Made In ... Syria

[RichardB]

Steel was generally imported from Germany, until a person named Huntsman, of Attercliffe, near Sheffield, in or about the year 1770, invented introduced cast steel with complete success, and was for some lime the only noted manufacturer of an article, which, bearing his name is still held in estimation; his success gave rise to competition - large works were established at Rotheram for the refining of steel.

This invention, though new in this country, appears to have been known to the ancients, for the celebrated wootz or Indian steel, is a kind of cast steel; and from an obscure passage in Aristotle he appears to allude to such a substance.

The superior qualities of cast steel have led to its extensive substitute for bar or sheer steel, in the manufacture of cutting instruments, and various other articles, so that Sheffield, where this article is made has not only become by far the largest laboratory and emporium in the world for cast steel; but, in consequence of its being the seat the cutlery and edge tool trades, the facilities for experiment and adaptation on the spot, have enabled the Sheffield steel makers to surpass all others in perfection; for it is a remarkable fact, that this very town, which was formerly indebted to Syria for the steel used in its cutlery, now exports a material of its own manufacture to the Austrian forges and other places on the continent of Europe.

http://books.google.com/books?id=Lz0EAAAAQAAJ&dq=prostitution%20sheffield&pg=PA170#v=onepage&q=sheffield&f=false (Page 170)