnetic amalgam, in the presence of which an 

 astatic needle is decidedly bewildered. The horseshoe 

 magnet which has this evening been exhibited brightly 

 coated with and upholding an inverted arch of fluid, 

 dripping mercury, lifts quicksilver, it is true, but quicksilver 

 loaded with an amalgam of magnetized steel; an attraction 

 much stronger than that evinced for iron amalgam. 



A glass tube properly charged with the magnetic amal- 

 gam exhibits the polarity of the compass needle, and has 

 its extremities attracted and repelled by the poles of the 

 magnet in the same manner that the poles of the 

 compass needle are attracted and repelled. This property 

 of the magnetic amalgam is interesting, as it proves that 

 however minutely divided, the atoms of steel still retain 

 their magnetism, and are still influenced by the directive 

 currents of the earth. I have not yet been able to make 

 a very powerful needle of this kind; but, though my obser- 

 vations are very imperfect, am able to say that it seems to 

 point a little more truly to the magnetic north, and from 

 its greater inertia to be less subject to irregular changes 



