TheGovernmentactedwithpromptitude，astheywereboundtodoinsuchacase。ThebodyofJellicoewasworthnothingtothem，buttheycouldsecurethepropertyinwhichhehadfraudulentlyinvestedthepublicmoneysintrustedtohim。WiththisobjectthethemPaymasteroftheNavyproceededtomakeanaffidavitintheExchequerthatHenryCortwasindebtedtoHisMajestyinthesumof27，500L。andupwards，inrespectofmoneysbelongingtothepublictreasury，which”AdamJellicoehadatdifferenttimeslentandadvancedtothesaidHenryCort，fromwhomthesamenowremainsjustlydueandowing；andthedeponentsaithheverilybelievesthatthesaidHenryCortismuchdecayedinhiscreditandinveryembarrassedcircumstances；andthereforethedeponentverilybelievesthattheaforesaiddebtsodueandowingtoHisMajestyisingreatdangerofbeinglostifsomemorespeedymeansbenottakenfortherecoverythanbytheordinaryprocessoftheCourt。”Extraordinarymeasureswerethereforeadopted。
TheassignmentsofCort’spatents，whichhadbeenmadetoJellicoeinconsiderationofhisadvances，weretakenpossessionof；butSamuelJellicoe，thesonofthedefaulter，singulartosay，wasputinpossessionofthepropertiesatFontleyandGosport，andcontinuedtoenjoythem，toCort’sexclusion，foraperiodoffourteenyears。Itdoesnothoweverappearthatanypatentrightwaseverleviedbytheassignees，andtheresultoftheproceedingwasthatthewholebenefitofCort’sinventionswasthusmadeovertotheironmastersandtothepublic。Hadtheestatebeenproperlyhandled，andthepatentrightsdueunderthecontractsmadebytheironmasterswithCortbeendulylevied，thereislittlereasontodoubtthatthewholeofthedebtowingtotheGovernmentwouldhavebeenpaidinthecourseofafewyears。”Whenweconsider，”saysMr。Webster，”howverysimplewastheprocessofdemandingofthecontractingironmastersthepatentduewhichfortheyear1789amountedto15，000L。，in1790to15，000L。，andin1791to25，000L。，andwhichdemandmighthavebeenenforcedbythesamelegalprocessusedtoruintheinventor，itisnotdifficulttosurmisethemotiveforabstaining。”Thecase，however，wasnotsosimpleasMr。Websterputsit；fortherewassuchacontingencyasthatoftheironmasterscombiningtodisputethepatentright，andthereiseveryreasontobelievethattheywerepreparedtoadoptthatcourse。*
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ThisisconfirmedbythereportofaHouseofCommonsCommitteeonthesubjectMr。DaviesGilbertchairman，inwhichtheysay，”Yourcommitteehavenotbeenabletosatisfythemselvesthateitherofthetwoinventions，oneforsubjectingcast-irontoanoperationtermedpuddlingduringitsconversiontomalleableiron，andtheotherforpassingitthroughflutedorgroovedrollers，weresonovelintheirprincipleortheirapplicationasfairlytoentitlethepetitioners[Mr。Cort’ssurvivors]toaparliamentaryreward。”Itis，however，statedbyMr。Mushetthattheevidencewasnotfairlytakenbythecommittee——thattheywereoverbornebytheaudacityofMr。SamuelHomfray，oneofthegreatWelshironmasters，whosestatementswerealtogetheratvariancewithknownfacts——andthatitwasunderhisinfluencethatMr。Gilbertdrewupthefallaciousreportofthecommittee。TheillustriousJamesWatt，writingtoDr。Blackin1784，astotheironproducedbyCort’sprocess，said，”ThoughIcannotperfectlyagreewithyouastoitsgoodness，yetthereismuchingenuityintheideaofformingthebarsinthatmanner，whichistheonlypartofhisprocesswhichhasanypretensionstonovelty……
Mr。Corthas，asyouobserve，beenmostilliberallytreatedbythetrade：theyareignorantbrutes；butheexposedhimselftoitbyshowingthemtheprocessbeforeitwasperfect，andseeinghisignoranceofthecommonoperationsofmakingiron，laughedatanddespisedhim；yettheywillcontrivebysomedirtyevasiontousehisprocess，orsuchpartsastheylike，withoutacknowledginghiminit。
Ishallbegladtobeabletobeofanyusetohim。Wattsfellow-feelingwasnaturallyexcitedinfavouroftheplunderedinventor，hehimselfhavingallhislifebeenexposedtotheattacksoflikepiraticalassailants。
AlthoughtheCortpatentsexpiredin1796and1798respectively，theycontinuedthesubjectofpublicdiscussionforsometimeafter，moreparticularlyinconnectionwiththedefalcationsofthedeceasedAdamJellicoe。Itdoesnotappearthatmorethan2654l。wasrealisedbytheGovernmentfromtheCortestatetowardsthelosssustainedbythepublic，asabalanceof24，846l。wasstillfoundstandingtothedebitofJellicoein1800，whenthedeficienciesinthenavalaccount’sbecamematterofpublicinquiry。Afewyearslater，in1805，thesubjectwasagainrevivedinaremarkablemanner。Inthatyear，theWhigs，PerceivingthebodilydecayofMr。Pitt，andbeingtooeagertowaitforhisremovalbydeath，begantheirfamousseriesofattacksuponhisadministration。Fearingtotacklethepopularstatesmanhimself，theyinvertedtheordinarytacticsofanopposition，andfellfoulofDundas，LordMelville，thenTreasureroftheNavy，whohadsuccessfullycarriedthecountrythroughthegreatnavalwarwithrevolutionaryFrance。Theyscruplednottotaxhimwithgrosspeculation，andexhibitedarticlesofimpeachmentagainsthim，whichbecamethesubjectofelaborateinvestigation，theresultofwhichismatterofhistory。Inthosearticles，noreferencewhateverwasmadetoLordMelville’ssupposedcomplicitywithJellicoe；nor，onthetrialthatfollowed，wasanyreferencemadetothedefalcationsofthatofficial。ButwhenMr。Whitbread，onthe8thofApril，1805，spoketothe”Resolutions”intheCommonsforimpeachingtheTreasureroftheNavy，hethoughtpropertointimatethathe”hadastrongsuspicionthatJellicoewasinthesamepartnershipwithMarkSprott，AlexanderTrotter，andLordMelville。
Hehadbeensufferedtoremainapublicdebtorforawholeyearafterhewasknowntobeinarrearsupwardsof24，000L。Duringnextyear11，000L。morehadaccrued。Itwouldnothavebeenfairtohaveturnedtooshortonanoldcompanion。Itwouldperhaps，too，havebeendangerous，sinceunpleasantdiscoveriesmighthavemetthepubliceye。Itlookedverymuchasif，mutuallyconsciousofcriminality，theyhadagreedtobesilent，andkeeptheirownsecrets。”
InmakingtheseoffensiveobservationsWhitbreadwasmanifestlyactuatedbypoliticalenmity。Theywereutterlyunwarrantable。Inthefirstplace，MelvillehadbeenformallyacquittedofJellicoe’sdeficiencybyawritofPrivySeal，dated31stMay，1800；andsecondly，thecommitteeappointedinthatveryyear1805toreinvestigatethenavalaccounts，hadagainexoneratedhim，butintimatedthattheywereofopiniontherewasremissnessonhispartinallowingJellicoetoremaininhisofficeafterthediscoveryofhisdefalcations。
thereportmadebythecommissionerstotheHousesofParliamentin1805，*
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TenthReportoftheCommissionersofNavalInquiry。SeealsoReportofSelectCommitteeonthe10thNavalReport。May，1805。
thevalueofCortspatentswasestimatedatonly100L。ReferringtothescheduleofJellicoe’sallegedassets，theysay”Manyofthedebtsaremarkedasbad；andweapprehendthatthedebtfromMr。
HenryCort，notsomarked，of54，000L。andupwards，isofthatdescription。”AsforpoorbankruptHenryCort，thesediscussionsavailednothing。OnthedeathofJellicoe，helefthisironworks，feelinghimselfaruinedman。HemademanyappealstotheGovernmentofthedayforrestoralofhispatents，andofferedtofindsecurityforpaymentofthedebtduebyhisfirmtotheCrown，butinvain。In1794，anappealwasmadetoMr。PittbyanumberofinfluentialmembersofParliament，onbehalfoftheinventorandhisdestitutefamilyoftwelvechildren，whenapensionof200L。a-yearwasgrantedhim。ThisMr。Cortenjoyeduntiltheyear1800，whenhedied，brokeninhealthandspirit，inhissixtiethyear。HewasburiedinHampsteadChurchyard，whereastonemarkingthedateofhisdeathisstilltobeseen。Afewyearssinceitwasillegible，butithasrecentlybeenrestoredbyhissurvivingson。
ThoughCortthusdiedincomparativepoverty，helaidthefoundationsofmanygiganticfortunes。Hemaybesaidtohavebeeninagreatmeasuretheauthorofourmodernironaristocracy，whostillmanufactureaftertheprocesseswhichheinventedorperfected，butforwhichtheyneverpaidhimashillingofroyalty。Thesemenofgiganticfortuneshaveowedmuch——wemightalmostsayeverything——totheruinedprojectorof”thelittlemillatFontley。”Theirwealthhasenrichedmanyfamiliesoftheolderaristocracy，andhasbeenthefoundationofseveralmodernpeerages。YetHenryCort，therockfromwhichtheywerehewn，isalreadyallbutforgotten；andhissurvivingchildren，nowagedandinfirm，aredependentfortheirsupportupontheslenderpittancewrungbyrepeatedentreatyandexpostulationfromthestate。
ThecareerofRichardCrawshay，thefirstofthegreatironmasterswhohadthesensetoappreciateandadoptthemethodsofmanufacturingironinventedbyHenryCort，isanotunfittingcommentaryonthesadhistorywehavethusbrieflydescribed。Itshowshow，asrespectsmeremoney-making，shrewdnessismorepotentthaninvention，andbusinessfacultythanmanufacturingskill。
RichardCrawshaywasbornatNormantonnearLeeds，thesonofasmallYorkshirefarmer。Whenayouth，heworkedonhisfather’sfarm，andlookedforwardtooccupyingthesameconditioninlife；butadifferencewithhisfatherunsettledhismind，andattheageoffifteenhedeterminedtoleavehishome，andseekhisfortuneelsewhere。Likemostunsettledandenterprisinglads，hefirstmadeforLondon，ridingtotownonaponyofhisown，which，withtheclothesonhisback，formedhisentirefortune。Ittookhimafortnighttomakethejourney，inconsequenceofthebadnessoftheroads。ArrivedinLondon，hesoldhisponyforfifteenpounds，andthemoneykepthimuntilhesucceededinfindingemployment。HewassofortunateastobetakenupontrialbyaMr。Bicklewith，whokeptanironmonger’sshopinYorkYard，UpperThamesStreet；andhisfirstdutytherewastocleanouttheoffice，putthestoolsanddesksinorderfortheotherclerks，runerrands，andactasporterwhenoccasionrequired。YoungCrawshaywasveryattentive，industrious，andshrewd；andbecameknownintheofficeas”TheYorkshireBoy。”
Chieflybecauseofhis”cuteness，”hismasterappointedhimtothedepartmentofsellingflatirons。TheLondonwasherwomenofthatdaywereverysharpandnotveryhonest，anditusedtobesaidofthemthatwheretheyboughtoneflatirontheygenerallycontrivedtostealtwo。Mr。BicklewiththoughthecouldnotdobetterthansettheYorkshiremantowatchthewasherwomen，and，bywayofinducementtohimtobevigilant，hegaveyoungCrawshayaninterestinthatbranchofthebusiness，whichwassoonfoundtoprosperunderhischarge。
Afterafewmoreyears，Mr。Bicklewithretired，andlefttoCrawshaythecast-ironbusinessinYorkYard。Thishestillfurtherincreased，Therewasnotatthattimemuchenterpriseintheirontrade，butCrawshayendeavouredtoconnecthimselfwithwhattherewasofit。
Thepriceofironwasthenveryhigh，andthebestsortswerestillimportedfromabroad；agooddealoftheforeignironandsteelbeingstilllandedattheSteelyardontheThames，intheimmediateneighbourhoodofCrawshay’sironmongerystore。
ItseemstohaveoccurredtosomeLondoncapitaliststhatmoneywasthentobemadeintheirontrade，andthatSouthWaleswasagoodfieldforanexperiment。Thesoiltherewasknowntobefullofcoalandironstone，andseveralsmallironworkshadforsometimebeencarriedon，whichweresupposedtobedoingwell。MerthyrTydvilwasoneoftheplacesatwhichoperationshadbeenbegun，buttheplacebeingsituatedinahilldistrict，ofdifficultaccess，andthemanufacturebeingstillinaveryimperfectstate，theprogressmadewasforsometimeveryslow。Landcontainingcoalandironwasdeemedofverylittlevalue，asmaybeinferredfromthefactthatintheyear1765，Mr。AnthonyBacon，amanofmuchforesight，tookaleasefromLordTalbot，for99years，ofthemineralsunderfortysquaremilesofcountrysurroundingthetheninsignificanthamletofMerthyrTydvil，atthetriflingrentalof200L。a-year。Thereheerectedironworks，andsuppliedtheGovernmentwithconsiderablequantitiesofcannonandironfordifferentpurposes；andhavingearnedacompetency，heretiredfrombusinessin1782，sublettinghismineraltractinfourdivisions——theDowlais，thePenydarran，theCyfartha，andthePlymouthWorks，north，east，west，andsouth，ofMerthyrTydvil。
Mr。RichardCrawshaybecamethelesseeofwhatMr。Mushethascalled”theCyfarthaflitchofthegreatBacondomain。”ThereheproceededtocarryontheworksestablishedbyMr。Baconwithincreasedspirit；
hissonWilliam，whomheleftinchargeoftheironmongerystoreinLondon，supplyinghimwithcapitaltoputintotheironworksasfast。ashecouldearnitbytheretailtrade。In1787，wefindRichardCrawshaymanufacturingwithdifficultytentonsofbar-ironweekly，anditwasofaveryinferiorcharacter，*
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Mr。MushetsaysoftheearlymanufactureofironatMerthyrTydvilthat”Amodificationofthecharcoalrefinery，ahollowfire，wasworkedwithcokeasasubstituteforcharcoal，butthebar-ironhammeredfromtheproducewasveryinferior。”Thepit-coalcast-ironwasneverthelessfoundofasuperiorqualityforcastings，beingmorefusibleandmorehomogeneousthancharcoal-iron。Henceitwaswelladaptedforcannon，whichwasforsometimetheprincipalarticleofmanufactureattheWelshworks。