Evening Meeting, Dec. 3rd, 1853. Ixxiil 



The specimen, submitted to analysis, yielded but a small 

 per centage of Sulphur ; it also contained Arsenic in greater 

 quantity than Sulphur; the other constituents being Graphite 

 in isolated granules imbedded in Quartz and Mica. 



10, Steel. This specimen appeared tolerably pure, of a fine 

 compact grain, but exceedingly brittle, probably owing to its 

 not being annealed properly. The mode of preparation is thus 

 described by Mr. Ondaatje. 



In forwarding to you the accompanying specimen of Kandian Steel, 

 made at Kandapalle, in the District of Badulla, I shall briefly remark 

 on the mode of manufacturing it as adopted by the Singhalese. 



It consists in introducing a small bar of good Iron into a clay mould 

 of a tubular form, which they call " Covey, " with pieces of the dried 

 wood of the Cassia auriculata, the Ranawara of the Singhalese. The open 

 end of the tube is afterwards closed with clay and it is placed in a char- 

 coal fire for two hours, by which process Carbon is supplied to the Iron 

 which is thus converted into Steel. 



The proportions for making steel of the best quality are as follows ; — 

 i parts of iron to 3 of the dried wood. They also use the wood of the 

 Toddetia aculeata, the Kudu meris of the Singhalese, in which case the 

 proportions are 3 of iron to 1 of wood. This wood however produces an 

 inferior Steel ; but by increasing the iron to 5 parts, a better kind may 

 be obtained. This kind of Steel is not generally manufactured, as it is 

 brittle and not malleable. 



The foregoing description of the Kandyan method of 

 making Steel, bears a very close analogy with that practised 

 by the natives of the South of India, as described in a paper 

 by Dr. Voysey, and published in the Transactions of the Asiatic 

 Society of Bengal of 1832, page 245. 



11. Kandyan paper 9 with the following account of its 

 manufacture. 



I have much pleasure in addressing the Society again. It is on a 

 subject, which, I conceive, is fraught with much local interest j and to 

 which I am not aware that public attention has before been directed. I 

 refer to the manufacture of Paper by the Kandians, during the period 

 the country was under Native rule. 



It seems probable, from the intercourse that once subsisted between 

 the ancient inhabitants of the Island and the Chinese, especially in con- 

 nection with the Cinnamon trade, that the Singhalese derived their know* 



