351 
on the Alloys (^‘ Steel, 
tution, have been made for the purpose of manufacture ; and 
that they prove to be, in point of . excellence, in every respect 
equal, if not superior, to the smaller productions of the labora- 
tory. Previous, however, to extending the work, the former 
experiments were carefully repeated, and to the results were 
added some new combinations, namely, steel with palladium, 
steel with iridium, and osmium, and latterly, steel with chro- 
mium. In this last series of experiments we were particularly 
fortunate, having by practice acquired considerable address in 
the management of the furnaces, and succeeded in procuring 
the best fuel for the purpose. Notwithstanding the many ad- 
vantages met with in the laboratory of the Royal Institution, 
the experiments were frequently rendered tedious from causes 
often unexpected, and sometimes difficult to overcome ; among 
these, the failure of crucibles was perhaps the most perplexing. 
We have never yet found a crucible capable of bearing the 
high degree of temperature required to produce the perfect re- 
duction of titanium ; indeed, we are rather disposed to question 
whether this metal has ever been so reduced : our furnaces are 
equal ^ (if any are) to produce this effect, but hitherto we have 
failed in procuring a crucible. 
The metals that form the most valuable alloys with steel are 
silver, platina, rhodium, iridium and osmium, and palladium ; 
all of these have now been made in the large way, except in- 
deed the Ipt named. Palladium has, for very obvious reasons, 
been used but sparingly ; four pounds of steel, with 3; Joth part of 
palladium, have however been fused at once, and the compound 
is truly valuable, more especially for making instruments that 
require perfect smoothness of edge. 
We are happy to acknowledge the obligations due from us 
to Dr Wollaston, whose assistance we experienced in every 
stage of our progress, and by whom we were furnished with all 
the scarce arid valuable metals ; and that with a liberality which 
enabled us to transfer our operations from the laboratory of the 
chemist, to the furnace of the maker of cast steel. 
* We have succeeded in fusing in these furnaces rhodium, and also, though 
imperfectly, platinum in crucibles. 
