Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-10-10
THE FUTURE OF IRON.
Its Manufacture Hereafter Handled by Sir
Lowthian Bella Discussion on the
Paper Participated in by Number of
the Institutes Members.

| Its Manufacture Hereafter Handled by Sir
Lowthian Bella Discussion on the
Paper Participated in by a Number OF
the Institutes Members.
Sir Lowthian Bell was next introduced.
His paper on the Probable Future of the
Manufacture of Iron," was listened to with
close attention. He said:
With the exception of air and water, it is
open to question whether there is any form of
matter which the human race could less easily
shape than iron. Short of going the length of
asserting that, without this metal for an anchor
or steel for the compass, the adventurous navi-
gator could never have crossed the WIDE At
lantic, we may credit the locomotive and the
steamer, and hence iron. for that sequence of
events which has peopled North America with
the Anglo-SaXon race. The result has been to
raise vast territory to position without
parallel in the progress of the world.
To the attractions afforded by this interesting
episode from modern history may be added the
unprecedented development, in the United
States, of that branch of industry which most
concerns this society.
Let me here remind you, although we are
guests upon the present occasion, and Great
Britain is the birthplace and home of the Iron
and Steel Institute, irs name and constitution
were Intentionally adopted so as to exclude
geographical boundaries from being any limit
to the scope of its operations. Accordingly
these cosmopolitan intentions have been fol-
lowed by our numbering In our ranks consid-
erably above 200 members belonging to other
countries, and of these, nearly one-half are in
habitants of the United States. This union
between members of one great family is sub
ject of sincere congratuiation to the founders
of the body. and feel sure, is not without in
terest to those who have joined it from the
continent of Europe.
The present assembly is SO far as my reading
goes. without precedent in the annals of in
dustrv Manufacturers Of a metal from the
Old World, where, in spite of what has been
said by some antiquarians to the contrary iron
probably has been made for thousands of
years, have accepted a courteous invitation
from those of the New, with view to discuss
questions of Interest common to both. To
carry out this intention. three representatives
from each hemisphere have been deputed to
prepare subjects for this International Con-
gress, and shall always consider my having
been chosen by the Council of the Institute, to
act on their behalf as very high and flatter-
ing distinction.
ANCIENT HISTORY OF IRON.
Sir Lowthian then discussed the ancient
history of the iron trade. He referred to
the isolated barbarians found near the
great African lakes, as being familiar with
mode of obtaining iron by means of a
Catalan fire and pair OF bellows. He
traced the progress of metallurgy through
Its stages, and referred to the various de-
grees through which the science passed
down to the present day. Continuing. the
speaker proceeded:
Many eminent metallurgists have regarded
with favor, the principle conralned in variety
OF the processes known as Direct" and it must
be admitted that there is, in the idea a simplic-
1ty as compared with the present mode of
manipulation which is highly attractive. In
the latter, the iron from the blast furnace has
been made to unite with certain metalloids. we
knowing at the same time that in order to
render the product malleable, these substances
have to be removed. Among those who have
labored III this field, not the least distinguished
was my late friend. a former president of this
Institute, Sir William Siemens In the hope
OF solving problem In which his predecessors
had not been successful, he spared neither
time nor money. Ritter Won Tunner, high
authority in all things connected with iron.
has, In our frequent correspondence on such
matters extending over many years, expressed
himself at one time hopefully on the direct
process. In recent communication, however,
ne seems to have abandoned all expectation of
It's being able to compete with the combined
forces OF the blast furnace and the Bessemer
process. On the other hand, so far as know,
Siemens died believing in its future success.
have elsewhere endeavored to prove that
reduction is not exclusively effected in the So
called reducing zone of the blast furnace; on
the contrary. that oxygen, amounting to about
25 per cent of its original quantity arrives at or
near the tuyeres, combined with iron in the
form OF some suboxide.
THE ACTION OF CARBON.
Further, that final deoxidation,of this sub
oxide Is probably effected BY q quantity Of car !