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。