The first experiments were tried with metals that were known to contain gold and silver. From these, by Mr. Brice's process, eighty-four per cent of the gold was recovered and fifty-six per cent of the silver.
They then tried to make gold from minerals that were free from the precious metals, but this experiment failed; no gold resulted.
In making their report of the attempts to make gold, the committee pronounced them failures.
They said, first, that in the attempt to extract gold from metals known to contain gold and silver, Mr. Brice's
process had only extracted a portion of this metal.
Second, that the claim of making gold was entirely without foundation.
Mr. Brice replied to this, by complaining that the commission did not follow his formula.
He declared that certain chemicals had been used which he had expressly stated would ruin his process if added to his formula. He said that the commission had also declined to use a certain apparatus which he insisted was absolutely necessary to obtain the desired results.
Mr. Brice says he will go to England and try his experiments there, and offer Great Britain the wonderful secret which the United States has refused.