”andwithoutacausebeingassigned,Iwasstoppedshort。Myfurnaces,attheorderofthemanager,werepulledinpieces,andanedictwaspassedthattheyshouldneverbeerectedagain。ThusterminatedmyresearchesattheClydeIronWorks。IthappenedatatimewhenIwasinterested——andIhadbeentwoyearspreviouslyoccupied——inanattempttoconvertcast-ironintosteel,withoutfusion,byaprocessofcementation,whichhadforitsobjectthedispersionorabsorptionofthesuperfluouscarboncontainedinthecast-iron,——anobjectwhichatthattimeappearedtomeofsogreatimportance,that,withtheconsentofafriend,IerectedanassayandcementingFurnaceatthedistanceofabouttwomilesfromtheClydeWorks。ThitherIrepairedatnight,andsometimesatthebreakfastanddinnerhoursduringtheday。Thisplanofoperationwasperseveredinforthewholeofonesummer,butwasfoundtoouncertainandlaborioustobecontinued。Atthelatterendoftheyear1798Ileftmychambers,andremovedfromtheClydeWorkstothedistanceofaboutamile,whereIconstructedseveralfurnacesforassayingandcementing,capableofexcitingagreatertemperaturethananytowhichIbeforehadaccess;andthusfornearlytwoyearsIcontinuedtocarryonmyinvestigationsconnectedwithironandthealloysofthemetals。”Thoughoperatinginaretiredmanner,andholdinglittlecommunicationwithothers,myviewsandopinionsupontheRATIONALEofiron-makingspreadovertheestablishment。Iwasconsideredforwardinaffectingtoseeandexplainmattersinadifferentwayfromotherswhoweremuchmyseniors,andwhowerecontenttobesatisfiedwitholdmethodsofexplanation,orwithnoexplanationatall……Notwithstandingtheseearlyreproaches,Ihavelivedtoseethenomenclatureofmyyouthfurnishavocabularyoftermsintheartofiron-making,whichisusedbymanyoftheironmastersofthepresentdaywithfreedomandeffect,incommunicatingwitheachotheronthesubjectoftheirrespectivemanufactures。Prejudicesseldomoutlivethegenerationtowhichtheybelong,whenopposedbyamorerationalsystemofexplanation。Inthisrespect,TimeasmyLordBaconsaysisthegreatestofallinnovators。”Inasimilarmanner,TimeoperatedinmyfavourinrespecttotheBlackBandIronstone。*
[footnote……
ThisvaluabledescriptionofironorewasdiscoveredbyMr。Mushet,asheafterwardsinformsusPapersonIronandSteel,121,intheyear1801,whencrossingtheriverCalder,intheparishofOldMonkland。Havingsubjectedaspecimenwhichhefoundintheriver-bedtothetestofhiscrucible,hesatisfiedhimselfastoitsproperties,andproceededtoascertainitsgeologicalpositionandrelations。Heshortlyfoundthatitbelongedtotheupperpartofthecoal-formation,andhencehedesignateditcarboniferousironstone。
Heprosecutedhisresearches,andfoundvariousrichbedsofthemineraldistributedthroughoutthewesterncountiesofScotland。Onanalysis,itwasfoundtocontainalittleover50percent。ofprotoxideofiron。Thecoalymatteritcontainedwasnotitsleastvaluableingredient;forbytheaidofthehotblastitwasafterwardsfoundpracticabletosmeltitalmostwithoutanyadditionofcoal。SeamsofblackbandhavesincebeendiscoveredandsuccessfullyworkedinEdinburghshire,Staffordshire,andNorthWales。
Thediscoveryofthiswasmadein1801,whenIwasengagedinerectingformyselfandpartnerstheCalderIronWorks。GreatprejudicewasexcitedagainstmebytheironmastersandothersofthatdayinpresumingtoclasstheWILDCOALSofthecountryasBlackBandwascalledwithironstonefitandproperfortheblastfurnace。YetthatdiscoveryhaselevatedScotlandtoaconsiderablerankamongtheiron-makingnationsofEurope,withresourcesstillinstorethatmaybeconsideredinexhaustible。ButsucharetheconsolatoryeffectsofTime,thatthediscovererof1801isnolongerconsideredtheintrusivevisionaryofthelaboratory,buttheacknowledgedbenefactorofhiscountryatlarge,andparticularlyofanextensiveclassofcoalandmineproprietorsandironmasters,whohavederived,andarestillderiving,greatwealthfromthisimportantdiscovery;andwho,inthespiritofgratefulacknowledgment,havepronounceditworthyofacrownofgold,oramonumentalrecordonthespotwherethediscoverywasfirstmade。”Atanadvancedperiodoflife,suchconsiderationsaresoothingandsatisfactory。Manyundersimilarcircumstanceshavenot,intheirownlifetime,hadthatmeasureofjusticeawardedtothembytheircountrytowhichtheywereequallyentitled。Iacceptit,however,asaboonjustlyduetome,andasanequivalentinsomedegreeforthatlaboriouscourseofinvestigationwhichIhadprescribedformyself,andwhich,inearlylife,wascarriedonundercircumstancesofpersonalexposureandinconvenience,whichnothingbutaframeofironcouldhavesupported。Theyatonealso,inpart,forthatdisappointmentsustainedinearlylifebythespeculativehabitsofonepartner,andtheconstitutionalnervousnessofanother,whicheventuallyoccasionedmyseparationfromtheCalderIronWorks,andlostmethepossessionofextensivetractsofBlackBandiron-stone,whichIhadsecuredwhilethevalueofthediscoverywasknownonlytomyself。”
Mr。MushetpublishedtheresultsofhislaboriousinvestigationsinaseriesofpapersinthePhilosophicalMagazine,——afterwardsreprintedinacollectedformin1840underthetitleof”PapersonIronandSteel。”Thesepapersareamongthemostvaluableoriginalcontributionstotheliteratureoftheiron-manufacturethathaveyetbeengiventotheworld。Theycontainthegermsofmanyinventionsanddiscoveriesinironandsteel,someofwhichwereperfectedbyMr。Mushethimself,whileotherswereadoptedandworkedoutbydifferentexperimenters。In1798someoftheleadingFrenchchemistswereendeavouringtoprovebyexperimentthatsteelcouldbemadebycontactofthediamondwithbar-ironinthecrucible,thecarbonofthediamondbeingliberatedandenteringintocombinationwiththeiron,formingsteel。Intheanimatedcontroversywhichoccurredonthesubject,Mr。Mushet’snamewasbroughtintoconsiderablenotice;
oneofthesubjectsofhispublishedexperimentshavingbeentheconversionofbar-ironintosteelinthecruciblebycontactwithregulatedproportionsofcharcoal。Theexperimentswhichhemadeinconnectionwiththiscontroversy,thoughinthemselvesunproductiveofresults,ledtotheimportantdiscoverybyMr。Mushetofthecertainfusibilityofmalleableironatasuitabletemperature。
AmongtheotherimportantresultsofMr。Mushet’slifelonglabours,thefollowingmaybesummarilymentioned:Thepreparationofsteelfrombar-ironbyadirectprocess,combiningtheironwithcarbon;
thediscoveryofthebeneficialeffectsofoxideofmanganeseonironandsteel;theuseofoxidesofironinthepuddling-furnaceinvariousmodesofappliance;theproductionofpig-ironfromtheblast-furnace,suitableforpuddling,withouttheinterventionoftherefinery;andtheapplicationofthehotblasttoanthracitecoaliniron-smelting。Fortheprocessofcombiningironwithcarbonfortheproductionofsteel,Mr。MushettookoutapatentinNovember,1800;
andmanyyearsafter,whenhehaddiscoveredthebeneficialeffectsofoxideofmanganeseonsteel,Mr。JosiahHeathfoundeduponithiscelebratedpatentforthemakingofcast-steel,whichhadtheeffectofraisingtheannualproductionofthatmetalinSheffieldfrom3000
to100,000tons。Hisapplicationofthehotblasttoanthracitecoal,afteraprocessinventedbyhimandadoptedbytheMessrs。HillofthePlymouthIronWorks,SouthWales,hadtheeffectofproducingsavingsequaltoabout20,000L。ayearatthoseworks;andyet,strangetosay,Mr。Mushethimselfneverreceivedanyconsiderationforhisinvention。
ThediscoveryofTitaniumbyMr。Mushetinthehearthofablast-furnacein1794wouldnowberegardedasamereisolatedfact,inasmuchasTitaniumwasnotplacedinthelistofrecognisedmetalsuntilDr。Wollaston,manyyearslater,ascertaineditsqualities。Butinconnectionwiththefact,itmaybementionedthatMr。Mushet’syoungestson,Robert,reasoningonthepeculiarcircumstancesofthediscoveryinquestion,ofwhichamplerecordisleft,hasfoundeduponithisTitaniumprocess,whichisexpectedbyhimeventuallytosupersedeallothermethodsofmanufacturingsteel,andtoreduceverymateriallythecostofitsproduction。
Whilehelived,Mr。MushetwasaleadingauthorityonallmattersconnectedwithIronandSteel,andhecontributedlargelytothescientificworksofhistime。BesideshispapersinthePhilosophicalJournal,hewrotethearticle”Iron”forNapiersSupplementtotheEncyclopaediaBritannica;andthearticles”BlastFurnace”and”BlowingMachine”forRees’sCyclopaedia。Thetwolatterarticleshadaconsiderableinfluenceontheoppositiontotheintendedtaxuponironin1807,andwerefrequentlyreferredtointhediscussionsonthesubjectinParliament。Mr。Mushetdiedin1847。
CHAPTERIX。
INVENTIONOFTHEHOTBLAST——JAMESBEAUMONTNEILSON。”Whilsttheexploitsoftheconquerorandtheintriguesofthedemagoguearefaithfullypreservedthroughasuccessionofages,theperseveringandunobtrusiveeffortsofgenius,developingthebestblessingsoftheDeitytoman,areoftenconsignedtooblivion。”——
DavidMushet。
TheextraordinaryvalueoftheBlackBandironstonewasnotatfirstdulyrecognised,perhapsnotevenbyMr。Mushethimself。Forseveralyearsafteritsdiscoverybyhim,itsusewasconfinedtotheCalderIronWorks,whereitwasemployedinmixturewithotherironstonesoftheargillaceousclass。ItwasafterwardspartiallyusedattheClydeIronWorks,butnowhereelse,astrongfeelingofprejudicebeingentertainedagainstitonthepartoftheirontradegenerally。Itwasnotuntiltheyear1825thattheMonklandCompanyuseditalone,withoutanyothermixturethanthenecessaryquantityoflimestoneforaflux。”ThesuccessofthisCompany,”saysMr。Mushet,”soongaverisetotheGartsherrieandDundyvanfurnaces,inthemidstofwhichprogresscametheuseofrawpit-coalandtheHotBlast——thelatteroneofthegreatestdiscoveriesinmetallurgyofthepresentage,and,aboveeveryotherprocess,admirablyadaptedforsmeltingtheBlackbandironstone。”Fromtheintroductionofthisprocesstheextraordinarydevelopmentoftheiron-manufactureofScotlandmaybesaidtodate;andweaccordinglyproposetodevotethepresentchaptertoanaccountofitsmeritoriousinventor。
JamesBeaumontNeilsonwasbornatShettleston,aroadsidevillageaboutthreemileseastwardofGlasgow,onthe22ndofJune,1792。Hisparentsbelongedtotheworkingclass。Hisfather’searningsduringmanylaboriousyearsofhislifedidnotexceedsixteenshillingsaweek。Hehadbeenbredtothetradeofamill-wright,andwasforsometimeintheemploymentofDr。Roebuckasanengine-wrightathiscollierynearBoroughstoness。HewasnextemployedinalikecapacitybyMr。Beaumont,themineral-managerofthecollieriesofMrs。
CunninghamofLainshaw,nearIrvineinAyrshire;afterwhichhewasappointedengine-wrightatAyr,andsubsequentlyattheGovanCoalWorksnearGlasgow,whereheremaineduntilhisdeath。ItwaswhileworkingattheIrvineWorksthathefirstbecameacquaintedwithhisfuturewife,MarionSmith,thedaughterofaRenfrewshirebleacher,awomanremarkablethroughlifeforherclever,managing,andindustrioushabits。ShehadthechargeofMrs。Cunningham’schildrenforsometimeafterthemarriageofthatladytoMr。Beaumont,anditwasincomplimenttoherformermistressandherhusbandthatshenamedheryoungestsonJamesBeaumontafterthelatter。
Theboy’seducationwasconfinedtothecommonelementsofreading,writing,andarithmetic,whichhepartlyacquiredattheparishschoolofStrathbungonearGlasgow,andpartlyattheChapelSchool,asitwascalled,intheGorbalsatGlasgow。Hehadfinallyleftschoolbeforehewasfourteen。Sometimebeforeheleft,hehadbeenpartiallysettowork,andearnedfourshillingsaweekbyemployingapartofeachdayindrivingasmallcondensingenginewhichhisfatherhadputupinaneighbouringquarry。Afterleavingschool,hewasemployedfortwoyearsasagigboyononeofthewindingenginesattheGovancolliery。Hisparentsnowconsideredhimoffitagetobeapprenticedtosomespecialtrade,andasBeaumonthadmuchofhisfather’stastesformechanicalpursuits,itwasdeterminedtoputhimapprenticetoaworkingengineer。HiselderbrotherJohnwasthenactingasenginemanatOakbanknearGlasgow,andBeaumontwasapprenticedunderhimtolearnthetrade。Johnwasapersonofastudiousandseriousturnofmind,andhadbeenstronglyattractedtofollowtheexampleofthebrothersHaldane,whowerethenexcitinggreatinterestbytheirpreachingthroughouttheNorth;buthisfathersethisfaceagainsthisson’s”preachingatthebacko’
dikes,”ashecalledit;andsoJohnquietlysettleddowntohiswork。Theenginewhichthetwobrothersmanagedwasaverysmallone,andthemasterandapprenticeservedforenginemanandfireman。Heretheyouthworkedforthreeyears,employinghisleisurehoursintheeveningsinremedyingthedefectsofhisearlyeducation,andendeavouringtoacquireaknowledgeofEnglishgrammar,drawing,andmathematics。
Ontheexpiryofhisapprenticeship,Beaumontcontinuedforatimetoworkunderhisbrotherasjourneymanataguineaaweek;afterwhich,in1814,heenteredtheemploymentofWilliamTaylor,coal-masteratIrvine,andhewasappointedengine-wrightofthecollieryatasalaryoffrom70L。to80L。ayear。Oneoftheimprovementswhichheintroducedintheworkingofthecolliery,whileheheldthatoffice,wasthelayingdownofanedgerailwayofcast-iron,inlengthsofthreefeet,fromthepittotheharbourofIrvine,adistanceofthreemiles。Attheageof23hemarriedhisfirstwife,BarbaraMontgomerie,anIrvinelass,witha”tocher”of250L。Thislittleprovisionwasallthemoreserviceabletohim,ashismaster,Taylor,becomingunfortunateinbusiness,hewassuddenlythrownoutofemployment,andthelittlefortuneenabledthenewly-marriedpairtoholdtheirheadsabovewatertillbetterdayscameround。Theytookahumbletenement,consistingofaroomandakitchen,intheCowcaddens,Glasgow,wheretheirfirstchildwasborn。
Aboutthistimeagas-work,thefirstinGlasgow,wasprojected,andthecompanyhavingbeenformed,thedirectorsadvertisedforasuperintendentandforeman,towhomtheyoffereda”liberalsalary。”
ThoughBeaumonthadneverseengaslightbefore,exceptattheilluminationofhisfather’scollieryofficeafterthePeaceofAmiens,whichwasaccomplishedinaverysimpleandoriginalmanner,withouteithercondenser,purifier,orgas-holder,andthoughheknewnothingoftheartofgas-making,hehadthecouragetoapplyforthesituation。Hewasoneoftwentycandidates,andthefortunateone;
andinAugust,1817,wefindhimappointedforemanoftheGlasgowGasworks,forfiveyears,atthesalaryof90L。ayear。Beforetheexpiryofhistermhewasreappointedforsixyearsmore,attheadvancedsalaryof200L。,withthestatusofmanagerandengineeroftheworks。Hissalarywasgraduallyincreasedto400L。ayear,withafreedwelling-house,until1847,when,afterafaithfulserviceofthirtyyears,duringwhichhehadlargelyextendedthecentralworks,anderectedbranchworksinTradestonandPartick,hefinallyresignedthemanagement。
ThesituationofmanageroftheGlasgowGas-workswasinmanyrespectswellsuitedforthedevelopmentofMr。Neilson’speculiarabilities。InthefirstplaceitaffordedhimfacilitiesforobtainingtheoreticalaswellaspracticalknowledgeinChemicalScience,ofwhichhewasadiligentstudentattheAndersonianUniversity,aswellasofNaturalPhilosophyandMathematicsintheirhigherbranches。Inthenextplaceitgavefreescopeforhisingenuityinintroducingimprovementsinthemanufactureofgas,theninitsinfancy。Hewasthefirsttoemployclayretorts;andheintroducedsulphateofironasaself-actingpurifier,passingthegasthroughbedsofcharcoaltoremoveitsoilyandtarryelements。