A French Company, La Société Française Anonyme de Nickel, briefly referred to in connection with the Applied Science Exhibition, Paris, are endeavouring to supersede the nickelisation of brass and copper by the use of solid nickel bronze, which is thus obtained. The ore, _garnierite_, extensive deposits of which exist in New Caledonia, the French penal settlement, is worked by Messrs. John Higginson and Co., of Noumea, the _concessionaires_. It is by them subjected to a roasting on preliminary fusion, which forms a regulus, containing from 60 to 70 per cent. of metallic nickel. This substance is shipped to the works of the company at Septemes, near Marseilles, where it is smelted into ingots and granule, containing 99½ per cent, of pure nickel, and ¼ per cent, of utilisable metallic substances. The extent of the mineral deposits in New Caledonia, the reduction in the cost of freight owing to the concentration of metal through the preliminary fusion, and the economy effected by the new methods of reduction devised by M. Jules Garnier, enable the company to sell the pure metal at about one-half the price it obtained three years ago. For a long time past, efforts have been made to work nickel, but without success, until the present year, because it was found too brittle; now, however, pure nickel has been rolled and forged; cups, knives, and other articles have been formed of it. As a rule, the pure nickel is formed by the founder with various proportions of copper, zinc, and tin, according to circumstance, to form nickel bronze; but at least 20 per cent. of nickel is required to secure inoxidisability, and to give the desired tint. All articles that are now made of brass or copper nickelised may be produced in solid white nickel bronze, by the same processes, and with the same plant, and at practically the same cost; they are also 20 per cent. stronger, so that in many cases they may be made so much lighter. The great strength and the property of non-oxidisation render this alloy eminently suitable for mathematical and musical instruments. A small quantity of nickel added to steel increases its hardness, and renders it inoxidisable, while edge-tools made of the alloy stand better than those of ordinary steel. A nickel bell metal is also found to give good results. The Paris Exhibition of 1878 proved the action of a totally new system of metallurgy in connection with this beautiful metal, and that of 1879 showed its practical introduction into most branches of manufacturing industry.—_Journal of the Society of Arts._ TO CORRESPONDENTS. All communications intended for the Editors should be addressed to them at 22, Grosvenor Street, Grosvenor Square. All inquiries respecting Advertisements and Subscriptions should be sent to GEORGE BUTCHER, 4, Crane Court, Fleet Street, E.C. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES