SCIENTIFIC SUMMARY. 
571 
ence. Ores giving the best steel never contain phosphorus, whilst they 
often have sulphur ; and although the ores may contain copper pyrites, 
the derived cast iron is found free from sulphur. Manganese has also the 
property of making steel better in quality and more durable. A small 
quantity of manganese is sufficient to retain the carbon in combination, 
and thus to give steel of good quality. Yet steel should not contain more 
than a half per cent, of manganese ; above this amount it is rendered hard 
and brittle, losing much of its tenacity. Many forge-masters use, in 
refining, a mixture of ordinary and manganiferous cast iron. In this case 
it is of great importance so to reduce the manganiferous ores, that the iron 
shall contain the largest possible amount of manganese, in order that the 
maximum effect may be produced in purifying the ordinary iron. 
The Desulpliur atim of Iron . — Professor Richter, of Leoben, Austria, 
has studied various means of depriving iron of sulphur. One of the best 
methods hitherto in use is the addition of binoxide of manganese ; but it 
is objected that being infusible it cannot be thoroughly incorporated with 
the iron ; in addition to which commercial oxide of manganese often con- 
tains impurities which may be communicated to the iron. Taking into 
consideration the powerful oxidizing action of litharge (protoxide of lead), 
he has endeavoured to apply it for the purpose. He finds that it will 
not only remove sulphur in the puddling process, but it also oxidizes 
the phosphorus contained in the iron. The experiments were made near 
Wolfsberg, in Carinthia, with 7 cwt. of pig-iron containing so much 
sulphur that it was impossible to convert it into bar. To this was 
added 3 lb. of sulphide of iron and lb. of phosphide of iron. After 
complete fusion 3 lb. of litharge was introduced, and the fusion continued. 
The success was complete ; the puddled bar proved neither hot nor cold 
short, and could be forged into iron for scythes ; whilst a similar quantity 
of cast iron puddled without litharge crumbled to pieces under the 
hammer. Richter adds that in some instances metallic lead may per- 
haps be preferable to litharge. 
The Spectroscope in Steel Casting . — Professor Roscoe, in a paper on the 
spectrum produced by the flame evolved in the manufacture of cast steel 
by the Bessemer process, states that during a certain phase of its exist- 
ence the flame exhibits a complicated but most characteristic spectrum, 
including the sodium, lithium, and potassium lines. He expresses his 
belief that this first practical application of the spectrum analysis will 
prove of the highest importance in the manufacture of cast steel by the 
Bessemer process. 
Applications of Steel . — Experiments have been made in Prussia to 
ascertain the capabilities and advantages of cast-steel steam-boilers. Two 
cylindrical egg-end boilers, one of steel, the other of wrought iron, were 
compared, and after working six months were examined. They were 30 feet 
long and 4 feet in diameter ; the steel boiler-plate was \ inch thick. It 
was tried by the hydraulic test to a pressure of 195 lb. per square inch 
without altering in shape or showing leakage. After working six months 
the cast-steel plates were found quite unaffected, and had a remarkably 
small amount of incrustation as compared with the other boiler. The 
former generated 25 per cent, more steam than the latter. Another exami- 
