CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STEEL AND WROUGHT IRON DIRECTLY FROM THE ORE
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bellford, of 16, Castle
Street, Holborn (City), London, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STEEL AND WROUGHT IRON
DIRECTLY FROM THE ORE."-A communication.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Auguste Edouard Lora-
doux Bellford at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 15th April 1854.
I, AUGUSTE EDOUARD LORADOUX BELLFORD, of 16, Castle Street, Holborn
(City), London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STEEL AND WROUGHT
IRON DIRECTLY FROM THE ORE" to be as follows, viz. :-
This Invention relates to a new system of manufacturing either steel or
wrought iron of a very fine quality, as may be desired, directly from the ore
by a continuous process.
. In the manufacture of steel or wrought iron by this system, the crude ore is
first pulverized, and then, mixed with charcoal or other pure carbon, is placed
in tubes which are closed except at the top, and are heated externally by the
heat escaping from other portions of the apparatus employed. A portion of
the carbon with which the ore is mixed is caused, by the heat applied as above
stated, to be imparted to the ore, which is thus changed from the oxyd to the
carbonate of iron, and the remainder of the carbon, uniting with the oxygen of
the ore, passes off in the form of carbonic acid gas. The ore thus heated and

page_text: carbonated is conveyed, without exposure to the atmosphere, into a close fusing
crucible, where it becomes.fused or, fluid, from an increase of heat externally
applied to the crucible, and where, if allowed to remain a sufficient length o
time, the metal, by reason of its superior, specific gravity, becomes separated
from the earthy impurities contained in it, such as silex, alumina, etc., and
may be drawn off and cast into bars of steel. If a finer quantity of steel is
required than can be produced by the above described process carried thus far
the melted metal may be conveyed, without exposure to the atmosphere, to a
refining and decarbonating chamber, where it is brought into contact with
decarbonizing gases, and the process is continued until the finest quality of
steel is produced; or it may be so far decarbonated as to produce the finest
quality of soft iron.
Wrought iron may, however,-be-made without-allowing the de-oxydized ore
to enter the crucible, but conducting it directly, without exposure to the atmo-
sphere, from the carbonating tubes to the decarbonating or refining chamber
above named, and there subjecting it to the proper manipulation.
The ore should be crushed and passed through a sieve, the meshes of which
are about one-eighth of an inch square; then mixed with from twenty-five to
thirty per cent. by weight of fine charcoal or other pure carbon. The amount
of carbon can only be accurately determined by the quality of the ore. To
separate the metal from the earthy impurities, I add either potash, soda, lime,
oxyde of manganese, or other substances: that will assist in forming a flux, or
aid in decarbonating, the,iron: Steam is also. introduced, more or less highly
rarified, or other decarbonizing gases, into the metal chamber, for, the purpose
of decarbonating and purifying the metal, and, also of increasing. the heat of
the metal chamber. The carbonating tubes are combined with the smelting
crucible for the purpose of making steel or other forms of metal directly from
the ore, and the carbonating tubes, are also combined with the smelting
crucible and the refining and decarbonating chamber, for the purpose of making
steel, malleable or wrought iron.
F

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her.heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bellford, Her special licence that I,
the said Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bellford, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Auguste Edouard Loradoux
Bellford, my executors, .administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all. times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STEEL AND WROUGHT IRON DIRECTLY FROM THE ORE,"
a communication, upon the condition (amongst others) that I; the said
Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bellford, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain. the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW. YE, that I, the said Auguste. Edouard Loradoux Bellford,
do hereby declare the nature of the said. Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, that is to say :-
The nature and intention of the Invention in these improvements consists,
according to the purport of the title, in a new process in the manufacture of
steel or wrought iron, of a degree of fineness or quality such as may be
required in any given case, & that in the direct way from the ore by a con-
tinuous & uninterrupted manner. In such manufacture of steel or wrought
iron by this said process, the ore from which it is to be produced is first
pulverized in a sufficient manner according to its general character, and next
intimately mixed with charcoal or other sufficiently carbonaceous matter, with
or without the addition of any other flux, as the nature & character of the
ore under operation may require, & that in such relative proportions &
quantities as in the particular case may be found needful. The mass of
pulverized matter thus compounded is then placed in tubular or other vessels
of convenient & suitable form, and which are then exposed to a temperature
necessary for its reduction, & which temperature is applied to the containing
vessels externally from the waste or superabundant heat from other portions
of thetapparatus, as herein-after shewn. A. portion of carbon proceeding from

page_text: the carbonaceous matter which is mixed with the ore is, when thus heated,
given off to the ore, which is thus changed from an oxide to a carbonate of
iron, and a portion of the carbon uniting with the oxygen of the ore passes off
in the form of carbonic acid gas. The ore in this state of preparation is then
placed, with as little loss of heat by exposure to the atmosphere as can practi-
cally be avoided, in close melting crucibles, in which, by an external applica-
tion of heat to them, it acquires fluidity, & where, if allowed to remain in that
state a sufficient length of time for that action, the pure metal, by its greater
specific gravity, separates itself from the earthy impurities of the mass; as
silex, alumine, &, may be drawn off from it & cast into bars of steel. If
steel of finer quality than that so produced by this process carried thus far,
the pure metal is to be conveyed, without material exposure to the atmosphere
or loss of heat, to a refining & decarbonizing chamber, also heated from with-
out, in which it receives the action of decarbonising & pure gases, & the
process is thus continued until the required finer quality of steel is obtained;
or otherwise, it may be so far decarbonised & manipulated as to produce a
good spring or wrought steel direct. And further, the process of decarboni-
sation & manipulation may be continued until the best quality of wrought
iron be produced. Spring or wrought steel may, however, be made without
placing the ore in the smelting crucible, but conducting it in a direct manner
from the carbonising vessel in the granular state to the refining chamber, above
mentioned, (without smelting or material exposure to the atmosphere & con-
sequent loss of heat,) in which such refining chamber the metal is not exposed
to the deleterious action of the flame, gases, and other impurities proceeding
from the fire chamber; or otherwise the necessary manipulation may be made
in a reverbatory furnace, or what is commonly known as a heating, welding, or
puddling furnace. But in practice I prefer to use a furnace heated from
without, and therein subjecting the ore under treatment to a welding heat &
suitable manipulations, to the end of converting it into loops or balls, such
loops or balls so produced, whether made from the granular mass direct from
the carbonising vessel or from the smelting crucible, are convertible into bars
of spring or wrought steel, by the operation of rolling, hammering, or such
mode & application of the principles of compression as may be chosen. In the
manufacture of cast steel by these processes, the ore might also be transferred
from the carbonising_or_preparatory vessel, without any material exposure to
the atmosphere, & then be smelted in small pots or crucibles, & in separate or
in combined furnaces, but in no case can such system of manufacture be
effected with the positive advantages of economy which I obtain by the use &
application of the machines & apparatus herein-after described, & which I

page_text: now proceed to set forth in detail. In doing this I make reference to the
accompanying Drawings, which illustrate the verbal description. The separate
Figures composing the Drawings are respectively marked Fig. 1, Fig. 2.
Fig. 3, Fig. 4, Fig. 5, Fig. 5*, Fig. 6, Fig. 7, Fig. 7*, Fig. 8, Fig. 9. In
the several Figures of these Drawings, the same parts are, for greater
perspicuity, respectively marked with the same letters of reference, as far
as such corresponding parts can be seen in each of such Figures. Fig. 1
represents the machine or apparatus entire, in a perspective view thereof, taken
in front, the point of sight being directed to the angle Y of the vessel A,
forming the upper part of the machine. This vessel A, I term "the carbonising
or preparing vessel or chamber. Fig. 2 represents the machine or apparatus,
also entire, in a second perspective view thereof, taken at the back or hinder
part,
the point of sight being directed to the angle Z of the vessel A, Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of the vessel A, of the Figures 1 & 2,
& other portions of the machine, as designated by the corresponding letters
of reference, and taken through the dotted line X, of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a
second transverse vertical section of the vessel A, in Fig. 1 & Fig. 2, taken
in a direction at right angles with the transverse section of the vessel A, in
Fig. 1 & Fig. 2, being taken through the dotted line X, X, of the Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 is a horizontal view of the upper part or top of the vessel O, of Fig. 1
& Fig. 2, having its lid or cover removed, to shew its interior construction of
flues, &c., and this vessel O, I term the smelting furnace or crucible. Fig. 5*
is a horizontal view of the upper part or top of the vessel O. Fig. 6 is a
longitudinal vertical section of the vessel O, being taken through the dotted
line X, X, of the Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a horizontal view of the upper part or
top of the vessel O', of Fig. 1 & Fig. 2, having its roof or covering removed,
to show its interior construction; & this vessel O¹, I term the refining and
decarbonising furnace & crucible. Fig. 7 is an interior view, in horizontal
plan, of the roof or covering of the vessel O¹, its letters of reference referring
it to its position in the Figs. 1 & 2. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal vertical section
of the Fig. 7, taken through the dotted line X, X, of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is
an elevation of the hinder end or back of the same, and readily refers by its
letters of reference to Fig. 7. That part of the apparatus in which the
process is commenced, & which I term the carbonising or preparing appa-
ratus, consists of a chamber A, seen in Fig. 1 & Fig. 2 in perspective, & in
Fig. 3 & Fig. 4 in section. In this, two or more containing vessels E, E,
are constructed, in their dimensions about ten feet in length, thirteen inches in
width, & about ten feet in depth. They are each divided into four sections
or compartments, as they are shewn in the section, Fig. 3, at B, B, B, by the

page_text: three dividing walls H,. H, H. The division forming the vessel E, E, runs
longitudinally through the chamber A from one of its side walls, as C, to the
.opposite wall. The vessel E, E, and their dividing walls are constructed of
fire brick, fire clay, or other sufficiently-fire-proof material. The exterior
walls of the chamber A may be constructed of ordinary bricks with proper
linings. The dividing walls H, H, H; shewn.in the sectional Figure 2, are
continued in a downward course to. about the point I, shewn in Fig. 2, where
sliding stop plates, shewn by the dotted lines I, I, I, I, in Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3,
& Fig. 4, are placed, for the purpose. of rendering each of the descending
passages.formed by the dividing walls H, H; H, entirely separate &. indepen-
dent of the others, so that the ore can be allowed to descend through either
of those passages alone by drawing out that sliding plate I, which belongs to
it, and closing its lower opening.. Each of the sections B, B, B, terminates in
inclined planc sides, as 'shewn at K, K, in the Figure, for the purpose of
facilitating, the.descent of the ore-from the chamber A through these passages
into the ore trough J', into which the ore .after its carbonisation is allowed,
by the withdrawal of the, sliding plates I, to descend by its own gravitation
upon the inclined plane sides K, K. The ore containing vessels E, E, shewn
in Fig. 1. & Fig. 2, are heated by the waste heat or heated products, of com-
bustion escaping from the fires,. by which the smelting, crucible. O & the
refining crucible are heated, such heated products circulating back.&forwards
through circulating flues G, D, F, (seen only in the transverse section, Fig. 4,)
passing between the ore containing vessels E, E, & between them. & the side
walls of the carbonising chamber A, & passing from each set of flues. D, F, by
an outlet flue G to a flue 'N, which is common to them, (seen in Fig. 1,) this
latter leading into the chimney stack.
Each of the flues G has a damper plate L (seen in Fig. 1) to regulate its
draft & heat independently of the others, and the common exit flue N has
also a damper plate M, by which the draft and heat is regulated through the
whole apparatus. The smelting_crucible_a, Fig. 5.& Fig. 6, whose exterior
walls are seen at O'in Fig. 1 & Fig. 2, 'is constructed internally of the best
fire-proof materials, & its body is also constructed of the same in layers of
brickwork of about two feet three inches in length and of about five inches in
width & depth; the ends are built to meet at the brace..walls, P, .that form
the flues Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, surrounding the crucible, thus in, effect com-
posing a series of crucibles; & affording..the convenience and advantage of
building and of repairing, when occasion, so requires it...each series of cruci-
bles, without the necessity of demolishing or deranging those crucibles that
remain sound & in good order, to. be able to repair those which may be

page_text: damaged. Each layer of brickwork that formes the braces P can be built up
or removed independently of each other, facilitating repairs, & presenting
considerable advantages over the small pots used in the present manufacture
of steel. The relative capacity & dimensions I give to the smelting crucible
are about nine feet in length, six feet in height, & two feet in width; but
such dimensions may be varied, as occasion or convenience may require. The
flues by which the crucible is encompassed & surrounded are in number
eight; they are arranged four on each side, & their dimensions one foot six
inches square & nine feet in depth, and also taking their course beneath the
crucible, thus giving off heat to every part of it with the best economy. The
braces, or connecting walls P, Fig. 5 & Fig. 6, are in number six; they are
arranged three on each side, & are of nine inches in width, covering the two
ends of the twenty-seven inch layers of fire-brick work. A construction of
similar character forms the flues, &, connecting walls of the bottom. The
flame & heat from the fire chamber X, Fig. 5 & Fig. 6, which is of ordi-
nary construction, first passes from the fire chambers to each side of the body
of the crucible a, Fig. 5 & Fig. 6, thence it passes down the flue Q. to the
bottom flues, thence under the brace P to the flue T; it then passes upwards
over and then down the flue U, & under the brace P to the flue V; thence it
passes up over and then down the flue W to the outlet flue b, which passes
up to the carbonising chamber A, Fig. 1 & Fig. 2, & then enters the series.
of flues D, F, Fig. 4.. The flues c, c, c, Fig. 7, Fig. 8, & Fig. 9, from the
refining furnace O', communicate with the flues which pass under the crucibles,
or any one of them, as may be required, in order to be able to give it an
equable or uniform heat, and, they are fitted with damper plates f, f, f, Fig. 7
& Fig. 9. In the Fig. 5 the crucible a is shewn as having its top removed.
In building this crucible, the whole is covered in with the exception of the
hole h, which is provided for the escape of the gases. The refining & decar-
bonising furnace & crucible, whose exterior walls are shewn in O' in the Figs.
1 & 2, in horizontal section in Fig. 7, & in vertical section in Fig. 8, consists
of a close horizontal chamber i, shewn in both those Figures;.this is con-
structed of fire-brick, & is arched both at the top & at the bottom; its dimen-
sions are about four feet in length, four feet in width, & from one foot to one
foot six inches in depth. This chamber is, provided with an ordinary working
door k, & with the usual cinder hole k', (both seen in Fig. 2.) &. with a
flue l.at its upper side, for the escape of the gases; this flue is of six inches
square in its dimensions, & has a damper, by which it may be closed when
necessary. It has a passage m formed through its two roofs, for the purpose
of conducting the carbonized ore from, the vessel A by the passage or spout J
.

page_text: (seen in Fig. 1 & Fig. 2), when such transfer from the vessel A to the chamber
i, & also a passage or spout by which the fused metal is withdrawn from
the fusing crucible O' of Fig. 5 & Fig. 6. The action of the furnace, Fig. 7
& Fig. 8, is as follows:-The flame & heat arising from the fire chamber
P, passes over the bridge walls v, & thence passing under the chamber i,
through the horizontal flue t, & up through the rising flue s, which is there
of the dimensions four feet in width & one foot in depth, to the horizontal
fluc u, Fig. 8.
The flue u at this point forms a contraction of the other flues t & s, to the
dimensions of one foot six inches in length, one foot in width, & one foot in
depth, & it passes thence across the cover or roof of the chamber i and by the
flue c; it then passes to the extremity of the furnaces, where it unites with all
or any of the flues, passing under the smelting furnace O of Fig. 1 & Fig. 2,
to assist in giving the amount of heat required for the smelting operation.
The entire of the refining furnace O' is covered by a roof of fire-brick w,
Fig. 8, nine inches in thickness, & is thus surrounded with flame.& heat on
every side, excepting only the side in which the working door k is situated.
The entire of the refining furnace is constructed of fire-brick except the
outer brace or connecting walls. The pipe W' (seen in Fig. 8) on the roof of
the refining furnace is there placed, to admit jets of atmospheric air, either at
its common temperature or in a rarefied state, & driven in in any convenient
manner, or steam or other decarbonising gases, into the refining chamber i, to
assist the process of the decarbonisation and also to increase the temperature of
the furnace, and generally to purify the metal. The dimensions of the entire
refining furnace is about thirteen feet in length, six feet in width, with a height
also of about six feet. Its front part and lower portion is occupied by the fire
chamber. The door of the furnace seen in Fig. 1 & in Fig. 8 is of ordinary
construction. The mode & course of operation with the described apparatus
is as follows: The ore is first crushed & passed through a sieve of meshes
about one-eighth of an inch square, and the product of such sifting then
mixed with from twenty-five to thirty per cent. by weight of fine charcoal or
other carbonaceous matter practically free from unfit or injurious matter.
The amount or carbon necessary to be added in any given operation can
only be determined with positive accuracy by previously testing the quality of
the ore, or taking the result of experience in the working. For the purpose
& to the end of separating the metallic portions of the ore from the im-
purities it may contain, I add any of the substances as of the following to the
crushed or sifted ore, either at the commencement of the process or at any
point or stage of its progress, viz. :-Potash, soda, common salt, lime, oxide of

page_text: manganese, or other substances that may practically assist in composing a
proper flux or aid in decarbonising and purifying the metal, according with the
quality of the ore or the relative proportions of the silica, oxygen, or carbon,
&c. it may naturally hold in compound with it, or that in that respect the
desired product to be obtained may be found to require.
When the ore is thus prepared by the steps of process described by crush-
ing, lifting, & mixing with carbon & other auxiliary substances, as herein-
before described, I fill the carbonising vessels E, E, having first closed the
bottoms or outlets of each by the sliding dampers I; I then make fire in
each of the fire chambers X, Fig. 6, and p, Fig. 7, and subject the ore, &ª,
in the carbonising vessels & its passages to a red heat, from twelve hours
to twenty-four hours, keeping the temperature below a welding heat; I
then close the slide n in the ore passage J, Fig. 1 & Fig. 4, and open
the slide n, Fig. 1 & Fig. 5*, of the passage n¹. The ore will then pass
by the passage n into the smelting crucible a, and when this is thus filled
I close the slide", always leaving open the hole h, before described and
shewn in Fig. 5; this is provided for the escape of the gases from the
smelting crucible. When a portion of the ore in the crucible becomes fused,
more ore may be admitted to it from time to time, until the fused metal
rises above the draw slag hole C', seen in Fig. 6. When the contents of the
crucible become wholly fused, & have remained in that state a sufficient time
for the metal to separate from the impurities, I then open the slag hole C',
draw off the slag, & then open the conducting pipe O, so that the metal may
pass off from the crucible to the refining furnace O'; or I draw off the fused
metal through the small pipe o¹ in the conducting passage O (Fig. 2), and cast
it in the desired forms. In this condition it is cast steel. If, however, a finer
quality of steel is required than can be produced by the process above described
& carried thus far, I then convey the fused metal, without atmospheric
exposure, to the decarbonising and refining chamber through the conducting
passage O, by opening the slide e, seen in Fig. 2; the passage o will then allow
the fused metal to pass into the decarbonising furnace, Fig. 2, Fig. 7, Fig. 9,
and there, assisted by the rarefied steam or other decarbonising and purifying
gases & manipulations, the process may be continued until the finest quality
of cast steel is produced; or it may be so far decarbonised as to afford a spring
or wrought steel direct without casting, & also a good wrought iron, pos-
sessing peculiar qualities. In this decarbonising furnace the operator has an
usual power of controul in the management of this process, calculated to
assure him of obtaining in his products the qualities required in the highest
purposes in which steel is used. When the metal has been thus duly refined

page_text: & treated, I draw it off the hole ¹, Fig. 2, seen under the door k, and I
then cast it into the desired bars or other convenient forms, which are then in
a state ready to be retreated for the rollers or hammers, or otherwise wrought,
or are retained in the shape & form in which they are cast. The ore may be
conveyed without exposure in the granular form direct from the carbonising
vessel into the refining furnace; Fig. 7 & Fig. 8, when it is desired to con-
vert it directly into sping or wrought steel, and there exposed to a welding
heat, & manipulated into balls or. loops, and thence taken to the proper
appliances, as herein-before described, and wrought into bars. By a suitable
admixture of carbon, etc., & with due care in the working, a good spring
steel can be made in this way with great economy.
Having thus described the nature & intention of the Invention of the
"Improvements," &, forming the subject of my said Patent, and stated the
means in detail by which I carry such "Improvements," &, into effect, I now
desire to direct attention to, & to enumerate the particular points of the same,
which I claim especially as of novelty as applied to the subject matter, & as
my proper & original Invention therein; that is to say, -
of
Firstly; I claim the method or process of converting iron ore directly into
steel, by subjecting it to heat with admixture of carbonaceous matter in tubes
or other suitably shaped vessels, externally heated, & thence transferred in a
heated state & smelted directly into cast steel, or by exposing it in the
smelted or granular state to a welding heat, to produce spring or wrought steel
by manipulating it into balls or loops, & converting it therefrom into bars or
other forms by hammering, rolling, or other appliances.
Secondly, the construction and arrangement of ore preparing or carbonising
vessels externally heated, to convey or transfer the carbonised or prepared ore
to fusing or smelting crucibles, avoiding material exposure or loss of heat, for
the purpose of making spring, wrought, or cast steel, or other forms of metal,
direct from the ore in the same apparatus.
Thirdly, the construction and arrangement of smelting crucibles externally
heated, and combining the same with the ore preparing or carbonising-vessel
described in the above stated second claim, in such manner as to deliver
the smelted contents therefrom to the decarbonising or refining furnaces,
also without material exposure or loss of heat in the transfer and delivery
thereof, for the purpose of making steel or iron in a direct manner from
the ore.
Fourthly, the construction & arrangement of decarbonising or refining
furnaces, closed on all sides and externally heated by surrounding flues, for the
required treatment of the metal, without exposure and consequent deterioration

page_text: from the flame & other impurities of the fire chamber, & the combination of
the same with the other component parts of the apparatus, as described in
the claims No. 2 & 3.
Fifthly, the introduction of steam, atmospheric air, or other decarbonising &
purifying gases into furnaces, for the purpose of increasing the temperature,
decarbonising, and purifying prepared ore or metal, in the manufacture of steel
direct from the ore.
Sixthly, I do not claim crucibles in any general sense, but I do claim for the
purpose of smelting ores directly into metal smelting crucibles, so arranged,
as that the heat applied to them shall act upon and apply itself to them on all
sides externally, the same being fixed or stationary, & so arranged, that the ore
to be treated in them may be placed or conducted into them, and the fused
mass, after treatment therein, be removeable therefrom without any removal of
the crucible, or any material interference with or disturbance thereof, and this
to obviate the present inconvenience and injurious effects arising from the
sudden alteration of temperature, & the expansion & contraction thence
experienced in the use of detached and moveable crucibles.
In witness whereof, I, the said Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bellford,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of October,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
T
TOD
DANSE
גזם'
D. LO
UX BELLFORD.
(L.S.)