New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-09-19
THE IRON MANUFACTURE AND MR.. BES-
SEMER'S INVENTION.

From Inc birmingham journal
The interest which has been excited BY the improve
mept recently proposed in the manufacture of iron and
steel by Mr.. Bessemer and the vast importance TO the
country in general and especially to this neighbOr-
hood Of the manufacture in question, render It unne-
cessary that should apologize to our readers for
occupying their attention with some remarks on the
iron manufacture In order that those whose sudies
or avocations have left them unaequainted with the
general nature of this interesting manufacture may the
better comprehend the exact bearings of process
which il exciting an attention unparalleled in modern
tines we will give such brief sketch Of the process
of manufacturing iron will enable Them generally
at all events TO estimate the Importance Of Mr. Besse
mer's invention.
Iron is the most extensively distributed of the metals
II exists largely both in the mineral and organic king
doms, being a constituent of an immense number Of
natural minerals, and existing essential element
in the blood Of vertebrate animals. The minerals from
which iron may be extracted numerous; but we
will only notice those which are important in the
British isles Peroxide Of iron consisting of s. parts
by weight Of iron combined with "a parts of oxygen)
constitutes the mineral called red hainatite of which
great quantities exist in Lancashire Cornwall and
elsewhere. This is used in England principally
for mixing with other ores, but in Sweden and Russia
iron is made from il direct In France, brown hama
tte Ia hydrated peroxide of iron, a mineral of the
same composition the last described but containing
wa.er is much used in the manufacture of iron But
il lie the clay ronstone which yields the enormous sup
ply of iron produced in Great Britain. This is
impure carbonate Of iron, containing about 80 per
cent on an average Of pure iron. Pure carbonate of
iron consists 81 rs parts by weight of ron and parts
Of oxygen oxde of iron combined with parts of car
bon and l6 of oxygen carbonic acid. The pure car
donate of iron is in clay, iron ore mixed with clay
oxide of manganese, lime, and magnesia.
The extraction of the metal from this compound is
effected by process the general principles of which
are very simple First the ore lie roasted that is 10
say IL Is made into heaps with coal and ignted; the
carbonc acid and water Of the mineral driven off
ard the s left in porous state, favorable to the
subeeauent PROGRESSES We may regard the roasted ore
az an impure oxide of iron, containing, Of couse all
tie earthly matter, and whatever was not volatile in the
native mineral. II reflect for moment on what
we have to accomplish in order TO obtain the iron from
this compound we shall soon be able to devise the
means OF doing it. We have iron combined with oxy-
gen and we wish separate the latter from the former
40 as TO leave the metal free How shall we accom-.
pirh thsi Clearly only by presenting something TO
The compound which has higher afinity for oxygen
tbsp iron has What il thsi tits charcoal or carbon
This element 50 inert at ordinary temperatures a. to
be the most imperishsbe Of things, sssumes when
heated strongly, an affinity for Oxygen more powerful