N
Nails
Formerly all nails were made by hand or forged on the anvil, and large quantities are still produced in this manner in England and other…
Naphtha
This word is derived from the Persian (to exude), and was originally applied to an inflammable liquid hydro-carbon which exudes from the…
Native Iron
Native iron is of rare occurrence; it almost always forms part of meteoric stones. When found it is malleable, and may be worked like…
Natural Gas
Gas-springs or gas-wells through which issue combustible gases from the earth are to be found in various parts of the world. It was by this…
New Red-sandstone
The name given to a group of sandstones, generally of a red color, occurring between the carboniferous rocks and the lias, which name is…
Nickel
A white metal which, when pure, is both ductile and malleable. Its color is intermediate between that of silver and tin, and is not altered…
Nickel-plating
The art of nickel electro-plating was invented by Bottcher about 1848, and had developed into an important industry. The best kind of…
Niello-engraving
A kind of engraving of considerable antiquity. It was very much practised in the middle ages. The art consisted in drawing a design with a…
Nitric Acid
The two principal constituent parts of our atmosphere--oxygen and nitrogen gases--when in certain proportions are capable under particular…
Nitrogen
A gas discovered by Rutherford in 1772. It is extensively diffused in nature, forming about four fifths of the atmosphere, in which it…
Numbering Pig Iron
The numbers given to pig iron, as No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, etc., is simply a commercial classification in order to distinguish the various…
Nurnberg Gold
A mock gold, exactly like Manheim. See MANHEIM GOLD. Nuts in Loam-plates.--When it is desired to connect one or more plates (with the…
New Sand, Newton's Fusible Metal, Nosing & Nowel
Fresh sand from the quarries and pits, furnished to the foundries for moulding purposes. See BLACK SAND; FACING-SAND; OLD SAND. Bismuth 8…