1§ Iron • 
There are few chemists in this country among 'manu- 
facturers, and I shall therefore endeavour to make use of 
such language, that men who are not skilful chemists may 
understand me, but some technical expressions I must 
employ a I do not write for professed chemists, or to 
instruct practical iron masters, or to transform suddenly 
a person who is ignorant of the subject, into a skilful foun- 
der, or forgeman : but to lay together such observation s p 
as may give some connected ideas to those who are not 
Iron masters, and lead those who are, to reflect on the 
views which ought to guide every part of their process, a $ 
it comes in succession. 
Preliminary observations* I have repeatedly met with 
persons, who think that nothing more is necessary to ren- 
der a place valuable for iron works than that there should 
be plenty of iron ore on it. But, beside this (which ought 
to be at least a 20 years stock,) it is necessary to enquire,, 
whether there be plenty of wood for charcoal, and at what 
price a permanent and*perpetual supply can be obtained*— 
whether there be plenty of water to furnish at all times the 
necessary force-*— whether the situation be convenient to a 
never failing market for the ware when made- — w hether it 
be within reach of water carriage — what other works inter- 
fere with it— whether lime-stone be handy if it should be 
necessary as a fiux—at what price per ton the ore and 
the coal can be delivered at the furnace — and what is the 
quality of the ore itself. For this purpose, it may be well 
enough, not merely to get the opinion of some skilful iron 
master or founder in the first instance, but also to get a 
loop or tw o, run in a rough way at a bloomery, out of the 
ore. When all this is satisfactorily ascertained— when the 
ore bank, and the woodland is purchased- — when the water* 
force for the blast is secured— the capital to build the pur* 
chase on a moderate scale, say 30 feet square on the 
ground plan ; to raise the dam, to dig the race, to lay on 
