New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-09-16

THE GREAT INVENTION.
TIRE MANUFACTURE OF MALLEABLE IRON AID
STEEL WITHOUT FUEL.
From The Wolre,hampton Chronicle
MIR. Be,semers discovery Of a method OF making
mallesbIe iron and semi-steel without subjecng pig
iron to the process of refining and pudding by when
a large saving in fuel and labor and machinery will be
fl, cted continues to excite great attention III this
ueighborhood. In our last publication we gave Mr..
account of his invention detailed at the
m citing of the British Association for Advancing Art
and Science at Cheltenham and in our present paper
we furrish a further account of an experiment
tai trial which took place in London on Friday last.
TIE oneration was witnessed by a numerous company
of gentlemen connected with the iron trade and pro-
nounced successful. Two conditions, however were
wanting To that thorough mltiment OF the promises
which Mr. Bessemers invention holds out, which may
sem 10 REQUIRE some explanations and this explanation
il is now our purpose TO afford The experiment tor
several good reasons, took place IN London put
neither in London nor its neighborlood are Diast
furnaces or iron mills and forges to he iound.
TIE operaion consequently, was carried into ell
feet upon pig iron melted in a cupcla instead
of ,meted liron flowing from blast furnace;
but this in no particular favored the exPeri
ment for the bulk from which the contents OF Mr. Bees
semer's cylinder taken being less than that of
charge" in a blast-furnace the heat in all proba-
biltv was less. and the metal consequently not SO
well prepared for that admixture OF atmospheric ar
by which It's high state of incandescence ia acquired.
The second condition attaching to the experiment that
could not be fulfilled the conversion OF the con-
tents of the cylinder into bar iron. No attempt to do
this could be made in consequence OF none OF the
machinery for the purpose having been erected In con-
pection with establishments for melting iron In the
metropolis or its negsbohood but the fact that NAL
leable IRON brous iroD has been made by Mr. besse-
mer's process H. understand placed beyond doubt
by the exhibition of bars that the result of the
process Thus the process would seem complete ana
fbe evidence of its completion before our eyes, Still
the discovery is so simple, yet SO great ana unex-
o,fs rnfa fapf
pccted, and the results SO extensive anu nlponan,'
that some amount OF doubt to it, immediate perfec-
ton may be excusaby entertained. There is not, 50
far as We can understand, any chemical difficulty
whatever i'm the way of the invention. I'm the con-
trary through It's chemical acion--that ~, by the
infusion If compressed atmospheric air into the mass OF
melted iron in tie cylindert works out the chemical
change effected by pudding and at the same time sup
pli,s that mechanical motion in the mass which the
puddler with his long iron bar can only with great
labor effect. The liquid iron, owing to the intense
heat gained literally bos, bubbles, and the scum is
east off, taken from the cylinder N this state II -
"sen istee;' allowed TO remain little longer be-
comes, az tbckened liquids after the evaporation OF
portions of their aqueous contents often do OF pasty
and strngy characterOt that Conscience that gives
the fiber to the iron. How this is effected is not quite
clear We know the aodus operandi, but the cause Of
the change il beyond our view. In the case OF Mr..
Bcssemers iron it TO be effected by intense heat
in the present practice the heat Is less and the expo
sure TO the influence of atmospheric air, modified or
changed by its progress through the pudding furnace,
would appear to be greater; for the surface of iron
presented to atmospheric influence in Mr.. Bessemers
cylinder cannot be than the supericies of Its cir
conference. Hence in the two operations there Il
important difference Whether that difference ends in
precisely the sult far obtaining maleablc
iron is concerned Is circumstance which only practice
can substantiate.
Mr.. Bessemer in the present position of his discOv-
cry and the comparatively imperfect state in which it
has been submitted to the public, must expect TO en-
counter many dOubts-dOubts that only its general
adoption can solve As may be guessed from our pre-
ceGlDg remarks, of these have already appeared
and have received most satisfactory and conclusive
Another Of these doubts is the character of
the pig which has been the subject of experiment
writer who adopts the signature of /" lronmaster'
wishes " to know what the quality OF pig was that
" lie used in bis experiments: whether ii was cold air
hot air. mine cinder, or any OF these mixed, as n
knowledge of this is necessary to render the compare
tive loss by pudding and boiling" accurately known
and, Of couse To some extent, the value of the i'll
vsntion. We have ourselves from good aathorjy
heard OF Shropshire pig iron of such excellent quality
that, upon being heated in blacksmths forge and
hammered it was without pudding any other pro-
cess. converted into excellent nalleablc iron.
We cannot here enter into any description OF the
Qualities that constitute good roD further than to state
that its ductiity and capabty Of extension either by
eongatOn or in BREADTH or by both, win It's anu
Eliminating nature are the constituent merits OF high
class iron II is OF course too soon TO ASK tDat Mr.
Bess,mer should present us with specimens OF IRON
of the high quality we have Indicated. All that ,ie
te ms of his invention allow to require that MALE
able iron produced from pig-iron without pudding,
should be slown And this is, indeed, high require
mont One Of the principal, and most expensive, and
most aborious processes irVn-makiDg will be super
se2ed. This is gained if Mr.. Bcssemers invention
shunld produce only low class Of hbrous iron. I'm
proyeuants would naturally follow and the cost of iron
being reduced IFS wonderful adaptabty to the require
ments and TIE accommod atoms of life would be render
ed more and more evident, human ingenuity, ever
progressing, devised.
1t Las not been our purpose, as the reader viii PEI
ceivc, to dwell upon the more immediate and pecun-
ary results of Mr.. Rossener's invention. We wish 10
indicate its bearings not merely with regard Ia its
local or national but its social result We take il for
granted III at the cost Of The production OF iron will be
materially diminished, and the consequent appliance
Of it to many purposes yet unperceived take place;
hence greater demand, greater manufacture and
greater employment. No useful invention has ever
diminished employ a change OF the mode OF en-.
has Become cessary; but the more readily
that change has been accepted the greater has been
the well doing Vt the individuals concerned. In the
present case 80 bard and Understanding the pud-
dlers labor that we believe there docs not exist any
serious objection TO it, REIMBURSEMENT the part of
very many concerned. Less Of human life they wisely
think-ald their own lives the lives concerned
would be exhausted
Experiments TO test the invention will VIC hear soon
take place twill be advisable that they should be
numerous and much diversified circumstances
will permit. The invention is so important that NO
conceivable test ought be omitted for by its capa-
bty Of standing these tests its value must be ascer-
tanned. Thee tests so far Judge are likely
10 lie rigorous, yet fair and, we may add conducted
wthevery with to find them successful. The theory OF
the invention, 20 far ascertain is believed to