Steel. 
265 
of trying whether a piece of metal be steel or not is a proof 
of this. Clean the surface ; put on it one drop of common 
aqua fortis ; let it remain a minute ; wash it (without rub- 
bing it) in water ; if it be iron the spot will be white ; if it 
be steel the spot will be black, from the undissolved carbon. 
If then steel be a composition of iron and carbon, can 
it be made by means of any thing that contains carbon ? 
It can. 
1st. The common method of making steel is by ce- 
menting iron bars with charcoal, and applying a strong 
heat. 
2dly\ The French chemists say that they have made it 
at once from malleable iron, by means of limestone and 
bottle glass. English cast steel is made as I have been 
told, by melting blistered steel with powdered limestone 
mixed with powdered glass. 
3dly. I have seen at Birmingham steel made by passing 
steam into a furnace in which iron was in a state of fusion ; 
the steam being decomposed by the charcoal, furnished 
carbonic acid gas which in its turn was decomposed by 
the iron. But this process did not answer in a large way, 
either in point of economy, or uniformity of product. 
4thly. Steel has been made, by mixing a small quantity, 
of diamond powder with malleable iron ; this experiment 
has been repeated both in France and England. 
5thly. It has been made by mixing black lead with mal- 
leable iron, and exposing the mixture to a melting heat,. 
6thly. By mixing one-fifth part of kishy, supercar- 
bonated smooth faced crude iron, with common malleable 
iron. 
7thly, It can be made with the charcoal of hoofs, horns, 
woollen, bones, or any other animal substance : and as 
The writings of the antients were with atramentum made of 
glue and lamp-black, or powdered charcoal, and they are now per- 
fectly black. See Parke’s Ch. Catech.. 267. 
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