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to the test of his crucible; he satisfied himself as to its

properties; and proceeded to ascertain its geological position and

relations。  He shortly found that it belonged to the upper part of the

coal…formation; and hence he designated it carboniferous ironstone。

He prosecuted his researches; and found various rich beds of the

mineral distributed throughout the western counties of Scotland。  On

analysis; it was found to contain a little over 50 per cent。  of

protoxide of iron。  The coaly  matter it contained was not its least

valuable ingredient; for by the aid of the hot blast it was

afterwards found practicable to smelt it almost without any addition

of coal。  Seams of black band have since been discovered and

successfully worked in Edinburghshire; Staffordshire; and North

Wales。

 。。。'

The discovery of this was made in 1801; when I was engaged in

erecting for myself and partners the Calder Iron Works。  Great

prejudice was excited against me by the ironmasters and others of

that day in presuming to class the WILD COALS of the country (as

Black Band was called) with ironstone fit and proper for the blast

furnace。  Yet that discovery has elevated Scotland to a considerable

rank among the iron…making nations of Europe; with resources still in

store that may be considered inexhaustible。  But such are the

consolatory effects of Time; that the discoverer of 1801 is no longer

considered the intrusive visionary of the laboratory; but the

acknowledged benefactor of his country at large; and particularly of

an extensive class of coal and mine proprietors and iron masters; who

have derived; and are still deriving; great wealth from this

important discovery; and who; in the spirit of grateful

acknowledgment; have pronounced it worthy of a crown of gold; or a

monumental record on the spot where the discovery was first made。



〃At an advanced period of life; such considerations are soothing and

satisfactory。  Many under similar circumstances have not; in their own

lifetime; had that measure of justice awarded to them by their

country to which they were equally entitled。  I accept it; however; as

a boon justly due to me; and as an equivalent in some degree for that

laborious course of investigation which I had prescribed for myself;

and which; in early life; was carried on under circumstances of

personal exposure and inconvenience; which nothing but a frame of

iron could have supported。  They atone also ;in part; for that

disappointment sustained in early life by the speculative habits of

one partner; and the constitutional nervousness of another; which

eventually occasioned my separation from the Calder Iron Works; and

lost me the possession of extensive tracts of Black Band iron…stone;

which I had secured while the value of the discovery was known only

to myself。〃



Mr。 Mushet published the results of his laborious investigations in a

series of papers in the Philosophical Magazine;afterwards reprinted

in a collected form in 1840 under the title of 〃Papers on Iron and

Steel。〃  These papers are among the most valuable original

contributions to the literature of the iron…manufacture that have yet

been given to the world。  They contain the germs of many inventions

and discoveries in iron and steel; some of which were perfected by

Mr。 Mushet himself; while others were adopted and worked out by

different experimenters。  In 1798 some of the leading French chemists

were endeavouring to prove by experiment that steel could be made by

contact of the diamond with bar…iron in the crucible; the carbon of

the diamond being liberated and entering into combination with the

iron; forming steel。  In the animated controversy which occurred on

the subject; Mr。 Mushet's name was brought into considerable notice;

one of the subjects of his published experiments having been the

conversion of bar…iron into steel in the crucible by contact with

regulated proportions of charcoal。  The experiments which he made in

connection with this controversy; though in themselves unproductive

of results; led to the important discovery by Mr。 Mushet of the

certain fusibility of malleable iron at a suitable temperature。



Among the other important results of Mr。 Mushet's lifelong labours;

the following may be summarily mentioned:  The preparation of steel

from bar…iron by a direct process; combining the iron with carbon;

the discovery of the beneficial effects of oxide of manganese on iron

and steel; the use of oxides of iron in the puddling…furnace in

various modes of appliance; the production of pig…iron from the

blast…furnace; suitable for puddling; without the intervention of the

refinery; and the application of the hot blast to anthracite coal in

iron…smelting。  For the process of combining iron with carbon for the

production of steel; Mr。 Mushet took out a patent in November; 1800;

and many years after; when he had discovered the beneficial effects

of oxide of manganese on steel; Mr。 Josiah Heath founded upon it his

celebrated patent for the making of cast…steel; which had the effect

of raising the annual production of that metal in Sheffield from 3000

to 100;000 tons。  His application of the hot blast to anthracite coal;

after a process invented by him and adopted by the Messrs。 Hill of

the Plymouth Iron Works; South Wales; had the effect of producing

savings equal to about 20;000L。 a year at those works; and yet;

strange to say; Mr。 Mushet himself never received any consideration

for his invention。



The discovery of Titanium by Mr。 Mushet in the hearth of a

blast…furnace in 1794 would now be regarded as a mere isolated fact;

inasmuch as Titanium was not placed in the list of recognised metals

until Dr。 Wollaston; many years later; ascertained its qualities。  But

in connection with the fact; it may be mentioned that Mr。 Mushet's

youngest son; Robert; reasoning on the peculiar circumstances of the

discovery in question; of which ample record is left; has founded

upon it his Titanium process; which is expected by him eventually to

supersede all other methods of manufacturing steel; and to reduce

very materially the cost of its production。



While he lived; Mr。 Mushet was a leading authority on all matters

connected with Iron and Steel; and he contributed largely to the

scientific works of his time。  Besides his papers in the Philosophical

Journal; he wrote the article 〃Iron〃 for Napiers Supplement to the

Encyclopaedia Britannica; and the articles 〃Blast Furnace〃 and

〃Blowing Machine〃 for Rees's Cyclopaedia。  The two latter articles had

a considerable influence on the opposition to the intended tax upon

iron in 1807; and were frequently referred to in the discussions on

the subject in Parliament。  Mr。 Mushet died in 1847。







CHAPTER IX。



INVENTION OF THE HOT BLASTJAMES BEAUMONT NEILSON。



〃Whilst the exploits of the conqueror and the intrigues of the

demagogue are faithfully preserved through a succession of ages; the

persevering and unobtrusive efforts of genius; developing the best

blessings of the Deity to man; are often consigned to oblivion。〃

David Mushet。





The extraordinary value of the Black Band ironstone was not at first

duly recognised; perhaps not even by Mr。 Mushet himself。  For several

years after its discovery by him; its use was confined to the Calder

Iron Works; where it was employed in mixture with other ironstones of

the argillaceous class。  It was afterwards partially used at the Clyde

Iron Works; but nowhere else; a strong feeling of prejudice being

entertained against it on the part of the iron trade generally。  It

was not until the year 1825 that the Monkland Company used it alone;

without any other mixture than the necessary quantity of limestone

for a flux。  〃The success of this Company;〃 says Mr。 Mushet; 〃soon

gave rise to the Gartsherrie and Dundyvan furnaces; in the midst of

which progress came the use of raw pit…coal and the Hot Blastthe

latter one of the greatest discoveries in metallurgy of the present

age; and; above every other process; admirably adapted for smelting

the Blackband ironstone。〃  From the introduction of this process the

extraordinary development of the iron…manufacture of Scotland may be

said to date; and we accordingly propose to devote the present

chapter to an account of its meritorious inventor。



James Beaumont Neilson was born at Shettleston; a roadside village

about three miles eastward of Glasgow; on the 22nd of June; 1792。  His

parents belonged to the working class。  His father's earnings during

many laborious years of his life did not exceed sixteen shillings a

week。  He had been bred to the trade of a mill…wright; and was for

some time in the employment of Dr。 Roebuck as an engine…wright at his

colliery near Boroughstoness。  He was next employed in a like capacity

by Mr。 Beaumont; the mineral…manager of the collieries of Mrs。

Cunningham of Lainshaw; near Irvine in Ayrshire; after which he 

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