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in Glamorganshire for the purpose of carrying on the iron

manufacture; were Walter Burrell; the friend of John Ray; the

naturalist; one of the Morleys of Glynde in Sussex; the Relfes from

Mayfield; and the Cheneys from Crawley。



Notwithstanding these migrations of enterprising manufacturers; the

iron trade of Sussex continued to exist until the middle of the

seventeenth century; when the waste of timber was again urged upon

the attention of Parliament; and the penalties for infringing the

statutes seem to have been more rigorously enforced。  The trade then

suffered a more serious check; and during the civil wars; a heavy

blow was given to it by the destruction of the works belonging to all

royalists; which was accomplished by a division of the army under Sir

William Waller。  Most of the Welsh ironworks were razed to the ground

about the same time; and were not again rebuilt。  And after the

Restoration; in 1674; all the royal ironworks in the Forest of Dean

were demolished; leaving only such to be supplied with ore as were

beyond the forest limits; the reason alleged for this measure being

lest the iron manufacture should endanger the supply of timber

required for shipbuilding and other necessary purposes。



From this time the iron manufacture of Sussex; as of England

generally; rapidly declined。  In 1740 there were only fifty…nine

furnaces in all England; of which ten were in Sussex; and in 1788

there were only two。  A few years later; and the Sussex iron furnaces

were blown out altogether。  Farnhurst; in western; and Ashburnham; in

eastern Sussex; witnessed the total extinction of the manufacture。

The din of the iron hammer was hushed; the glare of the furnace

faded; the last blast of the bellows was blown; and the district

returned to its original rural solitude。  Some of the furnace…ponds

were drained and planted with hops or willows; others formed

beautiful lakes in retired pleasure…grounds; while the remainder were

used to drive flour…mills; as the streams in North Kent; instead of

driving fulling…mills; were employed to work paper…mills。  All that

now remains of the old iron…works are the extensive beds of cinders

from which material is occasionally taken to mend the Sussex roads;

and the numerous furnace…ponds; hammer…posts; forges; and cinder

places; which mark the seats of the ancient manufacture。





CHAPTER III。



IRON…SMELTING BY PIT…COALDUD DUDLEY。



〃God of his Infinite goodness (if we will but take notice of his

goodness unto this Nation) hath made this Country a very Granary for

the supplying of Smiths with Iron; Cole; and Lime made with cole;

which hath much supplied these men with Corn also of late; and from

these men a great part; not only of this Island; but also of his

Majestie's other Kingdoms and Territories; with Iron wares have their

supply; and Wood in these parts almost exhausted; although it were of

late a mighty woodland country。〃DUDLEY's Metallum Martis; 1665。





The severe restrictions enforced by the legislature against the use

of wood in iron…smelting had the effect of almost extinguishing the

manufacture。  New furnaces ceased to be erected; and many of the old

ones were allowed to fall into decay; until it began to be feared

that this important branch of industry would become completely lost。

The same restrictions alike affected the operations of the glass

manufacture; which; with the aid of foreign artisans; had been

gradually established in England; and was becoming a thriving branch

of trade。  It was even proposed that the smelting of iron should be

absolutely prohibited:  〃many think;〃 said a contemporary writer;

〃that there should be NO WORKS ANYWHEREthey do so devour the

woods。〃



The use of iron; however; could not be dispensed with。  The very

foundations of society rested upon an abundant supply of it; for

tools and implements of peace; as well as for weapons of war。  In the

dearth of the article at home; a supply of it was therefore sought

for abroad; and both iron and steel came to be imported in

largely…increased quantities。  This branch of trade was principally in

the hands of the Steelyard Company of Foreign Merchants; established

in Upper Thames Street; a little above London Bridge; and they

imported large quantities of iron and steel from foreign countries;

principally from Sweden; Germany; and Spain。  The best iron came from

Spain; though the Spaniards on their part coveted our English made

cannons; which were better manufactured than theirs; while the best

steel came from Germany and Sweden。*

 'footnote。。。

As late as 1790; long after the monopoly of the foreign merchants had

been abolished; Pennant says; 〃The present Steelyard is the great

repository of imported iron; which furnishes our metropolis with that

necessary material。  The quantity of bars that fills the yards and

warehouses of this quarter strikes with astonishment the most

indifferent beholder。〃PENNANT; Account of London; 309。

 。。。'



Under these circumstances; it was natural that persons interested in

the English iron manufacture should turn their attention to some

other description of fuel which should serve as a substitute for the

prohibited article。  There was known to be an abundance of coal in the

northern and midland counties; and it occurred to some speculators

more than usually daring; to propose it as a substitute for the

charcoal fuel made from wood。  But the same popular prejudice which

existed against the use of coal for domestic purposes; prevented its

being employed for purposes of manufacture; and they were thought

very foolish persons indeed who first promulgated the idea of

smelting iron by means of pit…coal。  The old manufacturers held it to

be impossible to reduce the ore in any other way than by means of

charcoal of wood。  It was only when the wood in the neighbourhood of

the ironworks had been almost entirely burnt up; that the

manufacturers were driven to entertain the idea of using coal as a

substitute; but more than a hundred years passed before the practice

of smelting iron by its means became general。



The first who took out a patent for the purpose was one Simon

Sturtevant; a German skilled in mining operations; the professed

object of his invention being 〃to neale; melt; and worke all kind of

metal oares; irons; and steeles with sea…coale; pit…coale;

earth…coale; and brush fewell。〃  The principal end of his invention;

he states in his Treatise of Metallica;*

 'footnote。。。

STURTEVANT'S Metallica; briefly comprehending the Doctrine of Diverse

New Metallical Inventions; &c。  Reprinted and published at the Great

Seal Patent Office; 1858。

 。。。'

is to save the consumption and waste of the woods and timber of the

country; and; should his design succeed; he holds that it 〃will prove

to be the best and most profitable business and invention that ever

was known or invented in England these many yeares。〃  He says he has

already made trial of the process on a small scale; and is confident

that it will prove equally successful on a large one。  Sturtevant was

not very specific as to his process; but it incidentally appears to

have been his purpose to reduce the coal by an imperfect combustion

to the condition of coke; thereby ridding it of 〃those malignant

proprieties which are averse to the nature of metallique substances。〃

The subject was treated by him; as was customary in those days; as a

great mystery; made still more mysterious by the multitude of learned

words under which he undertook to describe his 〃Ignick Invention〃 All

the operations of industry were then treated as secrets。  Each trade

was a craft; and those who followed it were called craftsmen。  Even

the common carpenter was a handicraftsman; and skilled artisans were

〃cunning men。〃  But the higher branches of work were mysteries; the

communication of which to others was carefully guarded by the

regulations of the trades guilds。  Although the early patents are

called specifications; they in reality specify nothing。  They are for

the most part but a mere haze of words; from which very little

definite information can be gleaned as to the processes patented。  It

may be that Sturtevant had not yet reduced his idea to any

practicable method; and therefore could not definitely explain it。

However that may be; it is certain that his process failed when tried

on a large scale; and Sturtevant's patent was accordingly cancelled

at the end of a year。





The idea; however; had been fairly born; and repeated patents were

taken out with the same object from time to time。  Thus; immediately

on Sturtevant's failure becoming known; one John Rovenzon; who had

been mixed up with the other's adventure; applied for a patent for

making iron by the same process; which was granted him in 1613。  His

'Treatise of Metallica'*

 'footnote。。。

Reprinted and published at the Great Seal Patent Office; 1858。

 。。。'

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