Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1858-1859, 1859-07-30
From the London Leisure Hour.
The Stolen Secret-..IrOn and Steel.

Inc Stolen ScCEctssskEOu anu StCc1s
The maip distinction between iron and steel
is, one holds carbon, or the matter of charcoal,
whereas the other does not. The amount OF
charcoal is trivial, and is impaired by heating
bars for long period together, surrounded
by powdered, broken charcoal, in a box
Having regard, then, to this operation, it
seems natural enough that the outer portion
of each bar should become more steetifed, Gf
{ may be allowed to coin an expressive word)
than the internal portion. Now, steel of this
sort, though good for many purposes, is Oh
jectionable for others. TO give an example, it
is by no means good for the manufacture of
watch-springs; nevertheless, before the inven-
ton of cast steel, to which the readers atten-
ton is shortly to be directed, watch-springs
had to be made of it.
There lived in Attercliffe, near Sheffield,
about the year 1850, a matchmaker. named
Huntslnan. He was very much dissatisfied
with the quality of steel of which watch
springs were made in his day, and he set him
self to the task Of thinking out the cause of
inferiority. Mr.. Huntsnan consequently in
ferred that the imperfection of such watch
springs as came in his way was reterable to
the fact of the irregular conversion or steelif-
cation of the metal of their manufacture
IT," thought he, 81 can melt piece of steel
and cast it into an ingot the composition OF
the latter would be regular and homogene-
ous." He tried. and succeeded. The fame
of Huntslnan's steel became widely spread,
but the discoverer took care not to designate
it by the name of cast steel, under which it is
now familiarity known. This aoas his secret.
About the year ITO, a large manufacture
of this peculiar steel was established at After.
cliffe. The process was wrapt in secresy by
o-ory means which the inventor Oould COM
mand None but wOrkmen of credit and
character were engaged, and they were for
hidden to disclose the secret OF the manufac-
tory by a stringent form of oath. At length
Huntsman's secret was stolen in the follow
ing manner
One mid d-winter night, as the tall chimney
of the Attercllffe steel works belched forth its
srnoke, giving promise Of roaring fire within,
a traveller, to whom the desire of placing him
self near roaring fire might seem reasona-
BILE longing, knocked at the outer door of Mr..
Huntsman's factory. 1t was bitter cold
night the snow fell fast, and the wind howled
across the moor; nothing, then, could seem
more natural than that the tired wayfarer
should ask warm corner where he might lay
his head. He knocked, and the door was
opened. A workman presented himself, whom
the wayfarer addressed, humbly begging ad-
mission.
"No admittance here, except on business" "
The reader may we'll fancy how this intima-
ton fell upon the tired travellers ear on such
an inclement night. But the workman, scan-
ming the traveller over. and discovering moth
ing suspicious about him, granted the request
and let him in.
Feigning to be completely worn out with
cold and fatigue. the wayfarer sank upon the
floor OF the comfortable factory, and soon ap-
peared to have gone to sleep. To 90 to sleep,
however, was lar from his intention. The
traveller closed his eyes, all but two little
chinks. Through these two little chinks he
saw all that he cared to ses. He saw work
men cut bars of steel into little bits, they
place them in crucibles, and with enormous
tongs pour their liquid into mold, Mr.
Huntsmans factory had nothing to disclose
This acas the secret Of caststeet.
| 1t would be easy to extend the list of manu-
factured secrets disclosed in the dishones
way indicated above. The subject is so un
pleasant to dwell upon, that am sure tn
reader will rejoice with me that the circum
stances under which manufactures are nov
carried on, neither afford the opportunity no
the inducelnent to the theft, such as hav
| described