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were many persons; indeed; who held that it was better we should be

supplied with iron from Spain than make it at home; in consequence of

the great waste of wood involved by the manufacture; but against this

view Yarranton strongly contended; and held; what is as true now as

it was then; that the manufacture of iron was the keystone of

England's industrial prosperity。  He also apprehended great danger to

the country from want of iron in event of the contingency of a

foreign war。  〃When the greatest part of the iron…works are asleep;〃

said he; 〃if there should be occasion for great quantities of guns

and bullets; and other sorts of iron commodities; for a present

unexpected war; and the Sound happen to be locked up; and so prevent

iron coming to us; truly we should then be in a fine case!〃



Notwithstanding these apprehended national perils arising from the

want of iron; no steps seem to have been taken to supply the

deficiency; either by planting woods on a large scale; as recommended

by Yarranton; or by other methods; and the produce of English iron

continued steadily to decline。  In 1720…30 there were found only ten

furnaces remaining in blast in the whole Forest of Dean; where the

iron…smelters were satisfied with working up merely the cinders left

by the Romans。  A writer of the time states that we then bought

between two and three hundred thousand pounds' worth of foreign iron

yearly; and that England was the best customer in Europe for Swedish

and Russian iron。*

 'footnote。。。

JOSHUA GEE; The Trade and Navigation of Great Britain considered;

1731。

 。。。'

By the middle of the eighteenth century the home manufacture had so

much fallen off; that the total production of Great Britain is

supposed to have amounted to not more than 18;000 tons a year;

four…fifths of the iron used in the country being imported from

Sweden。*

 'footnote。。。

When a bill was introduced into Parliament in 1750 with the object of

encouraging the importation of iron from our American colonies; the

Sheffield tanners petitioned against it; on the ground that; if it

passed; English iron would be undersold; many forges would

consequently be discontinued; in which case the timber used for fuel

would remain uncut; and the tanners would thereby be deprived of bark

for the purposes of their trade!

 。。。'



The more that the remaining ironmasters became straitened for want of

wood; the more they were compelled to resort to cinders and coke made

from coal as a substitute。  And it was found that under certain

circumstances this fuel answered the purpose almost as well as

charcoal of wood。  The coke was made by burning the coal in heaps in

the open air; and it was usually mixed with coal and peat in the

process of smelting the ore。  Coal by itself was used by the country

smiths for forging whenever they could procure it for their smithy

fires; and in the midland counties they had it brought to them;

sometimes from great distances; slung in bags across horses'

backs;for the state of the roads was then so execrable as not to

admit of its being led for any considerable distance in carts。  At

length we arrive at a period when coal seems to have come into

general use; and when necessity led to its regular employment both in

smelting the ore and in manufacturing the metal。  And this brings us

to the establishment of the Coalbrookdale works; where the smelting

of iron by means of coke and coal was first adopted on a large scale

as the regular method of manufacture。



Abraham Darby; the first of a succession of iron manufacturers who

bore the same name; was the son of a farmer residing at Wrensnest;

near Dudley。  He served an apprenticeship to a maker of malt…kilns

near Birmingham; after which he married and removed to Bristol in

1700; to begin business on his own account。  Industry is of all

politics and religions:  thus Dudley was a Royalist and a Churchman;

Yarranton was a Parliamentarian and a Presbyterian; and Abraham Darby

was a Quaker。  At Bristol he was joined by three partners of the same

persuasion; who provided the necessary capital to enable him to set

up works at Baptist Mills; near that city; where he carried on the

business of malt…mill making; to which he afterwards added brass and

iron founding。



At that period cast…iron pots were in very general use; forming the

principal cooking utensils of the working class。  The art of casting

had; however; made such small progress in England that the pots were

for the most part imported from abroad。  Darby resolved; if possible;

to enter upon this lucrative branch of manufacture; and he proceeded

to make a number of experiments in pot…making。  Like others who had

preceded him; he made his first moulds of clay; but they cracked and

burst; and one trial failed after another。  He then determined to find

out the true method of manufacturing the pots; by travelling into the

country from whence the best were imported; in order to master the

grand secret of the trade。  With this object he went over to Holland

in the year 1706; and after diligent inquiry he ascertained that the

only sure method of casting 〃Hilton ware;〃 as such castings were then

called; was in moulds of fine dry sand。  This was the whole secret。



Returning to Bristol; accompanied by some skilled Dutch workmen;

Darby began the new manufacture; and succeeded to his satisfaction。

The work was at first carried on with great secrecy; lest other

makers should copy the art; and the precaution was taken of stopping

the keyhole of the workshop…door while the casting was in progress。

To secure himself against piracy; he proceeded to take out a patent

for the process in the year 1708; and it was granted for the term of

fourteen years。  The recital of the patent is curious; as showing the

backward state of English iron…founding at that time。  It sets forth

that 〃whereas our trusty and well…beloved Abraham Darby; of our city

of Bristol; smith; hath by his petition humbly represented to us;

that by his study; industry; and expense; he hath found out and

brought to perfection a new way of casting iron bellied pots and

other iron bellied ware in sand only; without loam or clay; by which

such iron pots and other ware may be cast fine and with more ease and

expedition; and may be afforded cheaper than they can be by the way

commonly used; and in regard to their cheapness may be of great

advantage to the poor of this our kingdom; who for the most part use

such ware; and in all probability will prevent the merchants of

England going to foreign markets for such ware; from whence great

quantities are imported; and likewise may in time supply other

markets with that manufacture of our dominions;〃 &c。。。。。  grants the

said Abraham Darby the full power and sole privilege to make and sell

such pots and ware for and during the term of fourteen years thence

ensuing。〃



Darby proceeded to make arrangements for carrying on the manufacture

upon a large scale at the Baptist Mills; but the other partners

hesitated to embark more capital in the concern; and at length

refused their concurrence。  Determined not to be baulked in his

enterprise; Darby abandoned the Bristol firm; and in the year 1709 he

removed to Coalbrookdale in Shropshire; with the intention of

prosecuting the enterprise on his own account。  He took the lease of a

little furnace which had existed at the place for more than a

century; as the records exist of a 〃smethe〃 or 〃smeth…house〃 at

Coalbrookdale in the time of the Tudors。  The woods of oak and hazel

which at that time filled the beautiful dingles of the dale; and

spread in almost a continuous forest to the base of the Wrekin;

furnished abundant fuel for the smithery。  As the trade of the

Coalbrookdale firm extended; these woods became cleared; until the

same scarcity of fuel began to be experienced that had already

desolated the forests of Sussex; and brought the manufacture of iron

in that quarter to a stand…still。



It appears from the 'Blast Furnace Memorandum Book' of Abraham Darby;

which we have examined; that the make of iron at the Coalbrookdale

foundry; in 1713; varied from five to ten tons a week。  The principal

articles cast were pots; kettles; and other 〃hollow ware;〃 direct

from the smelting…furnace; the rest of the metal was run into pigs。

In course of time we find that other castings were turned out:  a few

grates; smoothing…irons; door…frames; weights; baking…plates;

cart…bushes; iron pestles and mortars; and occasionally a tailor's

goose。  The trade gradually increased; until we find as many as 150

pots and kettles cast in a week。



The fuel used in the furnaces appears; from the Darby

Memorandum…Book; to have been at first entirely charcoal; but the

growing scarcity of wood seems to have gradually led to the use of

coke; brays or small coke; and peat。  An abundance of coals existed in

the neighbourhood:  by rejecting those of inferior 

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