234 



On $ome Roman Remains found at Latton, Wilts. 



and this not as a matter of newness or of high preservation, 

 but of original composition, for we had examples of both worn 

 almost to smoothness, one of each of which I put by for chemical 

 analysis. 



To this end then I took a brass coin and a bronze one to 

 J)r. Yoelcker's laboratory, where their analysis was kindly under- 

 taken by Mr. R. Warington, Jun., his assistant. These coins 

 were both so worn as to be quite illegible, still the yellow one 

 was as bright as polished brass of the finest quality ; the darker 

 one was covered externally by a blackish oxide, internally it 

 was copper- coloured. 



The composition of the bright coin was found to be as follows : — 



Copper 80.83 



Zinc 19.32 



Tin 19 



Iron 26 



Silver a trace 



100.60* 



Of the copper coin Mr. Warington reports as follows : — 

 "I have not been able to detect zinc, if any be present it 

 must be as- a mere trace. This coin is by no means so pure as 

 the one previously examined, as it contains an appreciable 

 quantity of tin and lead, these metals amounting to several per cent. 

 The appearance of a freshly cut surfaee is somewhat dull and 

 redish." 



These analyses show that these two kinds of coins are very 

 distinct in composition, the bright one being absolutely brass, 

 and the darker one a mixture, not of zinc and copper, but of 

 tin, lead and copper ; in fact an inferior bronze. 



Now brass of this purity must be the result not of accident, i.e, 

 of accidental admixture of zinc from impure materials — but of a 

 knowledge of how to put certain materials together to produce 

 this brighter metal. It is not the usual mixture for bronze 



• The excess here should probably be deducted from the zinc, an it doubtless arises from the alkali 

 used in its precipitation. — J. B. 



