Abstract
WE recently had occasion to notice a useful little work on practical metallurgy by Mr. Hiorns. He has now endeavoured to write a purely elementary treatise on theoretical metallurgy, adapted to the capacity of beginners. The attempt can scarcely be considered successful. In 172 pages printed in large type he deals with the whole of the wide field of metallurgy. This necessitates a very fragmentary treatment. And besides this, errors are so frequent as to render the book quite unsuited for beginners. The following examples may be cited:—The barrel method of amalgamation is stated (p. 90) to be carried on at Freiberg, where it was discontinued twenty-four years ago. One of the seven methods of producing steel is stated (p. 74) to be “by-melting raw steel in crucibles.” The Coppée coke-oven is described (p. 40) as being of the Appolt type. The coke-oven described (p. 42) as the Simon-Carvès is in reality a Carvès oven. The author appears to be ignorant of the existence of the principality of Catalonia, for the Catalan process is said (p. 54) to be carried on at “Catalan in the Pyrenees.”
A Text-book of Elementary Metallurgy for the Use of Students.
By Arthur H. Hiorns. (London: Macmillan and Co., 1888.)
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B., B. [Book Reviews]. Nature 39, 388 (1889). https://doi.org/10.1038/039388b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/039388b0