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[ 5 8 ] 
had a perfuafion of the practicability of the thing to a 
degree next to enthufiafm, fo that I could not reft 
till I had made trial. I am glad that the iron has fuch 
qualities as to meet with your approbation ; I knew 
that the iron was good, but did not know that it was 
fo good as your fuperior knowledge has found it. I 
want to know what fuch iron will fell for in England, 
whether it will be worth while to fend it. This black 
fand is a treafure that has long lain hidden from the 
world, and is what may render the colonies more valu- 
able to Great Britain. 
% *• 
I am, Sir, 
Yourmoft obliged humble fervant, 
Jared Eliot. 
P. S. The barrs of iron which have hitherto been 
made of fand, are from fifty to fifty grofs, hope in 
time to have them reach to feventy pounds weight 
each ; experience muft determine that matter, we 
can do better than at the time the eftay was written. 
We have been vifited with a long and fore drought, 
have done nothing for a long time for want of 
water. 
The fimples which accompanied this letter, were 
two fmall barrs, weighing only a few ounces, one ot 
the iron made from the fand, the other of fteel made 
from the fame iron. Thefe barrs I have tried, and 
found that the barr of fteel worked extreamly well 
under the hammer, was very pure and clean, and 
free 
