ons, the sooner we will get rid of the
present difficulties with our rails.

WM. R. WEBSTER.

"SPECIFICATIONS FOR STEEL RAILS.[E]

[Sidenote: Process of manufacture.]

"1. The entire process of manufacture shall be in accordance with
the best current state of the art.

"(_a_) Ingots shall be kept in a vertical position until ready to be
rolled, or until the metal in the interior has had time to solidify.

"(_b_) Bled ingots shall not be used.

[Sidenote: Chemical composition.]

"2. The chemical composition of the steel from which the rails are
rolled shall be within the following limits:

=================+============================+============================
| BESSEMER. | OPEN-HEARTH.
+-------------+--------------+-------------+--------------
|70 lbs. and | |70 lbs. and |
| over, but |85 to 100 lbs.| over, but |85 to 100 lbs.
|under 85 lbs.| inclusive. |under 85 lbs.| inclusive.
-----------------+-------------+--------------+-------------+--------------
Carbon |0.40 to 0.50 |0.45 to 0.55 |0.53 to 0.66 |0.63 to 0.76
Manganese |0.80 to 1.10 |0.80 to 1.10 |0.70 to 1.00 |0.70 to 1.00
Silicon |0.07 to 0.20 |0.07 to 0.20 |0.07 to 0.20 |0.07 to 0.20
Phosphorus, | | | |
not to exceed | 0.10 | 0.10 | 0.04 | 0.04
Sulphur, | | | |
not to exceed | 0.075| 0.075 | 0.06 | 0.06
=================+=============+==============+=============+==============

"3. When the average phosphorus content of the ingot metal used in
the Bessemer Process at any mill is below 0.08 and in the
Open-Hearth Process is below 0.03, the carbon shall be increased at
the rate of 0.035 for each 0.01 that the phosphorus content of the
ingot metal used averages below 0.08 for Bessemer steel, or 0.03 for
Open-Hearth steel.

"The percentage of carbon in an entire order of rails shall average
as high as the mean percentage between the upper and lower limits.

[Sidenote: Shearing.]

"4. The end of the bloom formed from the top of the ingot shall be
sheared until the entire face shows sound metal.

"All metal from the top of the ingot, whether made from the bloom or
the rail,