122 
ON  ALUMINIUM. 
pursued  by  Rose  and  Wohler,  using,  however,  with  the  double 
chloride  of  aluminium  and  sodium  and  the  metallic  sodium,  the 
fluoride  of  calcium,  (fluor  spar,)  or  some  cryolite  as  a  flux.  This 
experiment  of  M.  Deville  was  very  satisfactory,  and  the  reduc- 
tion in  accordance  with  the  theory. 
While  these  experiments  were  in  progress  in  Europe,  similar 
ones  were  being  made  in  this  country  by  Mr.  Alfred  Monier,  in 
Camden,  N.  J. ;  to  him  credit  is  due  for  having  first  made  alu- 
minium in  the  United  States.  Having  had  opportunities  for  ex- 
amining his  processes  for  making  the  double  chloride  of  aluminium 
and  sodium,  metallic  sodium,  and  the  modes  of  reduction,  melting 
and  refining  the  aluminium,  the  conclusion  is  satisfactory  that 
the  discoveries  of  science  have  been  successfully  applied  to  render 
the  manufacture  of  this  metal  an  industrial  art. 
Mr.  Monier  in  his  experiments  met  with  the  same  difficulties 
in  the  reduction.  He  found,  however,  by  careful  investigation 
and  analysis,  that  the  effect  produced  was  also  perfectly  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  theory.  When,  after  great  difficulties,  suffi- 
cient quantities  of  pure  aluminium  were  obtained,  and  its  proper- 
ties as  a  metal  carefully  studied,  it  was  found  that  it  was  not  in 
the  least  degree  oxidized  by  fusion  with  the  nitrate  of  potash. 
This  peculiar  property  causes  a  strong  contrast  between  it  and 
any  well  known  metal,  and  this  wonderfal  fact  produced  a  new 
phase  in  the  manufacture  of  aluminium.  Owing  to  this  discovery, 
the  efforts  which  had  been  made  to  produce  aluminium  from 
perfectly  pure  material  was  found  unnecessary. 
By  using  pure  materials  for  its  manufacture,  it  was  necessary 
to  employ  apparatus  which  was  very  costly,  as  it  required  that  it 
should  be  free  from  any  injurious  substances. 
By  the  facility  with  which  aluminium  can  be  refined,  owing 
to  its  peculiar  properties  to  resist  oxidation,  it  can  be  manufac- 
tured from  impure  and  crude  materials,  in  apparatus  which  can 
be  cheaply  made  of  still  cheaper  material,  and  without  the  great 
care  and  watchfulness  necessary  in  the  manipulations,  where 
pure  materials  are  employed. 
Since  July,  1855,  Mr.  Monier  has  made  the  double  chloride 
by  mixing  alumina  with  salt  (chloride  of  sodium)  and  coal,  and 
by  passing  over  this  mass  (ignited)  a  current  of  dry  chlorine  gas, 
(kaolin  or  common  clay  can  be  used  instead  of  the  alumina.)  The 
