New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-01-14
The Stolen Secret.

The main distinction between iron and steel is thai
one holds carbon, or the matter OF charcoal whereas
the other does not. The amount Of carbon is trivial
and il impaired by heating bars for long period to
box Having regard then, 70 this operation, it seems
natural enough that the onter portion Of each bal
should become more completely "steeliHed If ]
may be allowed to coin an expressive word) than the
internal portions. Now steel of this Sort though per
fectly good for many purposes is Objectionable fol
Others TO give an example 1t is by no means good
for the manufacture Of watchsprings, nevertheless
before the invention Of caststee to which the read
ere attention s 70 be directed, watchprngs had to
be made Of II.
There lived At Atterclfe near sheffield about the
year 1850, a matchmaker named Huntsman. He was
very much dissatisfied with the quality OF steel Of
which the watch-springs were made in bis day, and
sinferiority Mr. Huntsman correctly inferred that
the imperfection Of such watchsprings as came ia
his way was referabe to the fact Of the Irregular con
versation or Of their manu-.
iacture. Thought be, II can melt piece ofsteel
and cast il into an ingot, the composition OF the
latter should be regular and Homogeneous he tried
be succeeded The fame OF Huntsman's steel be.
came spread but the dscoverer took care not to des
ignate it BY the name Of cast steel under which It il
now familiarity known. That was his secret.
About the year ITO q large mandatory Of this
peculiar steel was established at Atterclife. The
process was wrapt In secresy BY every means which
the inventor could command. None but workmen Of
were
orbidded 70 disclose the secrets Of the manuactory
by q stringent form Of oath. At last, HuntsmanT 4
secret was stolen In the following manner: One
night IN midwner as the tall chimney Of the After.
clie steel works belched forth its smoke, and giving
promise OF roaring ERE, might seem reasonable
longing-a man knocked at the door Of MI, Huntg.
mans factory. II was bitter night the snow fell
fast, the wind howled across the moor; 10 hing,
then, could have been more natural, than that the
tired wayfarer should seek warm corner where he
might lay his head. He knocked, and the door was
opened. workman presented himself whom the
wayfarer addressing, humbly begged admission.
No admission here, except on business"
The reader may well fancy how this intimation fell
upon the travellers ear on such an Indictment night
this. But the workman scanning the traveller over
and nothing suspicious about him. granted
the request and let him Ia. Feigning to be com.
petely worn out with cold and fatigue the wayfarer
Hank upon the floor Of the comfortable factory and
soon appeared to have gone to sleep. To 20 to Sleep
however, was far from his intention; the traveller
closed his eyes-a!l but two little chinks. Throu oh
these two little chinksshe all that he cared to see
he saw workmen cut bars OF steel into little bits then
place into crucibles and with enormous tongs pour
thelr liquid contents into mould. Mr.. Huntsman q
factory bad nothing more to disclose. This was the
secret Of cast steel.
II would be easy to extend the list Of mandatory
secrets disclosed in the dishonest way indicated above
the subject, however, Ia SO unpleasant to dwell mon
that am sure the reader will rejoice with me that the
circumstances under which manufactures are now
mostly carried on, neither afford the onnortnnitv NOR
the Involvement to theft such as have described,
The London Leisure Honr