TIN PLATE

White iron. The art of tinning iron originated in Saxony, and was first made known here by Mr. Andrew Yarran ton, about the year 1G65; but it was not till nearly a century afterwards that works were established for its production upon a large scale at Ponty pool. It is made by immersing for about one hour and a half very carefully cleaned plates of rolled iron in melted tin, by which they acquire a bright surface, and are applicable to a number of purposes for which iron plate, in consequence of the extreme facility with which it rusts, could not be used. The crystalline texture of the surface of these plates is beautifully shown by washing it over with a weak acid, and then cleaning it with an alkaline ley, and varnishing with a transparent varnish. Thus modified, it forms an ornamental article called moiree met all i que. (On the manufacture of tin plate, see Parkes's Chemical E ays.) [s. 1264]