——themeansnothavingyetbeendevisedatCyfarthaformalleableizingthepit-coalcast-ironwitheconomyorgoodeffect。
YetCrawshayfoundareadymarketforalltheironhecouldmake，andheissaidtohavecountedthegainsoftheforge-hammerclosebyhishouseattherateofapennyastroke。Incourseoftimehefounditnecessarytoerectnewfurnaces，and，havingadoptedtheprocessesinventedbyHenryCort，hewastherebyenabledgreatlytoincreasetheproductionofhisforges，untilin1812wefindhimstatingtoacommitteeoftheHouseofCommonsthathewasmakingtenthousandtonsofbar-ironyearly，oranaverageproduceoftwohundredtonsaweek。Butthisquantity，greatthoughitwas，hassincebeenlargelyincreased，thetotalproduceoftheCrawshayfurnacesofCyfartha，Ynysfach，andKirwan，beingupwardsof50，000tonsofbar-ironyearly。
ThedistanceofMerthyrfromCardiff，thenearestport，beingconsiderable，andthecostofcarriagebeingverygreatbyreasonofthebadnessoftheroads，Mr。CrawshaysethimselftoovercomethisgreatimpedimenttotheprosperityoftheMerthyrTydvildistrict；
and，inconjunctionwithMr。HomfrayofthePenydarranWorks，heplannedandconstructedthecanal*
[footnote……
ItmaybeworthyofnotethatthefirstlocomotiverunuponarailroadwasthatconstructedbyTrevithickforMr。Homfrayin1803，whichwasemployedtobringdownmetalfromthefurnacestotheOldForge。Theenginewastakenofftheroadbecausethetram-plateswerefoundtooweaktobearitsweightwithoutbreaking。
toCardiff，theopeningofwhich，in1795，gaveanimmenseimpetustotheirontradeoftheneighbourhood。Numerousotherextensiveironworksbecameestablishedthere，untilMerthyrTydvilattainedthereputationofbeingatoncetherichestandthedirtiestdistrictinallBritain。Mr。CrawshaybecameknowninthewestofEnglandasthe”IronKing，”andwasquotedasthehighestauthorityinallquestionsrelatingtothetrade。Mr。GeorgeCrawshay，recentlydescribingthefounderofthefamilyatasocialmeetingatNewcastle，said，——”Inthesedaysanamelikeoursislostintheinfinityofgreatmanufacturingfirmswhichexistthroughouttheland；butinthoseearlytimesthemanwhoopenedouttheirondistrictofWalesstooduponaneminenceseenbyalltheworld。Itispreservedinthetraditionsofthefamilythatwhenthe’IronKing’usedtodrivefromhomeinhiscoach-and-fourintoWales，allthecountryturnedouttoseehim，andquiteacommotiontookplacewhenhepassedthroughBristolonhiswaytotheworks。Mygreatgrandfatherwassucceededbyhisson，andbyhisgrandson；theCrawshayshavefollowedoneanotherforfourgenerationsintheirontradeinWales，andtheretheystillstandattheheadofthetrade。”TheoccasiononwhichthesewordswereutteredwasataChristmasparty，giventothemen，about1300innumber，employedattheironworksofMessrs。Hawks，Crawshay，andCo。，atNewcastle-upon-Tyne。Theseworkswerefoundedin1754byWilliamHawks，ablacksmith，whoseprincipaltradeconsistedinmakingclaw-hammersforjoiners。Hebecameathrivingman，andeventuallyalargemanufacturerofbar-iron。Partnersjoinedhim，andinthecourseofthechangeswroughtbytime，oneoftheCrawshays，in1842，becameaprincipalpartnerinthefirm。
Illustrationsofalikekindmightbemultipliedtoanyextent，showingthegrowthinourowntimeofanironaristocracyofgreatwealthandinfluence，theresultmainlyofthesuccessfulworkingoftheinventionsoftheunfortunateandunrequitedHenryCort。HehasbeentheveryTubalCainofEngland——oneoftheprincipalfoundersofourironage。Tohimwemainlyowetheabundanceofwrought-ironformachinery，forsteam-engines，andforrailways，atone-thirdthepricewewerebeforeaccustomedtopaytotheforeigner。Wehavebyhisinvention，notonlyceasedtobedependentuponothernationsforoursupplyofironfortools，implements，andarms，butwehavebecomethegreatestexportersofiron，producingmorethanallotherEuropeancountriescombined。IntheopinionofMr。FairbairnofManchester，theinventionsofHenryCorthavealreadyaddedsixhundredmillionssterlingtothewealthofthekingdom，whiletheyhavegivenemploymenttosomesixhundredthousandworkingpeopleduringthreegenerations。Andwhilethegreatironmasters，byfreelyavailingthemselvesofhisinventions，havebeenaddingestatetoestate，theonlyestatesecuredbyHenryCortwasthelittledomainofsixfeetbytwoinwhichheliesinterredinHampsteadChurchyard。
CHAPTERVIII。
THESCOTCHIRONMANUFACTURE-Dr。ROEBUCKDAVIDMUSHET。”Werepublicbenefactorstobeallowedtopassaway，likehewersofwoodanddrawersofwater，withoutcommemoration，geniusandenterprisewouldbedeprivedoftheirmostcoveteddistinction。”——SirHenryEnglefield。
TheaccountgivenofDr。RoebuckinaCyclopediaofBiography，recentlypublishedinGlasgow，runsasfollows：——”Roebuck，John，aphysicianandexperimentalchemist，bornatSheffield，1718；died，afterruininghimselfbyhisprojects，1794。Suchistheshortshriftwhichthemanreceiveswhofails。HadDr。Roebuckwhollysucceededinhisprojects，hewouldprobablyhavebeenesteemedasamongthegreatestofScotland’sbenefactors。Yethislifewasnotaltogetherafailure，aswethinkwillsufficientlyappearfromthefollowingbriefaccountofhislabours：——
Atthebeginningoflastcentury，JohnRoebuck’sfathercarriedonthemanufactureofcutleryatSheffield，*
[footnote……
Dr。Roebuck’sgrandson，JohnArthurRoebuck，byasingularcoincidence，atpresentrepresentsSheffieldintheBritishParliament。
inthecourseofwhichherealizedacompetency。Heintendedhissontofollowhisownbusiness，buttheyouthwasirresistiblyattractedtoscientificpursuits，inwhichhisfatherliberallyencouragedhim；
andhewasplacedfirstunderthecareofDr。Doddridge，atNorthampton，andafterwardsattheUniversityofEdinburgh，whereheappliedhimselftothestudyofmedicine，andespeciallyofchemistry，whichwasthenattractingconsiderableattentionattheprincipalseatsoflearninginScotland。WhileresidingatEdinburghyoungRoebuckcontractedmanyintimatefriendshipswithmenwhoafterwardsbecameeminentinliterature，suchasHumeandRobertsonthehistorians，andthecircumstanceissupposedtohavecontributednotalittletohispartialityinfavourofScotland，andhisafterwardsselectingitasthefieldforhisindustrialoperations。
AftergraduatingasaphysicianatLeyden，RoebuckreturnedtoEngland，andsettledatBirminghamintheyear1745forthepurposeofpractisinghisprofession。Birminghamwasthenaprincipalseatofthemetalmanufacture，anditsmechanicswerereputedtobeamongthemostskilledinBritain。Dr。Roebuck’sattentionwasearlydrawntothescarcityanddearnessofthematerialinwhichthemechanicsworked，andhesoughtbyexperimenttodevisesomemethodofsmeltingironotherwisethanbymeansofcharcoal。Hehadalaboratoryfittedupinhishouseforthepurposeofprosecutinghisinquiries，andtherehespenteveryminutethathecouldsparefromhisprofessionallabours。Itwasthusthatheinventedtheprocessofsmeltingironbymeansofpit-coalwhichheafterwardsembodiedinthepatenthereaftertobereferredto。Atthesametimeheinventednewmethodsofrefininggoldandsilver，andofemployingtheminthearts，whichprovedofgreatpracticalvaluetotheBirminghamtrades-men，whomadeextensiveuseofthemintheirvariousprocessesofmanufacture。
Dr。Roebuck’sinquirieshadanalmostexclusivelypracticaldirection，andinpursuingthemhismainobjectwastorenderthemsubservienttotheimprovementoftheindustrialarts。ThushesoughttodevisemoreeconomicalmethodsofproducingthevariouschemicalsusedintheBirminghamtrade，suchasammonia，sublimate，andseveraloftheacids；andhissuccesswassuchastoinducehimtoerectalargelaboratoryfortheirmanufacture，whichwasconductedwithcompletesuccessbyhisfriendMr。Garbett。Amonghisinventionsofthischaracter，wasthemodernprocessofmanufacturingvitriolicacidinleadenvesselsinlargequantities，insteadofinglassvesselsinsmallquantitiesasformerlypractised。Hissuccessledhimtoconsidertheprojectofestablishingamanufactoryforthepurposeofproducingoilofvitriolonalargescale；and，havinggivenuphispracticeasaphysician，heresolved，withhispartnerMr。Garbett，toestablishtheproposedworksintheneighbourhoodofEdinburgh。HeremovedtoScotlandwiththatobject，andbeganthemanufactureofvitriolatPrestonpansintheyear1749。Theenterpriseprovedeminentlylucrative，and，encouragedbyhissuccess，Roebuckproceededtostrikeoutnewbranchesofmanufacture。
Hestartedapotteryformakingwhiteandbrownware，whicheventuallybecameestablished，andthemanufactureexistsinthesameneighbourhoodtothisday。
Thenextenterpriseinwhichhebecameengagedwasoneofstillgreaterimportance，thoughitprovedeminentlyunfortunateinitsresultsasconcernedhimself。WhilelivingatPrestonpans，hemadethefriendshipofMr。WilliamCadell，ofCockenzie，agentlemanwhohadforsometimebeenearnestlyintentondevelopingtheindustryofScotland，theninaverybackwardcondition。Mr。Cadellhadtried，withoutsuccess，toestablishamanufactoryofiron；and，thoughhehadheretoforefailed，hehopedthatwiththeaidofDr。Roebuckhemightyetsucceed。TheDoctorlistenedtohissuggestionswithinterest，andembracedtheproposedenterprisewithzeal。Heimmediatelyproceededtoorganizeacompany，inwhichhewasjoinedbyanumberofhisfriendsandrelatives。Hisnextstepwastoselectasitefortheintendedworks，andmakethenecessaryarrangementsforbeginningthemanufactureofiron。AftercarefullyexaminingthecountryonbothsidesoftheForth，heatlengthmadechoiceofasiteonthebanksoftheriverCarron，inStirlingshire，wheretherewasanabundantsupplyofwafer，andaninexhaustiblesupplyofiron，coal，andlimestoneintheimmediateneighbourhood，andthereDr。
RoebuckplantedthefirstironworksinScotland，Inordertocarrythemonwiththebestchancesofsuccess，hebroughtalargenumberofskilledworkmenfromEngland，whoformedanucleusofindustryatCarron，wheretheirexampleandimprovedmethodsofworkingservedtotrainthenativelabourersintheirart。
Atasubsequentperiod，Mr。Cadell，ofCarronpark，alsobroughtanumberofskilledEnglishnail-makersintoScotland，andsettledtheminthevillageofCamelon，where，byteachingothers，thebusinesshasbecomehandeddowntothepresentday。
ThefirstfurnacewasblownatCarrononthefirstdayofJanuary，1760；andinthecourseofthesameyeartheCarronIronWorksturnedout1500tonsofiron，thenthewholeannualproduceofScotland。
Otherfurnaceswereshortlyaftererectedonimprovedplans，andtheproductionsteadilyincreased。Dr。Roebuckwasindefatigableinhisendeavourstoimprovethemanufacture，andhewasoneofthefirst，aswehavesaid，torevivetheuseofpit-coalinrefiningtheore，asappearsfromhispatentof1762。Hetheredescribeshisnewprocessasfollows：——”Imeltpigoranykindofcast-ironinahearthheatedwithpit-coalbytheblastofbellows，andworkthemetaluntilitisreducedtonature，whichItakeoutofthefireandseparatetopieces；thenItakethemetalthusreducedtonatureandexposeittotheactionofahollowpit-coalfire，heatedbytheblastofbellows，untilitisreducedtoaloop，whichIdrawoutunderacommonforgehammerintobar-iron。”Thismethodofmanufacturewasfollowedwithsuccess，thoughforsometime，asindeedtothisday，theprincipalproductionoftheCarronWorkswascastings，forwhichthepeculiarqualityoftheScotchironadmirablyadaptsit。Thewell-knownCarronades，*
[footnote……
ThecarronadewasinventedbyGeneralRobertMelville[Mr。NasmythsaysitwasbyMillerofDalswinton]，whoproposeditfordischarging68lb，shotwithlowchargesofpowder，inordertoproducetheincreasedsplinteringorSMASHINGeffectswhichwereknowntoresultfromsuchpractice。ThefirstpieceofthekindwascastattheCarronFoundry，in1779，andGeneralMelville’sfamilyhavenowintheirpossessionasmallmodelofthisgun，withtheinscription：——”GiftoftheCarronCompanytoLieutenant-generalMelville，inventorofthesmashersandlessercarronades，forsolid，ship，shell，andcarcassshot，&c。FirstusedagainstFrenchshipsin1779。”