on the alloys of steel. 267 
button gave a fine damask surface, we were disposed to attri- 
bute the appearance to the presence of titanium ; but in this 
we were mistaken ; the fact was, we had unintentionally 
made wootz. The button, by analysis, gave a little silex and 
alumine, but not an atom of titanium ; menachanite, in a par- 
ticular state of preparation, was used : this might possibly 
contain the earths or their basis, or they may have formed 
a part of the crucible. 
M. Berthier, who first made the alloy of steel and chro- 
mium,* speaks very favourably of it. We have made only 
two experiments. 1600 grains of steel, with 16 of pure chrome, 
were packed into one of the best crucibles, and placed in an 
excellent blast furnace : the metals were fused, and kept in 
that state for some time. The fused button proved good and 
forged well : although hard, it showed no disposition to 
crack. The surface being brightened, and slightly acted on 
by dilute sulphuric acid, exhibited a crystalline appearance; 
the crystals, being elongated by forging, and the surface 
again polished gave, by dilute acid, a very beautiful damask. 
Again, 1600 grains of steel with 48 of pure chrome were 
fused : this gave a button considerably harder than the former. 
This too was as malleable as pure iron, and also gave a very 
fine damask. Here a phenomenon rather curious was ob- 
served : the damask was removed by polishing, and restored 
by heat without the use of any acid. The damasked surface, 
now coloured by oxidation, had a very novel appearance : the 
beauty was heightened by heating the metal in a way to ex- 
hibit all the colours caused by oxidation, from pale straw to 
blue, or from about 430 to boo 0 of Fahrenheit. The blade 
Annales de Chimie, XVII. 55. 
