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air…pipe as it entered the furnace against the action of the intense

heat to which it was subjected; a spiral pipe for a stream of cold

water constantly to play in has been introduced within the sides of

the iron tuyere through which the nozzle passes; by which means the

tuyere is kept comparatively cool; while the nozzle of the air…pipe

is effectually protected。*

 'footnote。。。

The invention of the tubular air…vessels and the water…tuyere

belongs; we believe; to Mr。 John Condie; sometime manager of the

Blair Iron Works。

 。。。'



This valuable invention did not escape the usual fate of successful

patents; and it was on several occasions the subject of protracted

litigation。  The first action occurred in 1832; but the objectors

shortly gave in; and renewed their licence。  In 1839; when the process

had become generally adopted throughout Scotland; and; indeed; was

found absolutely essential for smelting the peculiar ores of that

countrymore especially Mushet's Black Banda powerful combination

was formed amongst the ironmasters to resist the patent。  The

litigation which ensued extended over five years; during which period

some twenty actions were proceeding in Scotland; and several in

England。  Three juries sat upon the subject at different times; and on

three occasions appeals were carried to the House of Lords。  One jury

trial occupied ten days; during which a hundred and two witnesses

were examined; the law costs on both sides amounting; it is supposed;

to at least 40;000L。  The result was; that the novelty and merit of

Mr。 Neilson's invention were finally established; and he was secured

in the enjoyment of the patent right。



We are gratified to add; that; though Mr。 Neilson had to part with

two…thirds of the profits of the invention to secure the capital and

influence necessary to bring it into general use; he realized

sufficient to enable him to enjoy the evening of his life in peace

and comfort。  He retired from active business to an estate which he

purchased in 1851 in the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright; where he is

found ready to lend a hand in every good workwhether in

agricultural improvement; railway extension; or the moral and social

good of those about him。  Mindful of the success of his Workmen's

Institution at the Glasgow Gas…Works; he has; almost at his own door;

erected a similar Institution for the use of the parish in which his

property is situated; the beneficial effects of which have been very

marked in the district。  We may add that Mr。 Neilson's merits have

been recognised by many eminent bodiesby the Institution of Civil

Engineers; the Chemical Society; and othersthe last honour

conferred on him being his election as a Member of the Royal Society

in 1846。



The invention of the hot blast; in conjunction with the discovery of

the Black Band ironstone; has had an extra ordinary effect upon the

development of the iron…manufacture of Scotland。  The coals of that

country are generally unfit for coking; and lose as much as 55 per

cent。  in the process。  But by using the hot blast; the coal could be

sent to the blast…furnace in its raw state; by which a large saving

of fuel was effected。*

 'footnote。。。

Mr。 Mushet says; 〃The greatest produce in iron per furnace with the

Black Band and cold blast never exceeded 60 tons a…week。  The produce

per furnace now averages 90 tons a…week。  Ten tons of this I attribute

to the use of raw pit…coal; and the other twenty tons to the use of

hot blast。〃  'Papers on Iron and Steel; 127。' The produce per furnace

is now 200 tons a…week and upwards。  The hot blast process was

afterwards applied to the making of iron with the anthracite or stone

coal of Wales; for which a patent was taken out by George Crane in

1836。  Before the hot blast was introduced; anthracite coal would not

act as fuel in the blast…furnace。  When put in; it merely had the

effect of putting the fire out。  With the aid of the hot blast;

however; it now proves to be a most valuable fuel in smelting。

 。。。'

Even coals of an inferior quality were by its means made available

for the manufacture of iron。  But one of the peculiar qualities of the

Black Band ironstone is that in many cases it contains sufficient

coaly matter for purposes of calcination; without any admixture of

coal whatever。  Before its discovery; all the iron manufactured in

Scotland was made from clay…band; but the use of the latter has in a

great measure been discontinued wherever a sufficient supply of Black

Band can be obtained。  And it is found to exist very extensively in

most of the midland Scotch counties;the coal and iron measures

stretching in a broad belt from the Firth of Forth to the Irish

Channel at the Firth of Clyde。  At the time when the hot blast was

invented; the fortunes of many of the older works were at a low ebb;

and several of them had been discontinued; but they were speedily

brought to life again wherever Black Band could be found。  In 1829;

the year after Neilson's patent was taken out; the total make of

Scotland was 29;000 tons。  As fresh discoveries of the mineral were

made; in Ayrshire and Lanarkshire; new works were erected; until; in

1845; we find the production of Scotch pig…iron had increased to

475;000 tons。  It has since increased to upwards of a million of tons;

nineteen…twentieths of which are made from Black Band ironstone。*

 'footnote。。。

It is stated in the North British Review for Nov。 1845; that 〃As in

Scotland every furnacewith the exception of one at Carronnow uses

the hot blast the saving on our present produce of 400;000 tons of

pig…iron is 2;000;000 tons of coals; 200;000 tons of limestone; and

#650;000 sterling per annum。〃  But as the Scotch produce is now above

a million tons of pig…iron a year; the above figures will have to be

multiplied by 2 1/2 to give the present annual savings。

 。。。'



Employment has thus been given to vast numbers of our industrial

population; and the wealth and resources of the Scotch iron districts

have been increased to an extraordinary extent。  During the last year

there were 125 furnaces in blast throughout Scotland; each employing

about 400 men in making an average of 200 tons a week; and the money

distributed amongst the workmen may readily be computed from the fact

that; under the most favourable circumstances; the cost of making

iron in wages alone amounts to 36s。 a…ton。*

 'footnote。。。

Papers read by Mr。 Ralph Moore; Mining Engineer; Glasgow; before the

Royal Scottish Society of Arts; Edin。  1861; pp。 13; 14。

 。。。'



An immense additional value was given to all land in which the Black

Band was found。  Mr。 Mushet mentions that in 1839 the proprietor of

the Airdrie estate derived a royalty of 16;500L。 from the mineral;

which had not before its discovery yielded him one farthing。  At the

same time; many fortunes have been made by pushing and energetic men

who have of late years entered upon this new branch of industry。

Amongst these may be mentioned the Bairds of Gartsherrie; who vie

with the Guests and Crawshays of South Wales; and have advanced

themselves in the course of a very few years from the station of

small farmers to that of great capitalists owning estates in many

counties; holding the highest character commercial men; and ranking

among the largest employers of labour in the kingdom。





CHAPTER X。



MECHANICAL INVENTIONS AND INVENTORS。



〃L'invention nest…elle pas la poesie de la science? 。  。  。  Toutes les

grandes decouvertes portent avec elles la trace ineffacable d'une

pensee poetique。  ll faut etre poete pour creer。  Aussi; sommes…nous

convaincus que si les puissantes machines; veritable source de la

production et de l'industrie de nos jours; doivent recevoir des

modifications radicales; ce sera a des hommes d'imagination; et non

point a dea hommes purement speciaux; que l'on devra cette

transformation。〃E。 M。 BATAILLE; Tr aite des Machines a Vapeur。





Tools have played a highly important part in the history of

civilization。  Without tools and the ability to use them; man were

indeed but a 〃poor; bare; forked animal;〃worse clothed than the

birds; worse housed than the beaver; worse fed than the jackal。  〃Weak

in himself;〃 says Carlyle; 〃and of small stature; he stands on a

basis; at most for the flattest…soled; of some half square foot;

insecurely enough; has to straddle out his legs; Jest the very wind

supplant him。  Feeblest of bipeds!  Three quintals are a crushing load

for him; the steer of the meadow tosses him aloft like a waste rag。

Nevertheless he can use tools; can devise tools:  with these the

granite mountain melts into light dust before him; he kneads glowing

iron as if it were soft paste; seas are his smooth highway; winds and

fire his unvarying steeds。  Nowhere do you find him without tools:  

without tools he is nothing; with tools he is all。〃  His very first

contrivances to support life were tools of the simplest a

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