257 
on the alloys of steel. 
Indian steel was sent to our agent, and with it part of 
pure silver : a part of this was lost owing to a defect in the 
mould ; a sufficient quantity was however saved, to satisfy us 
as to the success of the experiment. This, when returned, had 
the most favourable appearance both as to surface and frac- 
ture ; it was harder than the best cast steel, or even than the 
Indian wootz, with no disposition whatever to crack, either 
under the hammer, or in hardening. Some articles, for va- 
rious uses, have been made from this alloy ; they prove to be 
of a very superior quality ; its application will probably be 
extended not only to the manufacture of cutlery, but also to 
various descriptions of tools ; the trifling addition of price can- 
not operate against its very general introduction. The silver 
alloy may be advantageously used for almost every purpose 
for which good steel is required. 
Our next experiment made in the large way, was with steel 
and platina. lolbs. of the same steel, with part of pla- 
tina, the latter in the state produced by heating the ammonia 
muriate in a crucible to redness, was forwarded to our agent, 
with instructions to treat this in the same way as the last 
named metals. The whole of this was returned in bars re- 
markable for smoothness of surface and beauty of fracture. 
Our own observation, as well as that of the workmen em- 
ployed to make from it various articles of cutlery, was, that 
this alloy, though not so hard as the former, had considerably 
more toughness : this property will render it valuable for 
every purpose where tenacity, as well as hardness, is re- 
quired ; neither will the expense of platina exclude it from a 
pretty general application in the arts ; its excellence will 
much more than repay the extra cost. 
LI 
MDCccxxir. 
