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whiter than steel, that tis beleiued there is some siluer in it
and noe Iron perhaps some steel. that tis made at Lyons in France
& noe where els. that tis Prohibited vpon /at/ the seuerest Penalty
to. That being heated
quite Red hot makes noe variation in its temper, that there
is noe way to soften it but by working. That Prince Rupert
hath tryd to make it but wthout successe. he was Desird to Informe
himself further concerning it and to bring in a larger account
in Writing.        Mr Perkins Desired to be informed . . . . . . . .
how it Rusted

Mr. Hooke gaue an account of the same. mettall that it could be both
hardned & softned by heating & quenching. that it was supposed to be
some preparation of steel, that the great vse of it was for
Drawing Gold Silver & copper wire &c that steel wire could be
Drawn through plates made here in England of steel not hardned
but that these plates were apt to frett the wire of softer mettalls
that he would make some tryall of the mettall by wch. he hoped
he might giue some more certaine account wt the metall was
which he was desired to doe -

Herevpon some discourses were occasioned About finding out some ^ /cheap/
metall that might be hard & soft & not Rust. Which would be
of good vse as well for sheathing ships as for other occasions

Mr. Hill Related that a ship was sent to muscouy about 130 years
since which was sheathed wth. Lead, but from the rusting of the
nails it was Left off. And that the rusting inconuenience of
the rusting of the copper nayles was the . . . . cause of the present
Disusing it in the Nauy.

The President mentiond that It was very disirable that the Iour
nalls of all voyages made by sea should be procured by this Soci
ety to be pervsed & wt. was considerable Extracted for vse -
as from the East India Company or from trinity house &c.

Mr. Hooke Inquiryd whether any present could giue any Informa
tion concerning a certaine English Earth very effectuall for Secu
ring copper brasse &c but none hauing before heard of it they
were desired to inform themselves further concerning it. and mr
Haughton promisd to inquire of some he thought could informe him
It was Disired by the Prest. that Mr Pits should be desired to be at the next
meeting concerning giuing in Security.
The tryalls on Tuesday next approued by mr Hooke was of Copper & Siluer.
The Prest. was Pleasd to take wth him the Diploma of mr. Leuwenhoke and freely
to Presented the Society wth. a screw presse for sealing such Diplomas

Ref: CELL/RS/HF_414  © Centre for Editing Lives and Letters