Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1859-06-09
& Grue gk1ht.
THE STOLEN SECRET.

and steel is, that one holds carbon
or the matter of charcoal, whereas
the other does not. The amount o
carbon is trivial, and is impaired by
heating bars for long period togeth
er, surrounded by powdered. broker
charcoal in a box. Having regard
then, to this operation, it seems nat
ural enough that the outer portion o
each bar should become more com
pletely ''steelifed F." (if ] may be
allowed to coin an expressive word,
than the internal portions. Now
steel of this sort, though perfectly
good for many purposes, is objection,
able for others. To give an example:
it is by no means good for the man.
ulacture Of wateh-springs; never
theless, before the invention of cast
steel, to which the readers attention
is shortly to be directed, watch
springs had to lie made of it
There lived at Atttrclif, near
Sheffield, about the year l76O. a
matchmaker nsmed Huntsman.--
He was very much dissatisfied with
the quality of steel Of which watch
springs were made in his day,and he set
himself to The task of thinking out the
cause of the inferiority Mr. Hunts.
man correctly inferred that the i'm
perfection of such watch-springs as
came 10 his way was relerable TO the
fact of the irregular conversion OF
"steelifcation" oI the metal of thelT
manufacture. IT," thought be, Il
can melt piece of steel and cast ii
into an ingot, the composition OF the
latter should he regular and homoge'
n, GUS" He tried, and he succeed
ed. The fame of Huntsman S steel
became widely spread. but the dis,
coverer took care not TO designate it
by TIE name of cast steel, under
which it is now familiarly known
That was his secret
About the year ITO, large man.
ufactory of this peculiar steel was
established at Attercliif. The pro-
cess was wrapt in secrecy by every
means which the inventor could
command. None but wolkmen ol
credit and character were engaged.
and they we're forbidden to disclose
the secrets OF the manufactory by a
stringent form of oath. At last
Huntsman secret WIS stolen in the
following mn.rer: One night in mid.
winter, as he tall chimney Of the
Attercliff' steel works belched forth
its smoke, giving promise of roar
ing fire within, a traveller, TO whom
the desire of placing himself near,s
roaring fire might seem a reasonable
longing, knocked at the outer doo'
of Mr.. Huntsman's factory. 1t was
bitter night; the snow fell fast. the
wind howled across the moor; nothing
then, could seem more natural thar
that the tired wayfarer should seek
warm corner where he might lay
his head. He knocked, and the door
was opened. A workman presented
himself, whom the wsyfarer address
ing, humbly begging admission.
mo admission here, except oil
busint SIS.
The reader may we'll fancy how
this intimation fell upon the tire(
travellers ear on such an iDclemen
night. But the workman, scanning
the traveller over, and discovering
nothing suspicious about him, gran
ted the request, aud let him in.
Feigning to be completely worl
out with cold and fatigue, the way
farer sank upon the floor of the com
Portable factory, and soon appeare'
to have gone to sleep. To 60 t
sleep. however. was far from his in
teution: the traveller closed his eye
all but two little chinks. Tbrougl
these he saw all that be cared to see
He saw workmen cut bars of stet
into little bits; then place them il
crucibles, and with enormous tong'
pour their liquid contents into
mould. Mr.. Huntsman's factor,
had nothing more to disclose; thl
was the secret Of cast steel.