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。*
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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。*
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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，*
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PapersonIronandSteel。ByDavidMushet。London，1840。