( 3 3 ° ) 
the Iron whereof the Steel was made, fome fmall Dif- 
ference in Magnitude, or Difference in feafoning, it being 
almofl impoflible to make both Ends equally hard but 
that both Ends of mine might be fo, I had a Fire made 
long enough to heat their whole Length at one and the 
fame Time. 
1 left feveral of the Bars on the Board whereon they 
were touched, and in the fame Pofition to one ano- 
ther, as well as to the Earth, for fome Months, to fee 
whether they would lofe any of their Vertue ; but if 
they did, it was fo little as 1 could not be fure there- 
of. 
I alfo tried whether what I mentioned concern- 
ing Loadftones {begmmng at Page 303) would 
hold in 5” or 6 Bars regularly touched and placed to 
one another in the fame Manner ; and found that at 
fome of the Joinings^ it anfwered pretty well, but not 
fo well at others, ufually bed at the two extream 
Joints, and worfe at the middle ones. When I held 
the Dial-Needle at a good Diftance from the Bars 
(perliaps 6 or 8 Inches) the Attradion was more re- 
gular, and the different Poles of the two Bars at their 
Contad was not fo eafily difcernable *, but when I held 
it within x or 3 Inches Diftance, both; of the Poles 
difcovered. , themfelves more or lefs at every Joint. 
Perhaps the Caufe may be the Want of a better Contad, 
the Ends of the Bars not being true Plains;, or it may 
be partly owing to-their conjund Length, (though 1 
cannot fee how that fhould caufe it), or fome Irregu- 
larity in the Vertue of each particular Bar. For it has 
been obferved, that very oblong Iron, as Wire, is ca- 
pable of having a North Pole in both Ends, and a 
South one in its Middle;or, as my round Bar before- 
menti- 
