Evencoalsofaninferiorqualitywerebyitsmeansmadeavailableforthemanufactureofiron。ButoneofthepeculiarqualitiesoftheBlackBandironstoneisthatinmanycasesitcontainssufficientcoalymatterforpurposesofcalcination，withoutanyadmixtureofcoalwhatever。Beforeitsdiscovery，alltheironmanufacturedinScotlandwasmadefromclay-band；buttheuseofthelatterhasinagreatmeasurebeendiscontinuedwhereverasufficientsupplyofBlackBandcanbeobtained。AnditisfoundtoexistveryextensivelyinmostofthemidlandScotchcounties，——thecoalandironmeasuresstretchinginabroadbeltfromtheFirthofForthtotheIrishChannelattheFirthofClyde。Atthetimewhenthehotblastwasinvented，thefortunesofmanyoftheolderworkswereatalowebb，andseveralofthemhadbeendiscontinued；buttheywerespeedilybroughttolifeagainwhereverBlackBandcouldbefound。In1829，theyearafterNeilson’spatentwastakenout，thetotalmakeofScotlandwas29，000tons。Asfreshdiscoveriesofthemineralweremade，inAyrshireandLanarkshire，newworkswereerected，until，in1845，wefindtheproductionofScotchpig-ironhadincreasedto475，000tons。Ithassinceincreasedtoupwardsofamillionoftons，nineteen-twentiethsofwhicharemadefromBlackBandironstone。*
[footnote……
ItisstatedintheNorthBritishReviewforNov。1845，that”AsinScotlandeveryfurnace——withtheexceptionofoneatCarron——nowusesthehotblastthesavingonourpresentproduceof400，000tonsofpig-ironis2，000，000tonsofcoals，200，000tonsoflimestone，and#650，000sterlingperannum。”ButastheScotchproduceisnowaboveamilliontonsofpig-ironayear，theabovefigureswillhavetobemultipliedby21/2togivethepresentannualsavings。
Employmenthasthusbeengiventovastnumbersofourindustrialpopulation，andthewealthandresourcesoftheScotchirondistrictshavebeenincreasedtoanextraordinaryextent。Duringthelastyeartherewere125furnacesinblastthroughoutScotland，eachemployingabout400meninmakinganaverageof200tonsaweek；andthemoneydistributedamongsttheworkmenmayreadilybecomputedfromthefactthat，underthemostfavourablecircumstances，thecostofmakingironinwagesaloneamountsto36s。a-ton。*
[footnote……
PapersreadbyMr。RalphMoore，MiningEngineer，Glasgow，beforetheRoyalScottishSocietyofArts，Edin。1861，pp。13，14。
AnimmenseadditionalvaluewasgiventoalllandinwhichtheBlackBandwasfound。Mr。Mushetmentionsthatin1839theproprietoroftheAirdrieestatederivedaroyaltyof16，500L。fromthemineral，whichhadnotbeforeitsdiscoveryyieldedhimonefarthing。Atthesametime，manyfortuneshavebeenmadebypushingandenergeticmenwhohaveoflateyearsentereduponthisnewbranchofindustry。
AmongstthesemaybementionedtheBairdsofGartsherrie，whoviewiththeGuestsandCrawshaysofSouthWales，andhaveadvancedthemselvesinthecourseofaveryfewyearsfromthestationofsmallfarmerstothatofgreatcapitalistsowningestatesinmanycounties，holdingthehighestcharactercommercialmen，andrankingamongthelargestemployersoflabourinthekingdom。
CHAPTERX。
MECHANICALINVENTIONSANDINVENTORS。”L’inventionnest-ellepaslapoesiedelascience?……Touteslesgrandesdecouvertesportentavecelleslatraceineffacabled’unepenseepoetique。llfautetrepoetepourcreer。Aussi，sommes-nousconvaincusquesilespuissantesmachines，veritablesourcedelaproductionetdel’industriedenosjours，doiventrecevoirdesmodificationsradicales，ceseraadeshommesd’imagination，etnonpointadeahommespurementspeciaux，quel’ondevracettetransformation。”——E。M。BATAILLE，TraitedesMachinesaVapeur。
Toolshaveplayedahighlyimportantpartinthehistoryofcivilization。Withouttoolsandtheabilitytousethem，manwereindeedbuta”poor，bare，forkedanimal，”——worseclothedthanthebirds，worsehousedthanthebeaver，worsefedthanthejackal。”Weakinhimself，”saysCarlyle，”andofsmallstature，hestandsonabasis，atmostfortheflattest-soled，ofsomehalfsquarefoot，insecurelyenough；hastostraddleouthislegs，Jesttheverywindsupplanthim。Feeblestofbipeds！Threequintalsareacrushingloadforhim；thesteerofthemeadowtosseshimaloftlikeawasterag。
Neverthelesshecanusetools，candevisetools：withthesethegranitemountainmeltsintolightdustbeforehim；hekneadsglowingironasifitweresoftpaste；seasarehissmoothhighway，windsandfirehisunvaryingsteeds。Nowheredoyoufindhimwithouttools：
withouttoolsheisnothing；withtoolsheisall。”Hisveryfirstcontrivancestosupportlifeweretoolsofthesimplestandrudestconstruction；andhislatestachievementsinthesubstitutionofmachineryforthereliefofthehumanhandandintellectarefoundedontheuseoftoolsofastillhigherorder。HenceitisnotwithoutgoodreasonthatmanhasbysomephilosophersbeendefinedasA
TOOL-MAKINGANIMAL。
Tools，likeeverythingelse，hadsmallbeginnings。Withtheprimitivestone-hammerandchiselverylittlecouldbedone。Thefellingofatreewouldoccupyaworkmanamonth，unlesshelpedbythedestructiveactionoffire。Dwellingscouldnotbebuilt，thesoilcouldnotbetilled，clothescouldnotbefashionedandmade，andthehewingoutofaboatwassotediousaprocessthatthewoodmusthavebeenfargoneindecaybeforeitcouldbelaunched。Itwasagreatstepinadvancetodiscovertheartofworkinginmetals，moreespeciallyinsteel，oneofthefewmetalscapableoftakingasharpedgeandkeepingit。Fromthedateofthisdiscovery，workinginwoodandstonewouldbefoundcomparativelyeasy；andtheresultsmustspeedilyhavebeenfeltnotonlyintheimprovementofman’sdailyfood，butinhisdomesticandsocialcondition。Clothingcouldthenbemade，theprimitiveforestcouldbeclearedandtillagecarriedon；abundantfuelcouldbeobtained，dwellingserected，shipsbuilt，templesreared；everyimprovementintoolsmarkinganewstepinthedevelopmentofthehumanintellect，andafurtherstageintheprogressofhumancivilization。
Theearliesttoolswereofthesimplestpossiblecharacter，consistingprincipallyofmodificationsofthewedge；suchastheknife，theshearsformedoftwoknivesworkingonajoint，thechisel，andtheaxe。These，withtheprimitivehammer，formedtheprincipalstock-in-tradeoftheearlymechanics，whowerehandicraftsmenintheliteralsenseoftheword。Buttheworkwhichtheearlycraftsmeninwood，stone，brass，andiron，contrivedtoexecute，sufficedtoshowhowmuchexpertnessinthehandlingoftoolswillservetocompensatefortheirmechanicalimperfections。
Workmenthensoughtrathertoaidmuscularstrengththantosupersedeit，andmainlytofacilitatetheeffortsofmanualskill。Anothertoolbecameaddedtothosementionedabove，whichprovedanadditionalsourceofpowertotheworkman。WemeantheSaw，whichwasconsideredofsomuchimportancethatitsinventorwashonouredwithaplaceamongthegodsinthemythologyoftheGreeks。Thisinventionissaidtohavebeensuggestedbythearrangementoftheteethinthejawofaserpent，usedbyTalusthenephewofDaedalusindividingapieceofwood。FromtherepresentationsofancienttoolsfoundinthepaintingsatHerculaneumitappearsthattheframe-sawusedbytheancientsverynearlyresembledthatstillinuse；andweareinformedthatthetoolsemployedinthecarpenters’shopsatNazarethatthisdayareinmostrespectsthesameasthoserepresentedintheburiedRomancity。AnotherveryancienttoolreferredtointheBibleandinHomerwastheFile，whichwasusedtosharpenweaponsandimplements。
ThustheHebrews”hadafileforthemattocks，andforthecoulters，andfortheforks，andfortheaxes，andtosharpenthegoads。”*
[footnote……
1Samuel，ch。xiii。v。21。
Whentotheseweaddtheadze，plane-irons，theanger，andthechisel，wesumupthetoolsprincipallyreliedonbytheearlymechanicsforworkinginwoodandiron。
Suchcontinuedtobethechieftoolsinusedownalmosttoourownday。Thesmithwasatfirsttheprincipaltool-maker；butspecialbranchesoftradeweregraduallyestablished，devotedtotool-making。
Solong，however，astheworkmanreliedmainlyonhisdexterityofhand，theamountofproductionwascomparativelylimited；forthenumberofskilledworkmenwasbutsmall。Thearticlesturnedoutbythem，beingtheproductoftediousmanuallabour，weretoodeartocomeintocommonuse，andweremadealmostexclusivelyforthericherclassesofthecommunity。Itwasnotuntilmachineryhadbeeninventedandbecomegenerallyadoptedthatmanyoftheordinaryarticlesofnecessityandofcomfortwereproducedinsufficientabundanceandatsuchpricesasenabledthemtoenterintotheconsumptionofthegreatbodyofthepeople。
Buteveryimproveroftoolshadalonganddifficultbattletofight；
foranyimprovementintheireffectivepowerwassuretotouchtheinterestsofsomeestablishedcraft。Especiallywasthisthecasewithmachines，whicharebuttoolsofamorecompletethoughcomplicatedkindthanthoseabovedescribed。
Take，forinstance，thecaseoftheSaw。Thetediousdrudgeryofdividingtimberbytheoldfashionedhand-sawiswellknown。Toavoidit，someingeniouspersonsuggestedthatanumberofsawsshouldbefixedtoaframeinamill，socontrivedastoworkwithareciprocatingmotion，upwardsanddownwards，orbackwardsandforwards，andthatthisframesomountedshouldbeyokedtothemillwheel，andthesawsdrivenbythepowerofwindorwater。Theplanwastried，and，asmayreadilybeimagined，theamountofeffectiveworkdonebythismachine-sawwasimmense，comparedwiththetediousprocessofsawingbyhand。
Itwillbeobserved，however，thatthenewmethodmusthaveseriouslyinterferedwiththelabourofthehand-sawyers；anditwasbutnaturalthattheyshouldregardtheestablishmentofthesaw-millswithsuspicionandhostility。Hencealongperiodelapsedbeforethehand-sawyerswouldpermitthenewmachinerytobesetupandworked。
Thefirstsaw-millinEnglandwaserectedbyaDutchman，nearLondon，in1663，butwasshortlyabandonedinconsequenceofthedeterminedhostilityoftheworkmen。Morethanacenturypassedbeforeasecondsaw-millwassetup；when，in1767，Mr。JohnHoughton，aLondontimber-merchant，bythedesireandwiththeapprobationoftheSocietyofArts，erectedoneatLimehouse，tobedrivenbywind。TheworkwasdirectedbyoneJamesStansfield，whohadgoneovertoHollandforthepurposeoflearningtheartofconstructingandmanagingthesawingmachinery。Butthemillwasnosoonererectedthanamobassembledandrazedittotheground。Theprincipalriotershavingbeenpunished，andthelosstotheproprietorhavingbeenmadegoodbythenation，anewmillwasshortlyafterbuilt，anditwassufferedtoworkwithoutfurthermolestation。
Improvedmethodsofmanufacturehaveusuallyhadtoencounterthesamekindofopposition。Thus，whentheFlemishweaverscameovertoEnglandintheseventeenthcentury，bringingwiththemtheirskillandtheirindustry，theyexcitedgreatjealousyandhostilityamongstthenativeworkmen。Theircompetitionasworkmenwasresentedasaninjury，buttheirimprovedmachinerywasregardedasafargreatersourceofmischief。Inamemorialpresentedtothekingin1621wefindtheLondonweaverscomplainingoftheforeigners’competition，butespeciallythat”theyhavemadesobouldoflateastodeviseenginesforworkingoftape，lace，ribbin，andsuchlike，whereinonemandothmoreamongthemthan7Englishemencandoe；soastheircheapsaleofcommoditiesbeggerethallourEnglisheartificersofthattrade，andenricheththem。”*
[footnote……
StatePapers，Dom。1621，Vol。88，No。112。
Atamuchmorerecentperiodnewinventionshavehadtoencounterseriousriotingandmachine-breakingfury。Kayofthefly-shuttle，Hargreavesofthespinning-jenny，andArkwrightofthespinning-frame，allhadtoflyfromLancashire，gladtoescapewiththeirlives。Indeed，saysMr。Bazley，”sojealouswerethepeople，andalsothelegislature，ofeverythingcalculatedtosupersedemen’slabour，thatwhentheSankeyCanal，sixmileslong，nearWarrington，wasauthorizedaboutthemiddleoflastcentury，itwasontheexpressconditionthattheboatsplyingonitshouldbedrawnbymenonly！”*
[footnote……
LecturesontheResultsoftheGreatExhibitionof1851，2ndSeries，117。
Evenimprovedagriculturaltoolsandmachineshavehadthesameoppositiontoencounter；andinourowntimebandsofrurallabourershavegonefromfarmtofarmbreakingdrill-ploughs，winnowing，threshing，andothermachines，downeventothecommondrills，——notperceivingthatiftheirpolicyhadprovedsuccessful，andtoolscouldhavebeeneffectuallydestroyed，thehumanracewouldatoncehavebeenreducedtotheirteethandnails，andcivilizationsummarilyabolished。*
[footnote……
Dr。Kirwan，latePresidentoftheRoyalIrishAcademy，whohadtravelledmuchonthecontinentofEurope，usedtorelate，whenspeakingofthedifficultyofintroducingimprovementsintheartsandmanufactures，andoftheprejudicesentertainedforoldpractices，that，inNormandy，thefarmershadbeensolongaccustomedtotheuseofplough’swhosesharesweremadeentirelyofWOODthattheycouldnotbeprevailedontomaketrialofthosewithIRON；thattheyconsideredthemtobeanidleanduselessinnovationonthelong-establishedpracticesoftheirancestors；andthattheycarriedtheseprejudicessofarastoforcethegovernmenttoissueanedictonthesubject。Andeventothelasttheyweresoobstinateintheirattachmenttoploughsharesofwoodthatatumultuousoppositionwasmadetotheenforcementoftheedict，whichforashorttimethreatenedarebellionintheprovince——PARKES，ChemicalEssays，4thEd。473。
Itis，nodoubt，naturalthattheordinaryclassofworkmenshouldregardwithprejudice，ifnotwithhostility，theintroductionofmachinescalculatedtoplacethematadisadvantageandtointerferewiththeirusualemployments；fortopoorandnotveryfar-seeingmenthelossofdailybreadisanappallingprospect。Butinventiondoesnotstandstillonthataccount。HumanbrainsWILLwork。Oldtoolsareimprovedandnewonesinvented，supersedingexistingmethodsofproduction，thoughtheweakandunskilledmayoccasionallybepushedasideoreventroddenunderfoot。Theconsolationwhichremainsis，thatwhilethefewsuffer，societyasawholeisvastlybenefittedbytheimprovedmethodsofproductionwhicharesuggested，invented，andperfectedbytheexperienceofsuccessivegenerations。
Thelivingraceistheinheritoroftheindustryandskillofallpasttimes；andthecivilizationweenjoyisbutthesumoftheusefuleffectsoflabourduringthepastcenturies。Nihilpersaltum。
ByslowandoftenpainfulstepsNature’ssecretshavebeenmastered。