The Sun.
London, England, 1825-07-25 00:00:00

ENGLISH IRON.

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.
it,eq important discovery has-been 'made for
the improvement- of this leading article of our '
manufactures land commerce, and the success
vhit;h....hat attended. the various experiments
hidiltave taken-place must be highly gratifying
to ttfe ingenious inventor,, and in a national
pariu.t of. view the results •Can scarcely be con-
tti*Nl:thittl: It is -well knoWn that in smelting
irot..,fjOar the stone. in itieriginal state a great
.•
geactity of carbon, and vitrifying or impure' ma t-
-ter, is found; 'which is dissipated in the further
•
process iii making and converting 'it into'bar
iron. The rnore'it,,:i.s'Turifteti' by the present pro-
cess the more it becomes soft and flexible, and
is thereby rendered cOmparatively'useless for ar-
tkles where strength, toug-tme,s,-and hardness
ttquired, and thus the manufactureris com-
pelled to use Foreign Iron in the construction of
such articles. An individual connected with the
Iron' trade, possessed _of great practical and
icientitic. knowledge, has, with a praise-worthy
perseverance, devoted the greater part of his life
11l- numerous and incessant experiments on the
snhject. Success has'crowned his efforts, by the
discovery of a-process by which he can re-charge
Bar iron, or maniffactured articles, wiTic A
.111MER.AL CARBO:I, so as to give the softest Iron
a considerable portion of the Steel quality,
snaking .it as hard as blister steel, without de-
stroying tiny portion of the toughness it had be-
fore acquired ; and this can be accomplished at a
trifling expense on a large scale. It may fairly
be presumed that, by bringing English Iron
nearer in quality to the foreign, it will create a
greater demand for our own production, and so-
perlede the necessity of using the latter, which
is generally at a much higher price in the market.

DEVONPORT, JULY 9.

ROYAL NAVAL ANNUITANT SOCIETY.

The Annual Meeting of this excellent establishment was held
-at the Society's Rooms, in Fore-street, on Monday last, and
was numerously attended by the Members residing in the
port and its neighbourhood. Our gallant Commander-in-
-Chief, Admiral Sir JAMES Saumannz, Bart. G.C.B. took
the Chair on the.occasion, and was assisted by Admiral Sir H.
Sawyer, K.C.B.
The Report of the Committee having been read by the Ac-
tuary, Sir .1. Saumarez addressed the Meeting, and expressed
his satisfaction at the flourishing state of the Society, which
should always meet with his' warmest support. The gal-
lent Admiral thought that the Society would derive consider-
able advantages if branches were established at Edinburgh
and Cork.
We give the followirg extracts from the Report, which will
be read with interest by those who have mainly contributed
to- the formation and maintenance of this praise-worthy In-
Atitution •
. • " The Committee of the Royal Naval Annuitant Society, in
pinatintingto the members and friends of the Institution. a
tseport of. the ,secand year's proceedings, have the satisfac-
tion of remarking, that its progress exceeds their most
sanguine expectations, and, in its results, promises to more
than realise all the extensive benefits anticipated by its
Founders.
" With regard to the fends, your Committee have to report,
that during the past year your Treasurers have deposited in
the Union Savings Bank, in this town, in the names of
the Trustees, the sum of 6,262/. 6s. sd. which bears in-
terest at 4 per cent. pct annum; and every tenth year, ac.
Conlin-re to the late Savings Bank Act, a share of the surplus
-dividends, amounting to about a j per cent. more, will be paid
to the depositors.
" The income of the last year greatly exceeds that of the
foOmer. At- the' last anniversary meeting the Society's ca-
pital, Amounted to 4,812 Z. 19s. Id. ; at present it is 10,275/.
tfis. ed. This, statement. must be truly cheering to every
friend of' the 'lnstitution, and is highly creditable to the Navy
at large. • , ,
";The Committee have lately had the pleasure of enrolling
among the Society'S members, the names of many officers who
hat: been until within a short time previous, unacquainted with
the nature of the establishment, and to these accessions are daily
made. Since-your, establishment they have' enrolled 1,007 mem-
beis, being an increase during the year of 47.
" Your Committee continue to receive, with lively pleasure,
accounts of the extension of the Society by means of the
Branches ; and the widely diffused and abundant dissemina-
non of tour Rules and Reports must ultimately have the de-
aired effect. The streams that thus flow into the treasury, there
is evarf reason to conclude, will be quickened and invigo.
rated by the bei;edictions . and prayers of the widow and the
orphan.
" The Corinnittee -have had, in accordance with the 35th
Rufeethe painful duty of rejecting the applications of several
widows of officers who have died since the Ist of July, 1824,
and who wished to become members for the purpose of provid-
ing for their orphans. They deeply lament this unfortunate
delay, and would. therefore take this opportunity of impressing
eat the minds of their brother officers, that a neglect to join this
JuStitution; should death surprise them, must place their wi-
do-wsin a similar situation ; and thus, by possibility, expose
their , orphans tb the want of that protection, which can so
•- may be procured for them by means of this Society.
'"
With all the zeal and exertions of the Society's members
and friends; in communicating intelligence by advertisementa,•
and eireulat'ng digests of the laws, &c. the Committee fear that
; the specific and real objects of the Society are by wally butim-
perfectly understood ; therefore, the personal communication
of those friends intittiately engaged, or otherwise, in the conduct
elf the Institution, would .prove highly acceptable, and tend
'midi to its steady advancement. No hearty or persevering.
atiffnit",eittiltelnoleedfori but to those who are convinced of its
imp:ft/ince and usefulness, and whose minds are kept alive to
the aubject by regular information.
"in conclusion, your,, Committee cannot help renewing
their congratulations on the present state of the Society, with.
regard to its funds and the daily accession, of members. Shall
it be said that puny ovit-of so large a body of naval officers,
wit°, on their proper element, form the legitimate bulwark of.
Nrigland, refuse to !• lend a hand' in helping to rear a national
monument of benevolence, which would do honour to the
kritisit aamee and prove, in years to come, the asylum of' the
..fatherless and the wit:haw ?' Your Committee trust not ; and
if the feelings which actuate its founders and present supporters
influence, in anydegtee, the rest of their naval brethren,- the
fruititution, now in its infancy, will go on and prosper, until, inl
its advancement to maturity,. the Royal Naval Annuitant So-
ciety shall raise its Lead among the most diStinguished !restitu-
tions of our native isles." .
We have often directed the-attention of our naval readers to
this Institution, which was founded for the sole purpose of en-
abling officers, by the-payment of a small annual sum, equit-
ably regulated according to the age of the insuring member, to
...provide for their wives, children, or parents, that support of
.which they might be deprived by the loss of their natural pro.
teeters; and eve feel great. satisfaction •in. being.able to state,
that-the Society bids fair, by its rapid progress, to realize the
-ntmoat espeetation of its friends and supporters., its capital to
.the preaent time amounting to 10.56 K, and the number of
murbers to to I,l.so."—(Devonport Telegraph.) •

ROMISIE itELlci.-L-A letter from Aix-la-Cha-
spelle, of the 19th -July, says•--;-‘c The Septennial
fete of the relics continues to attract vast crowds.
On Sunday, betweeh (Our' and ten o'clock in the'
.scorning, above ;forty thou Sand 'pilgrims entered
tale city," , . •,

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