I am, my dear Sir and esteemed friend, with true admiration for your talents
My dear Sir,
I am much obliged to you for the specimens of steel. They are probably the purest combinations of carbon and iron ever made, for charcoal always contains earthy and alkaline matters and sometime manganese.
There is a species of plumbago formed in the cast iron retorts used in the manufacture of gas which probably owes its existence to the same causes as those which produce your combinations. It would be a great matter if means could be devised to prevent this action, as it is the usual cause of the destruction of the retorts and is injurious to them as the sulphur in some coals.
I hope your process will be successful in practice and that it may exalt still further the superiority of our hard ware.
I am, my dear Sir,
