THE IRON SAND EXPERIMENTS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4846, 3 October 1876, Page 3

THE IRON SAND EXPERIMENTS.

(prom a correspondent.) New Plymouth, September 24. The excitement of the week has been iron sand. On the failure of Mr, Whattonin bis experiment with the Titanic Company’s furnace to produce metal from the iron sand, Mr. E. M. Smith delivered a lecture on the subject of iron sand smelting, referring particularly to the unsuccessful trial just then concluded. He gave his opinion as to the reason of the failure, and made it tolerably clear to all that he considered himself fully equal to the task of successfully solving the iron-sand problem, if only he was allowed the use of, the company’s plant and a fair trial. In his usually enthusiastic style he took the matter up. _A sum of money was subscribed, and Mr. Smith started for Wellington on what even most of the subscribers thought to be a forlorn hope. In due course however he returned, having got the directors of the Titanic Company to sanction tho spending of .£3OO, and giving Smith the use of the furnace on condition of his getting a substantial guarantee that the furnace should be returned in as good condition as received. Considering that it was through Smith the company got Government to transfer the land which all the shareholders had longed for, it was thought most unreasonable that such a guarantee should he required!

The agreement sent for signature was of i most stringent character. A guarantee committee was however formed, and the furnacf was handed over .and .got ready, , the committe( in the meantime having, endeavored to get th< agreement modified. On Mr. D. Anderson’: (chairman of directors) arrival last Wednesday, it was hoped he would be. prepared tc sanction the proposed alterations in the agreement. He would not, however, abate one jol —that or nothing the committee would have to, be bound by. Hard as were the terms, the order was given to blow in the furnace, and on Thursday the fires were lighted for the trial. On Friday morning, about half-past one, the process of charging was commenced, and at a quarter past eight o’clock the blast was put on gently. The charges consisted of Smith’s patent compound bricks of prepared ore, beach stone, quick lime, and fuel (charcoal and wood). It was calculated that the charges would travel downwards at the rate of one foot per hour, the furnace being thirty-five feet. During Friday and Friday night large numbers of, persons went from town to the works. All, sorts of absurd rumors were set afloat. It was generally believed the experiment would prove a failure. The hearth was opened between 5 and 6 o’clock on Friday night. Everything appeared to be right, but there was no appearance of either molten slag, or , iron. Mr. Whatton had been taken on by Smith as furnace--keeper for one shift, and about tour o’clock oh Saturday morning he had come to the conclusion that it was all up, andadvisedfchat the furnace should be blown out to prevent gobbing. Mr. D. Atkinson and others thought differently, and on his suggestion a stronger blast was put on, and an alteration made in the charges. As the first tapping had been so long delayed, little hope was generally felt that any good would come of the trial. About half-past one o’clock, however, on Saturday two horsemen came galloping to town with the news that about half a ton of iron had been run from the furnace. All who could possibly spare the time rushed off to the works. Specimens were soon brought to town. The next tapping was expected to take place about twelve at night. The extra force of blast and other slight alterations appeared to bring the metal down quicker, and at eight o’clock the furnace was again tapped for metal with a better result than at first. The slag had run tolerably free, though rather stiff, from directly after the first tapping. Messrs. Smith and Atkinson remained on the works from the time' the furnace fire was lighted. Mr. Blanchard, a furnace-keeper under Mr. Whatton, also engaged by Smith, stuck steadfastly at work for thirty-six hours. After the first tapping, and being satisfied that all was going well, he went home for a rest, intending to turn to again at six o’clock this (Sunday) morning. After the. second tapping the entrance to the furnace was attended to in the usual manner, and the greatest confidence was felt that all trouble in regard to smelting the iron sand was past, and that each tapping would increase the quantity of metal. About nine o’clock it was noticed that the slag had not started to nm, but little heed was taken. It was expected a few minutes would see it flowing. As it did not show by ten o’clock,' endeavors were made to start,,it. Bars and sledgehammers had to be set, to work, for it was found that the slag was caked hard en top of the dam stone. Under Mr. Smith’s direction vigorous efforts were then made to breakthrough the. wall of slag. For several hours the sledging and bar process continued. Shareholders and a large number of onlookers felt glum. The knowing ones amongst the crowd said it was all up—the furnace was gobbed. All sorts of expedients were tried. Mr. Blanchard, who is about the only thoroughly capable furnace keeper amongst the workmen (he having lately come out from England) was sent for, and with others set to work. Fears were entertained that the charge would have to be drawn, but - by about four o’clock the caked mass of slag was broken through, and with a puff the furnace cleared itself of a mass of molten metal and slag. The furnace was . refettled; and very soon everything was going along all right. The: slag from the beach stone being found to be too stiff was discarded; and instead of it a quantity of common clay bricks was thrown into the furnace with the changes of ore. That alteration was made about five o'clock on Saturday morning.) About eleven o’clock this morning (Sunday) the slag was found to be running freer than before. The common clay was beginning to have effect. A large crowd of onlookers was, assembled in the castinghouse. For a long time Mr. Anderson was present. Mr. B. Chilman stood out the experiment. . The slag running so free, and the furnace on being opened showing all right, hopes of success iran high; . Finally the metal showed itself on bars inserted in the crucible through the slag hole. Although the crucible of the furnace was not full, it was decided to tap for metal -' The result was awaited anxiously. The trough along which, the metil should run to the moulds was cleaned out, arid a stopper inserted so as to ensure the running of at least three pigs, of metal if .possible. In a very short time after Mr. Blanchard had been applying a bar to the tapping hole, he was- noticed to skjp on one side lively. The metal was running. For a few seconds there was no sound from the crowd present. Themetalcamealongm a strong broad stream, quickly filling the three first moulds,. and it was found necessary to move the. stopper - further back. There was now; great excitement, and short sharp cheers were given. Eleven bars, the size of ordinary pig iron, was the-result of the tapping, besides which there was a long broad channel of iron extending from the furnace to . where ; the moulds had been made. At a rough guess there would be a ton -of iron that -cast. - The experiment was voted to be a thorough success. Messrs. Smith, Atkinson, Blanchard, and all who were properly qualified to give an opinion, were thoroughly satisfied. The guarantee committee, on * the metal being run the second time, being.'themselves satisfied that the experiment had proved that Mr. E. M. Smith had successfully overcome the main difficulty—he had shown that the iron sand could be smelted—desired to hand over the works to Mr. Anderson. • He, however, refused to take charge on Saturday, and it had been partly agreed to order the furnace to be blown out. A meeting of the guarantee committee will be held to-morrow (Monday), when probably the order will be given to blow out, unless the directors take charge and continue the work. Mr. Smith would like to go on as long as fuel lasts. The success of the smelting to-day has set all doubts at rest. With Smith’s compound bricks and practical furnacemen any quantity of metal can be made; and from the experience latterly gained, there is not the shadow of a doubt in the minds of those capable of judging but what the steel will be produced so as to pay- ~ "