Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-06-08
PROGRESS IN IRON AND STEEL
MAKING.


The annual meeting Of the Iron aud Steel
Institute was held in London on May 5th. On
.ssnnpg the chair the new President (Mr. W.
M,uelaus) delivered an address, in which he
dealt chlfly with the progress of mechanical pud
ding aud the improvement of the manufacture
Of steel. He said for the conversion of pig into
wrought iron the rotary pudding machine, in
one or other of its forms, had occupied the at.
,cuon of ironmakers for many years, and va
rous attempts have beeu made from time to
time to perfect the machine. When. under the
auspices of that Institute, the banks machine
was introduced into this country, success seem
cd cerain several machines were erected,
mostly at and near Middlesborough, but they
seemed to have failed chiefly from the defects
io mechanical construction. These defects had
he was told, been rectifed, and several lmpor'
tart improvements have been made IN the con-
structicu and mode of working the machines.
He thought that they might now fairly expect
that mechanical pudding 10 the hands OF the
many distinguished men who were at work upon
il, would soon be brought into successful opera
ton, and, further he thought that it had been
clearly demonstrated that the revolving pud
ding machine, of whatever type, If properly
ieted and managed, produced tar better re.
suits than hand puddug. By that method
iron Of very excellent quality could be made
from pigs containing large quantity OF phos-
phorus, and he thought it not unlikely that the
pudding machine would very soen enable them
to use largely some OF the commoner qualities
of pig iron for making steel.
10 the manufacture cf steel, there was being
made in England, by the Bessemer process
alone, 10000 tons per week, and the produc-
ton was rapidly increasing. Various mechaDi-
cal improvements had been made, which en-
able larger quantities to be turned out. ln
some cases as much as 1000 tons per week
had been made from pair of convertors. The
Americans had set an excellent example 10 the
mauy ingenious arrangements which they mad
introduced for getting large amount OF work
out of comparatively small plant. tie be-
heved that 10 this respect they stood at present
unrlyaled The Eoglish makers were follow
ing their lead, and would soon, be hoped, be
abreast of them. Mr.. Edward Williams was
at present designing large Bessemer steel
works for his mpauy. He proposed to run
the metal direct from the blast furnaces into
the convertors By treating the iron IN this
way Bcssemer steel would be produced cheaper
than wrought iron could be made from the
same quality of pig iron by the processes DOW
10 use. He was speaking, OF course, OF the
manufacture of Bessemer steel for ordinary
purposes. The idea of producing steel by melt
ing together cast and wrought iron, or cast
iron and ores in suitable proportions, was OF
course old; but it was not untll Mr.. Slemens
brought his scientific and practical knowledge
aud no less wonderful amount Of persever
ance-to bear on the subject that the mode OF
making steel known as the 'Siemens Martin pro-
cess was perfected. The most important ele-
meut 10 the successful accomplishment OF the
Siemeos Martin process was unquest'onably the
"Siemens, or regeuerative, gas furnace. By
its means any degree of heat, even TO the iuslog
pout of the most refractory materials, could be
obtained economically. The steel made by the
Slemeus- Martin process was used Tor all the
purposes to which soft steel IS commonly ap,.
Piled Speaking as manufacturer he was OF
opiulon that, with our present knowledge, 10
no other form could iron or steel DC produced
at the same cost, aud of quality equal to that
Of the steel made by the Bessemer aud Slemens
processes. Having high opinion of the value
of the material for constructive purposes, and
seeing with how much success it had been ap-
piled 10 our leading railways, and how 1t had
almost completely superseded the old forms OF
wrought iron, where it had been introduced
with Skill and a full knowledge OF its proper
ties, he wondered, and wondered much. that
many of our leading engineers and shipbullders
had lcuored this material as if it did not exist.
So many distinguished mechanical engineers
had used Bessemer steel that 10 speaking OF
their varied experience he hardly knew where
to begin. Sir Joseph Whitworth was making
trom The Bessemer converter some OF the 1uest
material known. By his process OF compress
irg the steel while it is 10 liquid condltlon ne
produced quality far superior to anything
which could be made by the ordinary methods
Of trea.m:nt Sir Joseph wrote During the
last twelve mouths We have been working nlght
and day, principally on guns. cylinders Tor ny
drauhc purposes cylinder Innings, torpeuoes, &C,
the melting has been by the Bessemer and cru
chile processes, and We are just about to use
the Slemens Martin process also. Inc state OF
rIy health has prevented us from commencing
Dew works, but we hope 10 do so before long.
This material was as yet too expensive Tor use
in ordinary works, bnt Sir joseph had shown
that out of The Bessemer converter could be
r""'rced some of the finest material known.
Mr. Ramsbottonl, when at Crewe, began TO
Use Bcssemer steel in the construction OF loco
Motives aud ior other purposes, aud his able
successor, MIR. Webb, had greatly distinguish
ed himself by his care in the manufacture OF
BeSsemrr and Siemeus steel, and by his skill
iu and spirited application OF the metal to
almost every purpose, aud particularly 10 cases
where material of the very highest quality is
indispensable. MIR. Sharp, of Bolton, was one
Of the first to produce excellent boiler and ship
plates Of steel, aod to make boilers of steel
plates. Mr.. Adamson Informed him tthe
President) that 10 his steam engines, when tie
choice of materials was left with him, all the
principal parts we're made of BessemeIr STEEL
aui that the results had been most satisfactory,
Mr.. Adamson had used various kinds OF stee!
IN boiler work, but since the Introduction OF
Bessemcr steel plates he had used no other.
Messrs. Galloway, of Manchester, who have
large experience in boiler making and who were
noted for the excellence of their work, Informed
HIN that When they commenced using Besse-
mer steel plates about 1861, the results were
DOT satisfactory, the plates being too hard but
that of late they have used steel plates exteL-
slvely, and that the conclusion they have come