Iron . 
The analysis here furnished is not that of the chemist, or 
laboratory ; but, though the calculations are less rigorous, 
yet they are sufficient for the manufacturer, and better 
suited for practical information ; as they never once lose 
sight of their application and effects in the large way of 
manufacture, and as they have been chiefly effected by an 
agent, which alone, in the large way, can modify the 
whole, and procure results consonant to the use and ex- 
istence of the metal. 
From the amount of the experiments here recorded X 
would be apt to draw this conclusion, that, in general, 
iron-stones are variously combined with oxygen as to 
quantity : argillaceous iron-stone, least; calcareous, more; 
and siliceous iron-stones, most of all. Musket* 
In many places where the ore is too small to be conve- 
niently roasted, it is washed to separate the dirt ; but ge- 
nerally as I think, this washing is at the expence of a quan- 
tity of the yellow oxyd of iron which is at the same time 
washed away. 
Of Fuel \ Throughout the continent of Europe and 
America, the fuel is charcoal of wood. In Great Britain 
there were in the year 1806, 133 iron works at which 173 
furnaces were in blast, producing annually 258,206 tons 
of iron. Of these, 1 1 iron works burnt the charcoal of 
wood ; owing as I apprehend to the nature of the iron ore, 
such as the Cumberland and Lancashire ore, being what 
Musket calls the primary iron ores. These 11 furnaces 
made annually 7800 tons of iron being on the average 
709 tons per furnace. The other 122 works containing 
162 furnaces in blast which were worked with the coak or 
charcoal of pitcoal, made annually 250,406 tons of iron, 
or 1546 tons per furnace ; so that the furnaces worked with 
stone-coal produce annually in that country, more than 
twice as much iron as those worked with wood-coal* 
