GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



271 



ANALYSIS OF THE MINERALS ACCOMPANYING MR E. MIL- 

 LER'S DONATION. By T. G. Clemson. 



Among the mineral substances accompanying Mr Mil- 

 ler's interesting paper on the Portage Railroad, lately 

 presented to the Society^ were specioiens of coal, and 

 siderose or lithoid spathic iron ore. At this time the 

 subject of iron metallurgy is one of great moment to the 

 interests of this commonv/ealth ; up to the present epoch, 

 science has been neglected, and routine the only pillar 

 thatsupported this very important industry. Thepresent 

 state of our iron works would serve as land marks to show 

 the advancement of the art elsewhere. AH the iron made 

 in this state, and we may add the United States, has been 

 by the means of charcoal, giving an article which can by 

 no means compete with the low price of foreign iron ; 

 with us, but one mode of treatment prevails, taken from 

 the dear purchased experience of the first establishments 

 founded in our country. The modifications here made 

 in the art of smelting have been trifling, because the 

 scientific ignorance of the majority of our iron masters 

 is proverbial. Hence the many failures in attempting 

 to improve — the costs of such attempts are better appre- 

 ciated by the iron masters. But the results could easily 

 have been foreseen; the experiments, such as they were, 

 always having been made upon that very precarious and 

 delicate engine used in eliminating the metal. A general 

 disrespect for science or theory, as it is termed, pervades 

 the community. However, this feeling will prevail but 

 for a moment; the iron masters are anxious for, and have 

 discovered the necessity of legislative aid for the promo- 

 tion of science. We could then compete with any nation 

 in the world ; we do not lack material ; and was science 



