The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-03-06
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

From Charles Scribner's Sons, New York
we have The Creators of the Age of Steel. y BY
w. L. Jeans, series Of interesting biographies
beginning with Sir Henry Bessemer and in
Guiding sketches of the inventions of Sir
William Siemens, Sir Joseph Whitworth, Sir
John Brown, Mr. S. G.. Thomas, and Mr.. q. f.
Snelus This is the first time, we believe that
an attempt has been made to collect and ar
range in popular form the salient facts in
the history of steel making and the re-
suit is volume that is ut once instructive
and entertaining. Particularly interesting
is the story of Sir Henry Bessemer's youth.
and the development of his inventive genius
Coming to London in the year 1881 a boy
of eighteen, and, as he describes himself
knowing no one, and myself unknown--a
mere cipher in q vast sea of ENTERPRISE" he
began his career as modeler and designer, aud
his first invention was device to prevent the
surreptitious use of old government stamps-a
practice that caused an annualloss to the govern
ment Of half million dollars. This impressed
the authorities so favorably that in exchange
for the invention they offered the lad position
as superintendent of stamps, but, curionsly
enough, just as he was about to accept the oifer,
his sweetheart suggested that it would be a
sufficient protection against fraud to simply
date each stamp, and perceiying how much
cheaper such method would be than his own
he recommended it to the governments as a
substitute the consequence of which was that
the government did not think it worth while
toremunerate him for the suggestion Nothing
daunted, however, he betook himself to other
fields of invention, and soon succeeded in orig
mating machine for the production of pat
terms Of Utrecht yelyets. His next invention
was that of a type-casting machine, but it
yielded him nothing. He Jared better how
ever WI TIL a process which he afterwards dis
covered for the manufacture, at comparatively
little cost, of bronze powder--an article which
was then imported from Germany at a cost of
lbs. per pound, but which he succeeded in
making for Id per pound-and it is worthy of
note that until this day the method which he
employed remains secret He was afraid to
take out patent for it, and instead erected q
factory for its manufacture,.the EMPLOYEES in
which were sworn not TO reveal the process.
Many other inventions followed this in quick
succession, but it was not until lS53-when. in
tie course OF some experiments in the casting
OF cannon, which he had undertaken for the
French Emperor Napoleon he found that it
would be necessary TO employ some stronger
material tlan iron--that his attention was at
fracted TO the manufacture Of steel The pro-
| cess then In vogue WAS at once very crude and
costly, and he set himself to work to discover a
| quicker and cheaper method Eighteen
months were spent in useless experiments. but
at last the idea occurred to him that by blow
iiis aif iiiio the nolteu metal III the cTuclble,
by means OF a movable blowpipe, he could con-
vert Ten pounds or so OF crude iron into the
softest mallsable iron, and so, uuon trial, it
turned out. Those of our readers who are
curious 10 know how from that germ developed
the brilliant conception of the lna,nniolh con
yerterD of the present day, viii 10 well to
procure copy OF this book ait learn far them
sslves. 1t is for sale in this city by w II.
Morrison.
From Messsrs. j. 8. Osilvie i Co, New