butasfuelwasdifficulttobehadatthatplace，hedetermined，forgreaterconvenience，toremovetotheneighbourhoodofSheffield，whichhedidin1740。HefirstsettledatHandsworth，afewmilestothesouthofthattown，andtherepursuedhisinvestigationsinsecret。Unfortunately，norecordshavebeenpreservedofthemethodswhichheadoptedinovercomingthedifficultieshehadnecessarilytoencounter。Thattheymusthavebeengreatiscertain，fortheprocessofmanufacturingcast-steelofafirst-ratequalityevenatthisdayisofamostelaborateanddelicatecharacter，requiringtobecarefullywatchedinitsvariousstages。Hehadnotonlytodiscoverthefuelandfluxsuitableforhispurpose，buttobuildsuchafurnaceandmakesuchacrucibleasshouldsustainaheatmoreintensethananythenknowninmetallurgy。Ingot-mouldshadnotyetbeencast，norweretherehoopsandwedgesmadethatwouldholdthemtogether，nor，inshort，wereanyofthosematerialsathisdisposalwhicharenowsofamiliarateverymelting-furnace。
Huntsman’sexperimentsextendedovermanyyearsbeforethedesiredresultwasachieved。Longafterhisdeath，thememorialsofthenumerousfailuresthroughwhichhetoilsomelyworkedhiswaytosuccess，werebroughttolightintheshapeofmanyhundredweightsofsteel，foundburiedintheearthindifferentplacesabouthismanufactory。Fromthenumberofthesewrecksofearlyexperiments，itisclearthathehadworkedcontinuouslyuponhisgrandideaofpurifyingtherawsteeltheninuse，bymeltingitwithfluxesatanintenseheatinclosedearthencrucibles。Theburiedmasseswerefoundinvariousstagesoffailure，arisingfromimperfectmelting，breakingofcrucibles，andbadfluxes；andhadbeenhidawayassomuchspoiledsteelofwhichnothingcouldbemade。Atlasthisperseverancewasrewarded，andhisinventionperfected；andthoughahundredyearshavepassedsinceHuntsman’sdiscovery，thedescriptionoffuelcokewhichhefirstappliedforthepurposeofmeltingthesteel，andthecruciblesandfurnaceswhichheused，areforthemostpartsimilartothoseinuseatthepresentday。Althoughthemakingofcast-steelisconductedwithgreatereconomyanddexterity，owingtoincreasedexperience，itisquestionablewhetheranymakerhassincebeenabletosurpassthequalityofHuntsman’smanufacture。
Theprocessofmakingcast-steel，asinventedbyBenjaminHuntsman，maybethussummarilydescribed。Themeltingisconductedinclaypotsorcruciblesmanufacturedforthepurpose，capableofholdingabout34lbs。each。Tenortwelveofsuchcruciblesareplacedinamelting-furnacesimilartothatusedbybrassfounders；andwhenthefurnaceandpotsareatawhiteheat，towhichtheyareraisedbyacokefire，theyarechargedwithbarsteelreducedtoacertaindegreeofhardness，andbrokenintopiecesofaboutapoundeach。
Whenthepotsareallthuschargedwithsteel，lidsareplacedoverthem，thefurnaceisfilledwithcoke，andthecoverputdown。Undertheintenseheattowhichthemetalisexposed，itundergoesanapparentebullition。Whenthefurnacerequiresfeeding，theworkmentaketheopportunityofliftingthelidofeachcrucibleandjudginghowfartheprocesshasadvanced。Afteraboutthreehours’exposuretotheheat，themetalisreadyfor”teeming。”Thecompletionofthemeltingprocessisknownbythesubsidenceofallebullition，andbytheclearsurfaceofthemeltedmetal，whichisofadazzlingbrilliancylikethesunwhenlookedatwiththenakedeyeonaclearday。Thepotsarethenliftedoutoftheirplace，andtheliquidsteelispouredintoingotsoftheshapeandsizerequired。Thepotsarereplaced，filledagain，andtheprocessisrepeated；thered-hotpotsthusservingforthreesuccessivecharges，afterwhichtheyarerejectedasuseless。
WhenHuntsmanhadperfectedhisinvention，itwouldnaturallyoccurtohimthatthenewmetalmightbeemployedforotherpurposesbesidesclock-springsandpendulums。Thebusinessofclock-makingwasthenofaverylimitedcharacter，anditcouldscarcelyhavebeenworthhiswhiletopursuesoextensiveandcostlyaseriesofexperimentsmerelytosupplytherequirementsofthattrade。Itismoreprobablethatatanearlystageofhisinvestigationsheshrewdlyforesawtheextensiveusestowhichcast-steelmightbeappliedinthemanufactureoftoolsandcutleryofasuperiorkind；
andweaccordinglyfindhimearlyendeavouringtopersuadethemanufacturersofSheffieldtoemployitinthemanufactureofknivesandrazors。Butthecutlersobstinatelyrefusedtoworkamaterialsomuchharderthanthatwhichtheyhadbeenaccustomedtouse；andforatimehegaveupallhopesofcreatingademandinthatquarter。
Foiledinhisendeavourstosellhissteelathome，Huntsmanturnedhisattentiontoforeignmarkets；andhesoonfoundhecouldreadilysellabroadallthathecouldmake。Themeritofemployingcast-steelforgeneralpurposesbelongstotheFrench，alwayssoquicktoappreciatetheadvantagesofanynewdiscovery，andforatimethewholeofthecast-steelthatHuntsmancouldmanufacturewasexportedtoFrance。Whenhehadfairlyestablishedhisbusinesswiththatcountry，theSheffieldcutlersbecamealarmedatthereputationwhichcast-steelwasacquiringabroad；andwhentheyheardofthepreferencedisplayedbyEnglishaswellasFrenchconsumersforthecutlerymanufacturedofthatmetal，theyreadilyapprehendedtheseriousconsequencesthatmustnecessarilyresulttotheirowntradeifcast-steelcameintogeneraluse。TheythenappointedadeputationtowaituponSirGeorgeSavile，oneofthemembersforthecountyofYork，andrequestedhimtousehisinfluencewiththegovernmenttoobtainanordertoprohibittheexportationofcast-steel。ButonlearningfromthedeputationthattheSheffieldmanufacturersthemselveswouldnotmakeuseofthenewsteel，hepositivelydeclinedtocomplywiththeirrequest。Itwasindeedfortunatefortheinterestsofthetownthattheobjectofthedeputationwasdefeated，foratthattimeMr。HuntsmanhadverypressingandfavourableoffersfromsomespiritedmanufacturersinBirminghamtoremovehisfurnacestothatplace；anditisextremelyprobablethathadthebusinessofcast-steelmakingbecomeestablishedthere，oneofthemostimportantandlucrativebranchesofitstradewouldhavebeenlosttothetownofSheffield。
TheSheffieldmakerswerethereforeunderthenecessityofusingthecast-steel，iftheywouldretaintheirtradeincutleryagainstFrance；andHuntsman’shometraderapidlyincreased。AndthenbegantheeffortsoftheSheffieldmentowresthissecretfromhim。ForHuntsmanhadnottakenoutanypatentforhisinvention，hisonlyprotectionbeinginpreservinghisprocessasmuchamysteryaspossible。Alltheworkmenemployedbyhimwerepledgedtoinviolablesecrecy；strangerswerecarefullyexcludedfromtheworks；andthewholeofthesteelmadewasmeltedduringthenight。ThereweremanyspeculationsabroadastoHuntsman’sprocess。Itwasgenerallybelievedthathissecretconsistedinthefluxwhichheemployedtomakethemetalmeltmorereadily；anditleakedoutamongsttheworkmenthatheusedbrokenbottlesforthepurpose。Someofthemanufacturers，whobypryingandbribinggotaninklingoftheprocess，followedHuntsmanimplicitlyinthisrespect；andtheywouldnotallowtheirownworkmentofluxthepotslesttheyalsoshouldobtainpossessionofthesecret。Butitturnedouteventuallythatnosuchfluxwasnecessary，andthepracticehaslongsincebeendiscontinued。AFrenchmannamedJars，frequentlyquotedbyLePlayinhisaccountofthemanufactureofsteelinYorkshire，*
[footnote……
AnnalesdesMines，vols。iii。andix。，4thSeries。
paidavisittoSheffieldtowardstheendoflastcentury，anddescribedtheprocesssofarashewaspermittedtoexamineit。
Accordingtohisstatementallkindsoffragmentsofbrokensteelwereused；butthisiscorrectedbyLePlay，whostatesthatonlythebestbarsteelmanufacturedofDannemoraironwasemployed。Jarsaddsthat”thesteelisputintothecruciblewithAFLUX，thecompositionofwhichiskeptsecret；”andhestatesthatthetimethenoccupiedintheconversionwasfivehours。
ItissaidthatthepersonwhofirstsucceededincopyingHuntsman’sprocesswasanironfoundernamedWalker，whocarriedonhisbusinessatGreensidenearSheffield，anditwascertainlytherethatthemakingofcast-steelwasnextbegun。Walkeradoptedthe”ruse”ofdisguisinghimselfasatramp，and，feigninggreatdistressandabjectpoverty，heappearedshiveringatthedoorofHuntsman’sfoundrylateonenightwhentheworkmenwereabouttobegintheirlaboursatsteel-casting，andaskedforadmissiontowarmhimselfbythefurnacefire。Theworkmen’sheartsweremoved，andtheypermittedhimtoenter。WehavetheabovefactsfromthedescendantsoftheHuntsmanfamily；butweaddthetraditionalstorypreservedintheneighbourhood，asgiveninawell-knownbookonmetallurgy：——”Onecoldwinter’snight，whilethesnowwasfallinginheavyflakes，andthemanufactorythrewitsredglaredlightovertheneighbourhood，apersonofthemostabjectappearancepresentedhimselfattheentrance，prayingforpermissiontosharethewarmthandshelterwhichitafforded。Thehumaneworkmenfoundtheappealirresistible，andtheapparentbeggarwaspermittedtotakeuphisquartersinawarmcornerofthebuilding。Acarefulscrutinywouldhavediscoveredlittlerealsleepinthedrowsinesswhichseemedtoovertakethestranger；forheeagerlywatchedeverymovementoftheworkmenwhiletheywentthroughtheoperationsofthenewlydiscoveredprocess。Heobserved，firstofall，thatbarsofblisteredsteelwerebrokenintosmallpieces，twoorthreeinchesinlength，andplacedincruciblesoffireclay。Whennearlyfull，alittlegreenglassbrokenintosmallfragmentswasspreadoverthetop，andthewholecoveredoverwithaclosely-fittingcover。Thecrucibleswerethenplacedinafurnacepreviouslypreparedforthem，andafteralapseoffromthreetofourhours，duringwhichthecrucibleswereexaminedfromtimetotimetoseethatthemetalwasthoroughlymeltedandincorporated，theworkmenproceededtoliftthecruciblefromitsplaceonthefurnacebymeansoftongs，anditsmoltencontents，blazing，sparkling，andspurting，werepouredintoamouldofcast-ironpreviouslyprepared：hereitwassufferedtocool，whilethecrucibleswereagainfilled，andtheprocessrepeated。Whencool，themouldwasunscrewed，andabarofcast-steelpresenteditself，whichonlyrequiredtheaidofthehammermantoformafinishedbarofcast-steel。Howtheunauthorizedspectatoroftheseoperationseffectedhisescapewithoutdetectiontraditiondoesnotsay；butittellsusthat，beforemanymonthshadpassed，theHuntsmanmanufactorywasnottheonlyonewherecast-steelwasproduced。”*
[footnote……
TheUsefulMetalsandtheirAlloysp。348，anexcellentlittlework，inwhichtheprocessofcast-steelmakingwillbefoundfullydescribed。
Howeverthefactsmaybe，thediscoveryoftheelderHuntsmanprovedofthegreatestadvantagetoSheffield；forthereisscarcelyacivilizedcountrywhereSheffieldsteelisnotlargelyused，eitherinitsmosthighlyfinishedformsofcutlery，orastherawmaterialforsomehomemanufacture。InthemeantimethedemandforHuntsman’ssteelsteadilyincreased，andinl770，forthepurposeofobtaininggreaterscopeforhisoperations，heremovedtoalargenewmanufactorywhichheerectedatAttercliffe，alittletothenorthofSheffield，moreconvenientlysituatedforbusinesspurposes。Therehecontinuedtoflourishforsixyearsmore，makingsteelandpractisingbenevolence；for，liketheDarbysandReynoldsesofCoalbrookdale，hewasaworthyandhighlyrespectedmemberoftheSocietyofFriends。
Hewaswellversedinthescienceofhisday，andskilledinchemistry，whichdoubtlessprovedofgreatadvantagetohiminpursuinghisexperimentsinmetallurgy。*
[footnote……
WeareinformedthatamirrorisstillpreservedatAttercliffe，madebyHuntsmaninthedaysofhisearlyexperiments。
Thathewaspossessedofgreatperseverancewillbeobviousfromthedifficultiesheencounteredandovercameinperfectinghisvaluableinvention。Hewas，however，likemanypersonsofstrongoriginalcharacter，eccentricinhishabitsandreservedinhismanner。TheRoyalSocietywishedtoenrolhimasamemberinacknowledgmentofthehighmeritofhisdiscoveryofcast-steel，aswellasbecauseofhisskillinpracticalchemistry；butasthiswouldhavedrawnhiminsomemeasurefromhisseclusion，andwasalso，asheimagined，opposedtotheprinciplesoftheSocietytowhichhebelonged，hedeclinedthehonour。Mr。Huntsmandiedin1776，inhisseventy-secondyear，andwasburiedinthechurchyardatAttercliffe，whereagravestonewithaninscriptionmarkshisresting-place。
Hissoncontinuedtocarryonthebusiness，andlargelyextendeditsoperations。TheHuntsmanmarkbecameknownthroughoutthecivilisedworld。LePlaytheFrenchProfessorofMetallurgy，inhisMemoireof1846，stillspeaksofthecast-steelbearingthemarkof”HuntsmanandMarshall”asthebestthatismade，andheadds，”thebuyerofthisarticle，whopaysahigherpriceforitthanforothersorts，isnotactingmerelyintheblindspiritofroutine，butpaysalogicalandwell-deservedhomagetoallthematerialandmoralqualitiesofwhichthetrueHuntsmanmarkhasbeentheguaranteeforacentury。”*
[footnote……
AnnalesdesMines，vol。ix。，4thSeries，266。