4

PATTIXSOX’S PROCESS—IROX PAPER—COAL-PURIFVIXG APPARATUS. [Class I.

solid as the specimens obtained from the mine. Fromsuch blocks the exhibitor was able easily to obtain smallprisms for use, which have yielded pencils equal in qualityto those manufactured from the purest specimens fromBorrowdale.

The objects exhibited by Mr. Brockedon are as fol-lows, viz.:—

1. Specimens of graphite from Cumberland, India ,Greenland , Spain , Bohemia, and several other localities.

2. Compressed powdered graphite.

3. The same powder in the form of artificial blocks,prepared in the manner just explained.

4. The graphite in small solid cylinders for Mordan’spencil-cases, and other specimens of pencils for variouspurposes, especially for drawing.

Method adopted dv Mr. II. L. Pattinson, of Nkw-

castle-on-Tynk, for Separating Silver from Lead .

(480, p. 1GG.)

Most of the ores of lead contain a small proportion ofsilver, which may he obtained from them by eupellation.This operation consists in oxidising the lead, and trans-forming it into litharge, during which the silver collectsin the bed of the cupel, and remains unaltered; but itcosts so much in fuel, labour, and loss of lead, that it canonly be applied economically when the lead contains atleast 20 ounces of silver to the ton. By means of Mr.Pattinson’s method, lead containing only 3 ounces ofsilver to the ton may be cupelled with profit. This im-portant discovery in metallurgy, which dates back as faras 15 years, has been adopted during that period in va-rious lead-works in England, and within the last three orfour years has been introduced into France , Spain , andPrussia: it has, therefore, the sanction of experience,and its application has enabled some lead mines to beworked to profit which must otherwise have been ne-glected. The method is founded on the property whichbodies possess to separate from each other during crys-tallization, and become to a certain extent purer by itsintervention. It consists in fusing the argentiferous leadiu a large vessel, and when the fusion is complete, arrang-ing the temperature to the point, so that the crystalliza-tion of pure lead commences. The crystals of pure leadare then removed as soon as they are formed by a largeiron ladle pierced with holes, and the silver is concen-trated in a smaller portion of lead, becoming graduallymore and more rich, until it is by successive operationsbrought to such a state that its further separation can bemade with greatest advantage by eupellation.

The objects exhibited by Mr. Pattinsou to illustrate theprocess, include—

1. A drawing, representing the whole of an establish-ment where the work is carried on. There are here sevenadjacent pots, heated by the same furnace, in which thelead is brought to contain, by degrees, l£, 2£, 5, 10, 20,40, and even 70 to 75 ounces of silver per ton.

2. A large cake of silver obtained by eupellation fromthe enriched lead.

Manufacture of fine Sheet-iron, called Iron Paper,

from the Works of the Baron Von Kleist, at

Neudeck in Bohemia. (Austria , 424, p. 1031.)

The Baron von Kleist has exhibited a series illus-trating the various states of iron manufactured in hisworks at Xeudeck in Bohemia. It consists of iron ores,pig-iron, and several specimens of iron in bar and insheet, and tin-plate.

These products are all of excellent quality, but thatwhich has chiefly attracted the attention of the Jury, andeven of those who are most technically familiar with iron,is a particular kind of sheet-iron mentioned in the Cata-logue as “ Iron-paper,” a name completely justified bythe specimens. It is remarkable for its extreme thinness,flexibility, and strength, and is entirely without flaws.

According to Professor Tunner, the Austrian Memberof the Jury, this material is used for making buttons, butit is equally applicable for any objects that are stamped.It takes a high polisli after being worked.

This sheet-iron, of which the method of manufac-

ture is not known to the Jury, but which is altogetherpeculiar from its beauty, is an ordinary object of com-merce.

Products of the Mines and Manufactures of Zinc,exhiditei) by the Vieillk Montagne Company.*(Belgium, 2G, p. 1152.)

Thirty years ago, the uses to which zinc was appliedwere very limited, and the operations of the Vieille Mon-tagne Company have greatly assisted in extending themby the numerous applications of the metal which theyhave introduced : the earliest and most important of theseresulted from a method of rolling sheet zinc, which atfirst presented considerable difficulties. Within this; period the works of the Company have continued at thehead of the same branch of zinc industry, having iLtro-’ dueed successively into commerce, very flexible and thin' sheets, zinc stamped for a variety of uses, mouldingsmanufactured by drawing, nails and spikes of variouskinds and all sizes, wire of great flexibility and of allnumbers. They have recently employed zinc for eastingsof large size, and we may mention especially the statueexhibited of Her Majesty Queen Victoria , which, withthe pedestal cast of the same material, presents a totalheight of 21 feet.

The Vieille Montagne Company has also applied theoxide of zinc to replace white lead in house paiuting, andfor this purpose has recently opened two establishmentsfor the manufacture of the white and grey zinc ; one atAnieres , near Paris , and the other at Valentin-Coq,near Liege . The works of this Society have continuedto increase, notwithstanding the formation of several newCompanies for working calamine and blende. At thepresent time it has 80 reducing furnaces at work, andemploys 2G40 workmen. The production in 1850 was11,500 tons of zinc.

We may add, as justifying the high distinction awardedto the Vieille Montagne Company, that its zinc is of thebest quality, and that the methods of working adopteddiffer essentially from those pursued in Silesia andEngland. The objects exhibited are very numerous, aswell in the Belgian as in the French department, butit is not thought necessary to enumerate them afterhaving indicated the uses to which this Company hasapplied it; we merely repeat that they are remarkableboth for quality of material, and for excellence of work-manship.

: Purifying Apparatus of M. Berard, for separating! from Coal any foreign Substances which it maycontain, such as Pyrites or Schist. (France , 51, p.1173.)

The washing of ecal, a system introduced into France within the last three or four years,is a branch of industry ofthe highest importance, permitting the use of coal which by; its mixture with schist would not lie otherwise employed.

It may also be applied with advantage to certain coals,

| considered to be of good quality, but containing a quantifyof ash, which diminishes the value. They are purifiedby this method in such a way as to allow of the manufac-ture of a coke from these coals, not containing more thanthree or four per cent, of ash. The Great Northern Rail-way of France lias recognized the efficiency of this method,i and a considerable part of the coke which it consumes is! manufactured of washed coal: there result from its em-! ployment a marked economy of fuel, and a greater! durability of the locomotives.

1 The expenses of washing, which are considerable by: the ordinary method, are reduced to ten or twelvei centimes (about a pennv\ per metrical tonf of fuel byj means of M. Berard’s method. A very important deside-' ratum may, therefore, be considered as obtained.

The apparatus consists of three parts, viz.:—

1. An elevator, formed of an endless chain with buckets,

* These Exhibitors were also awarded a Council Medali by the Jury of Class XXII.— I. V\

j t The metrical ton is equal to 1,000 kilogrammes or! nearly an English ton. and contains 10 metrical quintals.—I.