or”Smashers,”astheywerenamed,werecastinlargenumbersattheCarronWorks。Toincreasethepowerofhisblowingapparatus,Dr。RoebuckcalledtohisaidthecelebratedMr。Smeaton,theengineer,whocontrivedanderectedforhimatCarronthemostperfectapparatusofthekindtheninexistence。Itmayalsobeadded,thatoutoftheCarronenterprise,inagreatmeasure,sprangtheForthandClydeCanal,thefirstartificialnavigationinScotland。TheCarronCompany,withaviewtosecuringanimprovedcommunicationwithGlasgow,themselvessurveyedaline,whichwasonlygivenupinconsequenceofthedeterminedoppositionofthelandowners;buttheprojectwasagainrevivedthroughtheirmeans,andwaseventuallycarriedoutafterthedesignsofSmeatonandBrindley。
WhiletheCarronfoundrywaspursuingacareerofsafeprosperity,Dr。Roebuck’senterpriseledhimtoembarkincoal-mining,withtheobjectofsecuringanimprovedsupplyoffuelfortheironworks。HebecamethelesseeoftheDukeofHamilton’sextensivecoal-minesatBoroughstoness,aswellasofthesalt-panswhichwereconnectedwiththem。ThemansionofKinneilwentwiththelease,andthereDr。
Roebuckandhisfamilytookuptheirabode。KinneilHousewasformerlyacountryseatoftheDukesofHamilton,andistothisdayastatelyoldmansion,remindingoneofaFrenchchateau。Itssituationisofremarkablebeauty,itswindowsoverlookingthebroadexpanseoftheFirthofForth,andcommandinganextensiveviewofthecountryalongitsnorthernshores。Theplacehasbecomeinameasureclassical,KinneilHousehavingbeeninhabited,sinceDr。
Roebuck’stime,byDugaldStewart,whotherewrotehisPhilosophicalEssays。*
[footnote……
WilkiethepainteroncepaidhimavisittherewhileinScotlandstudyingthesubjectofhis”PennyWedding;”andDugaldStewartfoundforhimtheoldfarm-housewiththecradle-chimney,whichheintroducedinthatpicture。ButKinneilHousehashaditsimaginaryinhabitantsaswellasitsrealones,theghostofaLadyLilburn,onceanoccupantoftheplace,still”haunting”someoftheunoccupiedchambers。DugaldStewarttoldWilkieonenight,ashewasgoingtobed,oftheunearthlywailingswhichhehimselfhadheardproceedingfromtheancientapartments;buttohimatleasttheyhadbeenexplainedbythedooropeningoutupontheroofbeingblowninongustynights,whenajarringandcreakingnoisewasheardalloverthehouse。Oneadvantagederivedfromthehousebeing”haunted”was,thatthegardenwasneverbrokeninto,andthewinterapplesandstoreswereatalltimeskeptsafefromdepredationintheapartmentsoftheLadyLilburn。
WhenDr。Roebuckbegantosinkforcoalatthenewmines,hefounditnecessarytoerectpumping-machineryofthemostpowerfulkindthatcouldbecontrived,inordertokeeptheminesclearofwater。ForthispurposetheNewcomenengine,initsthenstate,wasfoundinsufficient;andwhenDr。Roebuck’sfriend,ProfessorBlack,ofEdinburgh,informedhimofayoungmanofhisacquaintance,amathematicalinstrumentmakeratGlasgow,havinginventedasteam-enginecalculatedtoworkwithincreasedpower,speed,andeconomy,comparedwithNewcomen’s;Dr。Roebuckwasmuchinterested,andshortlyafterenteredintoacorrespondencewithJamesWatt,themathematicalinstrumentmakeraforesaidonthesubject。TheDoctorurgedthatWatt,who,uptothattime,hadconfinedhimselftomodels,shouldcomeovertoKinneilHouse,andproceedtoerectaworking;engineinoneoftheoutbuildings。TheEnglishworkmenwhomhehadbrought;totheCarronworkswould,hejustlythought,giveWattabetterchanceofsuccesswithhisenginethanifmadebytheclumsywhitesmithsandblacksmithsofGlasgow,quiteunaccustomedastheyweretofirst-classwork;andheproposedhimselftocastthecylindersatCarronprevioustoWatt’sintendedvisittohimatKinneil。
WattpaidhispromisedvisitinMay,1768,andRoebuckwasbythistimesomuchinterestedintheinvention,thatthesubjectofhisbecomingapartnerwithWatt,withtheobjectofintroducingtheengineintogeneraluse,wasseriouslydiscussed。Watthadbeenlabouringathisinventionforseveralyears,contendingwithmanydifficulties,butespeciallywiththemaindifficultyoflimitedmeans。HehadborrowedconsiderablesumsofmoneyfromDr。Blacktoenablehimtoprosecutehisexperiments,andhefeltthedebttohanglikeamillstoneroundhisneck。Wattwasasickly,fragileman,andaconstantsuffererfromviolentheadaches;besideshewasbynaturetimid,desponding,painfullyanxious,andeasilycastdownbyfailure。Indeed,hewasmorethanonceonthepointofabandoninghisinventionindespair。Ontheotherhand,Dr。Roebuckwasaccustomedtogreatenterprises,aboldandundauntedman,anddisregardfulofexpensewherehesawbeforehimareasonableprospectofsuccess。Hisreputationasapracticalchemistandphilosopher,andhissuccessasthefounderofthePrestonpansChemicalWorksandoftheCarronIronWorks,justifiedthefriendsofWattinthinkingthathewasofallmenthebestcalculatedtohelphimatthisjuncture,andhencetheysoughttobringaboutamoreintimateconnectionbetweenthetwo。TheresultwasthatDr。Roebuckeventuallybecameapartnertotheextentoftwo-thirdsoftheinvention,tookuponhimthedebtowingbyWatttoDr。Blackamountingtoabout1200L。,andundertooktofindtherequisitemoneytoprotecttheinventionbymeansofapatent。Thenecessarystepsweretakenaccordinglyandthepatentrightwassecuredbythebeginningof1769,thoughtheperfectingofhismodelcostWattmuchfurtheranxietyandstudy。
ItwasnecessaryforWattoccasionallytoresidewithDr。RoebuckatKinneilHousewhileerectinghisfirstenginethere。IthadbeenoriginallyintendedtoerectitintheneighbouringtownofBoroughstoness,butastheremightbepryingeyesthere,andWattwishedtodohisworkinprivacy,determined”nottopuff,”heatlengthfixeduponanouthousestillstanding,closebehindthemansion,bytheburnsideintheglen,wheretherewasabundanceofwaterandsecureprivacy。Watt’sextremediffidencewasoftenthesubjectofremarkatDr。Roebuck’sfireside。TotheDoctorhisanxietyseemedquitepainful,andhewasverymuchdisposedtodespondunderapparentlytrivialdifficulties。Roebuck’shopefulnaturewashismainstaythroughout。Watthimselfwasreadyenoughtoadmitthis;for,writingtohisfriendDr。Small,heoncesaid,”I
havemetwithmanydisappointments;andImusthavesunkundertheburthenofthemifIhadnotbeensupportedbythefriendshipofDr。
Roebuck。”
ButmoreserioustroubleswererapidlyaccumulatinguponDr。Roebuckhimself;anditwashe,andnotWatt,thatsankundertheburthen。
TheprogressofWatt’senginewasbutslow,andlongbeforeitcouldbeappliedtothepumpingofRoebuck’smines,thedifficultiesoftheundertakingonwhichhehadenteredoverwhelmedhim。Theopeningoutoftheprincipalcoalinvolvedaveryheavyoutlay,extendingovermanyyears,duringwhichhesanknotonlyhisownbuthiswife’sfortune,and——whatdistressedhimmostofall——largesumsborrowedfromhisrelativesandfriends,whichhewasunabletorepay。Theconsequencewas,thathewaseventuallyunderthenecessityofwithdrawinghiscapitalfromtherefiningworksatBirmingham,andthevitriolworksatPrestonpans。Atthesametime,hetransferredtoMr。BoultonofSohohisentireinterestinWatt’ssteam-engine,thevalueofwhich,bytheway,wasthoughtsosmallthatitwasnotevenincludedamongtheassets;Roebuck’screditorsnotestimatingitasworthonefarthing。Wattsincerelydeploredhispartner’smisfortunes,butcouldnothelphim。”Hehasbeenamostsincereandgenerousfriend,”saidWatt,”andisatrulyworthyman。”Andagain,”Myheartbleedsforhim,butIcandonothingtohelphim:IhavestuckbyhimtillIhavemuchhurtmyself;Icandosonolonger;myfamilycallsformycaretoprovideforthem。”ThelateryearsofDr。
Roebuck’slifewerespentincomparativeobscurity;andhediedin1794,inhis76thyear。
Helivedtowitnessthesuccessofthesteam-engine,theopeningupoftheBoroughstonesscoal,*
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Dr。Roebuckhadbeenonthebrinkofgreatgoodfortune,buthedidnotknowit。Mr。RalphMoore,inhis”PapersontheBlackbandIronstones”Glasgow,1861,observes:——”Strangetosay,hewasleavingbehindhim,almostastheroofofoneoftheseamsofcoalwhichheworked,avaluableblackbandironstone,uponwhichKinneilIronWorksarenowfounded。Thecoal-fieldcontinuedtobeworkeduntiltheaccidentaldiscoveryoftheblackbandabout1845。Theoldcoal-pitsarenowusedforworkingtheironstone。”
andtherapidextensionoftheScotchirontrade,thoughhesharedintheprosperityofneitherofthosebranchesofindustry。Hehadbeenworkingaheadofhisage,andhesufferedforit。Hefellinthebreachatthecriticalmoment,andmorefortunatemenmarchedoverhisbodyintothefortresswhichhisenterpriseandvalourhadmainlycontributedtowin。BeforehisgreatundertakingoftheCarronWorks,Scotlandwasentirelydependentuponothercountriesforitssupplyofiron。In1760,thefirstyearofitsoperations,thewholeproducewas1500tons。Incourseoftimeotherironworkswereerected,atClydeCleugh,Muirkirk,andDevon——themanagersandoverseersofwhich,aswellastheworkmen,hadmostlyreceivedtheirtrainingandexperienceatCarron——untilatlengththeirontradeofScotlandhasassumedsuchamagnitudethatitsmanufacturersareenabledtoexporttoEnglandandothercountriesupwardsof500,000tonsa-year。HowdifferentthisstateofthingsfromthetimewhenraidsweremadeacrosstheBorderforthepurposeofobtainingastoreofironplundertobecarriedbackintoScotland!
TheextraordinaryexpansionoftheScotchirontradeoflateyearshasbeenmainlyduetothediscoverybyDavidMushetoftheBlackBandironstonein1801,andtheinventionoftheHotBlastbyJamesBeaumontNeilsonin1828。DavidMushetwasbornatDalkeith,nearEdinburgh,in1772。*
[footnpote……
TheMushetsareanoldKincardinefamily;buttheywerealmostextinguishedbytheplagueinthereignofCharlestheSecond。Theirnumberswerethenreducedtotwo;oneofwhomremainedatKincardine,andtheother,aclergyman,theRev。GeorgeMushet,accompaniedMontroseaschaplain。HeisburiedinKincardinechurchyard。
Likeothermembersofhisfamilyhewasbroughtuptometal-founding。
AttheageofnineteenhejoinedthestaffoftheClydeIronWorks,nearGlasgow,atatimewhentheCompanyhadonlytwoblast-furnacesatwork。Theofficeofaccountant,whichheheld,precludedhimfromtakinganypartinthemanufacturingoperationsoftheconcern。Butbeingofaspeculativeandingeniousturnofmind,theremarkableconversionswhichironunderwentintheprocessofmanufactureveryshortlybegantooccupyhisattention。Thesubjectwasmuchdiscussedbytheyoungmenabouttheworks,andtheyfrequentlyhadoccasiontorefertoFoureroy’swell-knownbookforthepurposeofdeterminingvariousquestionsofdifferencewhicharoseamongtheminthecourseoftheirinquiries。Thebookwas,however,inmanyrespectsindecisiveandunsatisfactory;and,in1793,whenareductiontookplaceintheCompany’sstaff,andDavidMushetwasleftnearlythesoleoccupantoftheoffice,hedeterminedtostudythesubjectforhimselfexperimentally,andinthefirstplacetoacquireathoroughknowledgeofassaying,asthetruekeytothewholeartofiron-making。
Hefirstsetuphiscrucibleuponthebridgeofthereverberatoryfurnaceusedformeltingpig-iron,andfilleditwithamixturecarefullycompoundedaccordingtotheformulaofthebooks;but,notwithstandingtheshelterofabrick,placedbeforeittobreaktheactionoftheflame,thecruciblegenerallysplitintwo,andnotunfrequentlymeltedanddisappearedaltogether。Toobtainbetterresultsifpossible,henexthadrecoursetotheordinarysmith’sfire,carryingonhisexperimentsintheeveningsafteroffice-hours。
Hesethiscrucibleuponthefireonapieceoffirebrick,oppositethenozzleofthebellows;coveringthewholewithcoke,andthenexcitingtheflamebyblowing。Thismodeofoperatingproducedsomewhatbetterresults,butstillneithertheironnorthecinderobtainedresembledthepigorscoriaoftheblast-furnace,whichitwashisambitiontoimitate。Fromtheirregularityoftheresults,andthefrequentfailureofthecrucibles,hecametotheconclusionthateitherhisfurnace,orhismodeoffluxing,wasinfault,andhelookedabouthimforamoreconvenientmeansofpursuinghisexperiments。Asmallsquarefurnacehadbeenerectedintheworksforthepurposeofheatingtherivetsusedfortherepairofsteam-engineboilers;thefurnacehadforitschimneyacast-ironpipesixorseveninchesindiameterandninefeetlong。Afterafewtrialswithit,heraisedtheheattosuchanextentthatthelowerendofthepipewasmeltedoff,withoutproducinganyverysatisfactoryresultsontheexperimentalcrucible,andhisoperationswereagainbroughttoastandstill。Achimneyofbrickhavingbeensubstitutedforthecast-ironpipe,hewas,however,enabledtoproceedwithhistrials。
Hecontinuedtopursuehisexperimentsinassayingforabouttwoyears,duringwhichhehadbeenworkingentirelyafterthemethodsdescribedinbooks;but,feelingtheresultsstillunsatisfactory,hedeterminedtoborrownomorefromthebooks,buttoworkoutasystemofhisown,whichshouldensureresultssimilartothoseproducedattheblast-furnace。Thisheeventuallysucceededineffectingbynumerousexperimentsperformedinthenight;ashistimewasfullyoccupiedbyhisoffice-dutiesduringtheday。Atlengththesepatientexperimentsboretheirduefruits。DavidMushetbecamethemostskilledassayerattheworks;andwhenadifficultyoccurredinsmeltingaquantityofnewironstonewhichhadbeencontractedfor,themanagerhimselfresortedtothebookkeeperforadviceandinformation;andtheskillandexperiencewhichhehadgatheredduringhisnightlylabours,enabledhimreadilyandsatisfactorilytosolvethedifficultyandsuggestasuitableremedy。Hisrewardforthisachievementwasthepermission,whichwasimmediatelygrantedhimbythemanager,tomakeuseofhisownassay-furnace,inwhichhethenceforwardcontinuedhisinvestigations,atthesametimethatheinstructedthemanager’ssonintheartofassaying。Thisadditionalexperienceprovedofgreatbenefittohim;andhecontinuedtoprosecutehisinquirieswithmuchzeal,sometimesdevotingentirenightstoexperimentsinassaying,roastingandcementingiron-oresandironstone,decarbonatingcast-ironforsteelandbar-iron,andvariouslikeoperations。Hisgeneralpractice,however,atthattimewas,toretirebetweentwoandthreeo’clockinthemorning,leavingdirectionswiththeengine-mantocallhimathalf-pastfive,soastobepresentintheofficeatsix。Butthesepraiseworthyexperimentswerebroughttoasuddenend,asthusdescribedbyhimself:——”Inthemidstofmycareerofinvestigation,”sayshe,*
[footnote……
PapersonIronandSteel。ByDavidMushet。London,1840。