S61 
mi tfie Allots ofShel 
The alloys of steel with gold, tia, copper, and chromium, we 
have not attempted in the large way. In the laboratory, steel 
and gold were combined in various proportions ; none of the re- 
sults were so promising as the alloys already named, nor did ei- 
ther tin or copper, as far as we could judge, at all improve steel. 
With titanium we failed, owing to the imperfection of crucibles. 
, In one instance, in which the fused button gave a fine damask 
surface, we were disposed to attribute the appearance to the pre- 
sence 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 particular state of preparation, was used : this 
might possibly contain the earths or their bases, or they may 
have formed a part of the crucible. 
M. Berthier, who first made the alloy of steel and chromium^, 
speaks very favourably of it. We have made only two experi- 
ments. 1 600 grains of steel, with 16 of pure chrome, were pack- 
ed 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, -ex- 
hibited 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 malli^able as pure 
iron, and also gave a very fine damask. Here a phenomenon 
rather curious was observed : the damask was removed by polish- 
ing, and restored by heat without theijse of any acid. The da- 
masked surface, now coloured by oxidation, had a very novel 
appearance : the beauty was heightened by heating the metal in 
a way to exhibit all the colours caused by oxidation, from pale 
straw to blue, or from about 430° to 600° of Fahrenheit, The 
blade of a sabre, or some such instrument, made from this alloy, 
and treated in this way, would assuredly be beautiful, whatever 
its other properties might be ; for of the value of the chrome al- 
Annales de Chimie, xvii. 55. 
