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XIII. Obfervations on Sand Iron : In a hot- 
ter fro?n Mr . Henry Horne, to Mr . John 
Ellicot, R R. S . 
S I R, 
Read March 3, /l S the affair of the rich American 
1 \ Iron Ore, commonly known by 
the name of the Virginia black fand, has of late not 
only engaged the converfation of many of the Vir- 
tuofi, but has been taken very particular notice of 
by the Society for the encouragement of arts and 
manufactures ; I thought myfelf obliged, for many 
reafons, to lay before you whatever has come to my 
knowledge relating to this difcovery, either from my 
own experiments, or from the information of others. 
And I engage in this fervice with the greater pleafure, 
as I look upon it to be one of the moft intereffing 
difcoveries, with regard to this ufeful metal, that has 
come to our knowledge for fome ages, and, if right- 
ly conduced, may prove of infinite fervice to us in 
this part of the world, as well as to the inhabitants 
of our colonies, where (as it has been fuppofed, though 
without fufficient foundation) this difcovery was firft 
made. 
Without any farther preface or apology, permit 
me to remind you, that, in a converfation which for- 
merly paffed between us upon this fubjeCt, I acquaint- 
ed you, that, about twenty years fince, I was engaged 
in making a variety of experiments upon the nature 
of Iron Ores, and Steel; and that I then made a 
very 
