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第15节

industrial biography-第15节

小说: industrial biography 字数: 每页4000字

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ironmasters raised a fresh outcry against him; and addressed another

strong memorial against Dud and his iron to King James。  This seems to

have taken effect; and in order to ascertain the quality of the

article by testing it upon a large scale; the King commanded Dudley

to send up to the Tower of London; with every possible speed;

quantities of all the sorts of bar…iron made by him; fit for the

〃making of muskets; carbines; and iron for great bolts for shipping;

which iron;〃 continues Dud; 〃being so tried by artists and smiths;

the ironmasters and iron…mongers were all silenced until the 21st

year of King James's reign。〃  The ironmasters then endeavoured to get

the Dudley patent included in the monopolies to be abolished by the

statute of that year; but all they could accomplish was the

limitation of the patent to fourteen years instead of thirty…one; the

special exemption of the patent from the operation of the statute

affording a sufficient indication of the importance already attached

to the invention。  After that time Dudley 〃went on with his invention

cheerfully; and made annually great store of iron; good and

merchantable; and sold it unto diverse men at twelve pounds per ton。〃

〃I also;〃 said he; 〃made all sorts of cast…iron wares; as brewing

cisterns; pots; mortars; &c。; better and cheaper than any yet made in

these nations with charcoal; some of which are yet to be seen by any

man (at the author's house in the city of Worcester) that desires to

be satisfied of the truth of the invention。〃



Notwithstanding this decided success; Dudley encountered nothing but

trouble and misfortune。  The ironmasters combined to resist his

invention; they fastened lawsuit's upon him; and succeeded in getting

him ousted from his works at Cradley。  From thence he removed to

Himley in the county of Stafford; where he set up a pit…coal furnace;

but being without the means of forging the iron into bars; he was

constrained to sell the pig…iron to the charcoal…ironmasters; 〃who

did him much prejudice; not only by detaining his stock; but also by

disparaging his iron。〃  He next proceeded to erect a large new furnace

at Hasco Bridge; near Sedgeley; in the same county; for the purpose

of carrying out the manufacture on the most improved principles。  This

furnace was of stone; twenty…seven feet square; provided with

unusually large bellows; and when in full work he says he was enabled

to turn out seven tons of iron per week; 〃the greatest quantity of

pit…coal iron ever yet made in Great Britain。〃  At the same place he

discovered and opened out new workings of coal ten feet thick; lying

immediately over the ironstone; and he prepared to carry on his

operations on a large scale; but the new works were scarcely finished

when a mob of rioters; instigated by the charcoal…ironmasters; broke

in upon them; cut in pieces the new bellows; destroyed the machinery;

and laid the results of all his deep…laid ingenuity and persevering

industry in ruins。  From that time forward Dudley was allowed no rest

nor peace:  he was attacked by mobs; worried by lawsuits; and

eventually overwhelmed by debts。  He was then seized by his creditors

and sent up to London; where he was held a prisoner in the Comptoir

for several thousand pounds。  The charcoal…iron men thus for a time

remained masters of the field。



Charles I。 seems to have taken pity on the suffering inventor; and on

his earnest petition; setting forth the great advantages to the

nation of his invention; from which he had as yet derived no

advantage; but only losses; sufferings; and persecution; the King

granted him a renewal of his patent*

 'footnote。。。

Patent No。 117; Old Series; granted in 1638; to Sir George Horsey;

David Ramsey; Roger Foulke; and Dudd Dudley。

 。。。'

in the year 1638; three other gentlemen joining him as partners; and

doubtless providing the requisite capital for carrying on the

manufacture after the plans of the inventor。  But Dud's evil fortune

continued to pursue him。  The patent had scarcely been securedere the

Civil War broke out; and the arts of peace must at once perforce give

place to the arts of war。  Dud's nature would not suffer him to be

neutral at such a time; and when the nation divided itself into two

hostile camps; his predilections being strongly loyalist; he took the

side of the King with his father。  It would appear from a petition

presented by him to Charles II。 in 1660; setting forth his sufferings

in the royal cause; and praying for restoral to certain offices which

he had enjoyed under Charles I。; that as early as the year 1637 he

had been employed by the King on a mission into Scotland;*

 'footnote。。。

By his own account; given in Metallum Martis; while in Scotland in

1637; he visited the Highlands as well as the Lowlands; spending the

whole summer of that year 〃in opening of mines and making of

discoveries;〃 spending part of the time with Sir James Hope of Lead

Hills; near where; he says; 〃he got gold。〃  It does not appear;

however; that any iron forges existed in Scotland at the time:  indeed

Dudley expressly says that 〃Scotland maketh no iron;〃 and in his

treatise of 1665 he urges that the Corporation of the Mines Royal

should set him and his inventions at work to enable Scotland to enjoy

the benefit of a cheap and abundant supply of the manufactured

article。

 。。。'

in the train of the Marquis of Hamilton; the King's Commissioner。

Again in 1639; leaving his ironworks and partners; he accompanied

Charles on his expedition across the Scotch border; and was present

with the army until its discomfiture at Newburn near Newcastle in the

following year。



The sword was now fairly drawn; and Dud seems for a time to have

abandoned his iron…works and followed entirely the fortunes of the

king。  He was sworn surveyor of the Mews or Armoury in 1640; but being

unable to pay for the patent; another was sworn in in his place。  Yet

his loyalty did not falter; for in the beginning of 1642; when

Charles set out from London; shortly after the fall of Strafford and

Laud; Dud went with him。*

 'footnote。。。

The Journals of the House of Commons; of the 13th June; 1642; contain

the resolution 〃that Captain Wolseley; Ensign Dudley; and John

Lometon be forthwith sent for; as delinquents; by the

Serjeant…at…Arms attending on the House; for giving interruption to

the execution of the ordinance of the militia in the county of

Leicester。〃

 。。。'

He was present before Hull when Sir John Hotham shut its gates in the

king's face; at York when the royal commissions of array were sent

out enjoining all loyal subjects to send men; arms; money; and

horses; for defence of the king and maintenance of the law; at

Nottingham; where the royal standard was raised; at Coventry; where

the townspeople refused the king entrance and fired upon his troops

from the walls; at Edgehill; where the first great but indecisive

battle was fought between the contending parties; in short; as Dud

Dudley states in his petition; he was 〃in most of the battailes that

year; and also supplyed his late sacred Majestie's magazines of

Stafford; Worcester; Dudley Castle; and Oxford; with arms; shot;

drakes; and cannon; and also; became major unto Sir Frauncis

Worsley's regiment; which was much decaied。〃



In 1643; according to the statement contained in his petition above

referred to; Dud Dudley acted as military engineer in setting out the

fortifications of Worcester and Stafford; and furnishing them with

ordnance。  After the taking of Lichfield; in which he had a share; he

was made Colonel of Dragoons; and accompanied the Queen with his

regiment to the royal head…quarters at Oxford。  The year after we find

him at the siege of Gloucester; then at the first battle of Newbury

leading the forlorn hope with Sir George Lisle; afterwards marching

with Sir Charles Lucas into the associate counties; and present at

the royalist rout at Newport。  That he was esteemed a valiant and

skilful officer is apparent from the circumstance; that in 1645 he

was appointed general of Prince Maurice's train of artillery; and

afterwards held the same rank under Lord Ashley。  The iron districts

being still for the most part occupied by the royal armies; our

military engineer turned his practical experience to account by

directing the forging of drakes*

 'footnote。。。

Small pieces of artillery; specimens of which are still to be seen in

the museum at Woolwich Arsenal and at the Tower。  。。。'

 of bar…iron; which were found of great use; giving up his own

dwelling…house in the city of Worcester for the purpose of carrying

on the manufacture of these and other arms。  But Worcester and the

western towns fell before the Parliamentarian armies in 1646; and all

the iron…works belonging to royalists; from which the principal

supplies of arms had been drawn by the King's army; were forthwith

destroyed。



Dudley fully shared in the dangers and vicissi

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