On the Manufacture of Iron and Steel Wire . 147 
No. 19. 
Extract from the Memoir of Messrs. Mouchel, of PM 
gle, in the Department de V Orne , on the Manufacture 
of Iron and Steel Wire.* 
This is one of the most considerablo manufactories of 
this kind in France, and is said to produce a hundred 
thousand quintals of iron wire annually, in cards for 
wool-combing only. This is chiefly consumed in France, 
and exported to Spain, Portugal, Italy, and the shores 
of the Levant. It is necessary that the attention of the 
manufacturer, in the first instance, be directed to the 
choice of materials $ and Messrs. Mouchel, after trying 
a great many specimens, have adopted the iron from the 
departments of POrne and Haute Saone, as being the 
best adapted for the purpose. The first affords the best 
wire for screws, nails, and pins ; but, by reason of its 
ductility, that of the latter department can be made ex- 
tremely fine, and appears to be most free from heteroge- 
neous particles. The inconvenience of being obliged to 
use iron from different smelting houses, was found to be 
extremely prejudicial to the uniformity and perfection 
required in the delicate processes that are necessary in 
making iron wire. These manufacturers therefore esta- 
blished a smelting house of their own in the department 
of Haute Saone, whence the prepared iron is conveyed 
by means of rivers and canals, at a small expense, to the 
manufactory at FAigle. 
When the iron has been formed into an irregular bar 
of about a centimetre (.39371 inches English) in diame- 
ter, they begin to draw it into wire. For this purpose 
* Retrospect* vol. 6. p. 142. From Repertory of Arts, Nos. 95 and 96* SeV 
