Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 012.djvu/125

 the waste of the Fuel and other Materials with fresh, poured in at the top.

Several attempts have been made to bring in the use of Sea-coal in these Works, instead of Charcoal; the former being to be had at an easie rate, the latter, not without great expence: but hitherto they have proved ineffectual. The Workmen finding by experience, that a Sea-coal Fire, how vehement soever, will not penetrate the most fix'd parts of the Ore, and so leaveth much of the Metal unmelted.

From these Furnaces, they bring their Sows and Pigs of Iron (as they call them) to their Forges. These are of two sorts, though standing together under the same Roof: one they call their Finery, the other, the Chasery. Both of them are open Hearths, on which they place great heaps of Sea-coal, and behind them, Bellows, like to those of the Furnaces, but nothing near so large. Into the Finery, they first put their Pigs of Iron, placing three or four of them together behind the fire, with a little of one end thrust into it. Where softening, by degrees they stir and work them with long Bars of Iron, till the Metal runs together into a round Mass or Lump, which they call a Half-Bloom. This they take out, and giving it a few strokes with their Sledges, they carry it to a great weighty Hammer, raised likewise by the motion of a Water-wheel: where applying it dexterously to the blows, they presently beat it out into a thick short square. This they put into the Finery again, and heating it red hot, they work it out under the same Hammer, till it comes into the shape of a Bar in the middle, with two square knobs in the ends. Last of all, they give it other Heatings in the Chasery, and more workings under the Hammer, till they have brought their Iron into Bars of several shapes and sizes; in which fashion they expose them to Sale.

All their Principal Iron undergoes all the forementioned preparations: yet for several purposes, as for the Backs of Chimneys, Hearths of Ovens, and the like, they have a sort of Cast-Iron; which they take out of the Receivers of the Furnace, so soon as it is melted, in great Ladles, and pour it into Moulds of fine Sand: in like manner as they cast Brass and other softer Metals: but this sort of Iron is so very brittle, that being heated, with one blow of a Hammer it breaks all to pieces.