The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-07-20
Vftrtfied Iron.
Translated for the Crescent from the Reyue du Monde

tcpeni h.nae " tneae ~ 20 asyeftise - ne year
---
Vftrtned Iron.
Translated for the Crescent from the Revue du Monde
Among all the new ideas which have been
brought to light at the exhibition Of 1S49, among
all the ingenious productions with which the indus
trial arts have been enriched, we have remarked,
admired, recommended the specimens of iron which
Messrs. Paris have succeeded in rendering inoxda-
bic, by covering it with an enamel, or rather, for it
is not an enamel, giving them vitrious surface
This progressive skin SO greatly Interested Us, that
wishing to judge for ourselves of the means EN-
ployed in its fabrication, we made long visit 10
the manufactures Ill Bercy street The ovens
were lighted, and great many objects in solid and
sheet iron awaited the marvellous process we
saw them sprnkled with fine powder Of a bril-
liant whiteness; we saw them disappear in the
bosom Of the heated oven we saw them come out
with their crystal vestment; they had become mac
eessible to all the destructable influences Of earth
air and water. The use Of enamels are very ancient
| they have served from time mmemorial as cover
ing for the precious metals, gold silver, and brass
but nothing indicates that they ever thought
Of for covering iron. This was, without doubt,
because the preparation and application Of enames,
almost always secret in the hands Of those who
practiced this beautiful art was attended by too
great an expense to be betrayed otherwise than by
the sale Of ekets-GGwUrs in gold and silver work
| and jewelry Yet iron, considered with the pros
pect Of the application of the enames, offers very
remarkable advantage, that of much greater adhe-
renee Bend plate Of enameled gold, silver or
brass, and you will find the enamel detaching itself
in extensive plates the metal will be left bare
without particle of vtrious matter remaining in
contact with it. Make the same experiment with
plate Of sheet iron covered with the vitrious
formation of Messrs. Paris, the exterior coating
will split, yielding to the forced curve which it
must take, but the iron will not be discovered
without the assistance Of the scissors or select
lime, well used. The problem which Messrs.
p. have completely solved was beset with
many difficulties first, it necessary to divine
the mysterious composition Of stucco that woula
adhere to iron II necessary that this stucc.
should melt at temperature SO little elevated tha
the pieces Of sheet iron which it was to reclothi
! should not come deformed from the refiectin.
ovens; lastly, it was necessary that the stucco 0
easy fusion, should resist the action of time and al
possible dissolvants. Il is only few months tina
all these difficulties have been vanquished b,
Messrs. Paris. We do not then invoke in thei
favor the sanction of time, but some thing mucl
uFClsiNtg lfTefraglble. II that
of the impotency, loudly proclaimed, OF the mos,
powerful chemical agents. Messrs. Paris have
submitted their product to our most illustrious
chemists, and after the most conclusive tests, it
has been acknowledged, not only that the destruc-
tive acids and alhalies of iron had action upon
the iron invested with the vitriods covering, but
that this covering had all the unaterable qualities
of the best glasses. What we have said suffices
1 ., 1 Al Al
may be so termed. but happily it is not an enamel
has nothing in common with that white, opake,
thick paste, with which certain utensils have been
for long time lined, and which is so easily decom-
| posed and unfit for service What will be
the future of this excellent invention of Messrs
Paris; of what use will be the yitrified iron 1t
will be far easier TO say for what it will not be used
than to enumerate its innumerable usages. In the
first place there will be complete revolution in
kitchen utensils, where copper will be entirely
banished. Even enameled iron will give place to
vitrifed.
In fact, can any conceive of utensils more
perfect than those uniting the sodity of iron with
the cleanliness and mmutabilliy of glass? There
is not mistress of house who, after adInring the
vitrfed pots, ovens gridrons, sauce-pans will not
take almost distaste her collection of brilliant
culinary apparatus. But man lives not BY bread
alone; far from remaining confined to the
smoky atmosphere Of the kitchen, the vitriGed iron
will be substituted every where. 1t win form
bathing tubs that sulphur iodine, chlorine and the
thousaRd salts invented in pity of the Thousand
nfrmties of an advanced civilization, will ne
longer attack 1t will form the most light the
least indestructabe, and the coolest possible roof
| ing Why was it necessary that the great cupalO