83 
(2) Mr. Kobert Peel, of Messrs. Peel, Williams, and Peel, 
Manchester, has kindly made for me the two following 
experiments with boiler plate iron, as shown by the samples 
now on the table, viz. : — 
No. 1. A strip of boiler plate, of best best quality, was 
taken from the open yard, where it had lain during several 
days of severe frost, January 5th, 1871, temperature about 
20° Fah. 
It was laid across the anvil, and a striker, with a single 
blow of a 141b. hammer, broke off the piece now exhibited. 
The fracture shows a very “ short ” crystalline face, with- 
out any appearance of fibre, and is torn and irregular, in 
remarkable contrast to the sample No. 2, which is from the 
same piece, viz. : — 
No. 2. The remainder of the above strip was slightly 
warmed to dispel the frost, and then allowed to cool to the 
temperature of the shop. It required several blows from 
the same hammer, and bent considerably before breaking, 
being exceedingly tough and fibrous. 
The fracture shows a good fibrous structure, except on 
the inner side of the curve, where there is a thin crystalline 
skin. 
The difference of appearance in these two fractures is 
very striking and remarkable, and can only be accounted 
for by the action of extreme cold. 
No. la. This experiment was made on January 6th, tem- 
perature about 26° Fah. A strip of Low Moor best best 
boiler plate was taken out of the snow, having lain 
there during several ' days of intense frost. It was laid 
across the anvil, and broken off short with a single blow 
from a 141b. hammer. The fracture is fibrous, but with 
patches of crystals, especially on the edges of the plate; 
the general appearance is “ short ” or “ tender,” very differ- 
ent from the usual character of Low Moor iron in its nor- 
mal state. 
