The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1893-08-23
THIN SHEETS OF IRON
a VERY INTERESTING COMPETITION
AMONG STEEL. WORKERS.


Them Are Required to Make an Inch.
How the Effort to Surpass Each Other
Started Among EIetaIlurgis1s.
Among the novelties introduced on the
continent lately are visiting cards made
Of thin sheets Of iron, revival Of the ex-
hibits made at the first Universal exhibit
ton, held in London in 1851. The French
and Spanish journals have been lately
treating this matter of fine rolling Of
sheets of iron as novelty, but in truth
the affair resulted in a competition be-
tween American and English metallur.
gists arising out Of the exhibit of speci,
men of iron paper, if it may be so termed,
made in 1851 by an American firm. A
lively competition in iron rolling then
ensued among British manufacturers as
to the thinness to which steel could be
rolled cold. MI. elliott rolled sheets
the average thickness of which was the
eighteen hundredth part of an inch. In
other words, 800 sheets piled upon each
other would collectively measure an inch
in thickness, while the thinnest tissue
paper to be purchased in the statiOners'
Or cigarette paper, measured The twelve
hundredth part of an inch.
These very thin iron sheets are per-
fectly smooth and easy to write on, al
though porous when held up to good
light. 1t may not be out of place, con-
sidering the great interest that is taken
by those connected with that great
branch of industry, the iron trade, to
give few curious particulars as to the
extent iron can be welded and the thin
sheets that can be rolled out. Brother
Jonathan little thought what a hubbub
would be created in the old country 42
years ago, when from Pittsburg he sent
that wonderful letter, written on sheet
made from iron, which took no less thar
1000 sheets to make an inch in thickness,
the dimensions being s inches by 81
inches, or a surface Of A inches, and
weighing 60 grains. The fact had no
sooner made it's appearance in print than
Britain's sons began to work, and soon
we heard that a sheet containing the
same number Of surface inches, but
weighing only 46 grains, had been made
at the Marshfeld iron works, Llanelly
Carmarthenshire, being exactly one
third less in weight.
But soon the Welsh leez had to give
way to the rose Of England, for Stafford
shire was anxious to take it's wonted
lead. The Hope iron works succeeded
in making a sheet Of 119 surface inches
weighing but 50 grains, which, reduced
to the American and Welsh standard Of
IL inches, gives about SO grains; Messrs
R. Williams 6 Co.. 60 inches, 40 grains
reduced to the same standard, about 81
grains. For a time Stafordshire wore
the belt, but Wales became very restless
and anxious for the honor Of St. David
SO further attempts were made.
Marshfeld came again into the field
They succeeded in making one sheet
8by 81 inches, or surface of A inches
Of the astounding weight Of 234 grains
only, which required no less than 2,583
sheets to make inch in thickness. An
other sheet by 6 inches, or 48 surface
inches, weighed rs grains, but brought
to the standard Of A inches, gives but
% grains, and requires 1850 sheets to
make 1 inch in thickness. The Pom
tardawe tin works next came into the
field with a sheet Ia by Z SIG, or sur
face of 1917 inches, weighing GO grains
but being reduced to A inches is 249
grains, a trife heavier than the Marsh
field, but Pontardawe claims 300 sheets
to make inch in thickness
VNo now coma To tho clin;av The