TheAuthoroffersthefollowingbookasacontinuation，inamoregenerallyaccessibleform，oftheSeriesofMemoirsofIndustrialMenintroducedinhisLivesoftheEngineers。Whilepreparingthatworkhefrequentlycameacrossthetracksofcelebratedinventors，mechanics，andiron-workers——thefounders，inagreatmeasure，ofthemodernindustryofBritain——whoselaboursseemedtohimwellworthyofbeingtracedoutandplacedonrecord，andthemoresoastheirlivespresentedmanypointsofcuriousandoriginalinterest。Havingbeenencouragedtoprosecutethesubjectbyoffersofassistancefromsomeofthemosteminentlivingmechanicalengineers，heisnowenabledtopresentthefollowingfurtherseriesofmemoirstothepublic。

Withoutexaggeratingtheimportanceofthisclassofbiography，itmayatleastbeaverredthatithasnotyetreceiveditsdueshareofattention。Whilecommemoratingthelaboursandhonouringthenamesofthosewhohavestriventoelevatemanabovethematerialandmechanical，thelaboursoftheimportantindustrialclasstowhomsocietyowessomuchofitscomfortandwell-beingarealsoentitledtoconsideration。Withoutderogatingfromthebiographicclaimsofthosewhoministertointellectandtaste，thosewhoministertoutilityneednotbeoverlooked。WhenaFrenchmanwaspraisingtoSirJohnSinclairtheartistwhoinventedruffles，theBaronetshrewdlyremarkedthatsomemeritwasalsoduetothemanwhoaddedtheshirt。

AdistinguishedlivingmechanicthusexpresseshimselftotheAuthoronthispoint：-”Kings，warriors，andstatesmenhaveheretoforemonopolizednotonlythepagesofhistory，butalmostthoseofbiography。SurelysomenicheoughttobefoundfortheMechanic，withoutwhoseskillandlaboursociety，asitis，couldnotexist。I

donotbegrudgedestructiveheroestheirfame，buttheconstructiveonesoughtnottobeforgotten；andthereISaheroismofskillandtoilbelongingtothelatterclass，worthyofasgratefulrecord，——lessperilousandromantic，itmaybe，thanthatoftheother，butnotlessfulloftheresultsofhumanenergy，bravery，andcharacter。Thelotoflabourisindeedoftenadullone；anditisdoingapublicservicetoendeavourtolightenitupbyrecordsofthestrugglesandtriumphsofourmoreillustriousworkers，andtheresultsoftheirlaboursinthecauseofhumanadvancement。”

Asrespectsthepreparationofthefollowingmemoirs，theAuthor’sprincipaltaskhasconsistedinselectingandarrangingthematerialssoliberallyplacedathisdisposalbygentlemenforthemostpartpersonallyacquaintedwiththesubjectsofthem，andbutforwhoseassistancethebookcouldnothavebeenwritten。ThematerialsforthebiographyofHenryMaudslay，forinstance，havebeenpartlysuppliedbythelateMr。JoshuaField，F。R。S。(hispartner)，butprincipallybyMr。JamesNasmyth，C。E。，hisdistinguishedpupil。InlikemannerMr。JohnPenn，C。E。，hassuppliedthechiefmaterialsforthememoirofJosephClement，assistedbyMr。Wilkinson，Clement’snephew。TheAuthorhasalsohadthevaluableassistanceofMr。

WilliamFairbairn，F。R。S。，Mr。J。O。March，toolmanufacturer(MayorofLeeds)，Mr。RichardRoberts，C。E。，Mr。HenryMaudslay，C。E。，andMr。J。Kitson，Jun。，ironmanufacturer，Leeds，inthepreparationoftheothermemoirsofmechanicalengineersincludedinthisvolume。

Thematerialsforthememoirsoftheearlyiron-workershaveinlikemannerbeenobtainedforthemostpartfromoriginalsources；thoseoftheDarbysandReynoldsesfromMr。DickinsonofCoalbrookdale，Mr。

WilliamReynoldsofCoed-du，andMr。WilliamG。Norrisoftheformerplace，aswellasfromMr。AnsticeofMadeleyWood，whohaskindlysuppliedtheoriginalrecordsofthefirm。ThesubstanceofthebiographyofBenjaminHuntsman，theinventorofcast-steel，hasbeenfurnishedbyhislinealrepresentatives；andthefactsembodiedinthememoirsofHenryCortandDavidMushethavebeensuppliedbythesonsofthoseinventors。ToMr。AndersonKirkwoodofGlasgowtheAuthorisindebtedforthememoirofJamesBeaumontNeilson，inventorofthehotblast；andtoMr。RalphMoore，InspectorofMinesinScotland，forvariousinformationrelativetotheprogressoftheScotchironmanufacture。

ThememoirsofDudDudleyandAndrewYarrantonarealmosttheonlyonesoftheseriesinpreparingwhichmaterialassistancehasbeenderivedfrombooks；butthesehavebeenlargelyillustratedbyfactscontainedinoriginaldocumentspreservedintheStatePaperOffice，thecarefulexaminationofwhichhasbeenconductedbyMr。W。WalkerWilkins。

Itwillthusbeobservedthatmostoftheinformationembodiedinthisvolume，moreespeciallythatrelatingtotheinventorsoftoolsandmachines，hasheretoforeexistedonlyinthememoriesoftheeminentmechanicalengineersfromwhomithasbeencollected。TheestimableJoshuaFieldhasdiedsincethedateatwhichhecommunicatedhisrecollections；andinafewmoreyearsmanyofthefactswhichhavebeencaughtandarehereplacedonrecordwould，probably，intheordinarycourseofthings，havepassedintooblivion。Asitis，theAuthorfeelsthattherearemanygapsyettobefilledup；butthefieldofIndustrialBiographyisawideone，andisopentoallwhowilllabourinit。

London，October，1863。

CONTENTS

CHAPTERI。

IRONANDCIVILIZATION。

TheSouthSeaIslandersandironUsesofironfortoolsTheStone，Bronze，andIronagesRecentdiscoveriesinthebedsoftheSwisslakesIronthelastmetaltocomeintogeneraluse，andwhyThefirstironsmeltersEarlyhistoryofironinBritainTheRomansSocialimportanceoftheSmithinearlytimesEnchantedswordsEarlyscarcityofironinScotlandAndreadeFerraraScarcityofironinEnglandatthetimeoftheArmadaImportanceofironfornationaldefenceCHAPTERII。

BEGINNINGSOFTHEIRON-MANUFACTURERINBRITAIN。

IronmadeintheForestofDeaninAnglo-SaxontimesMonkishiron-workersEarlyiron-smeltinginYorkshireMuchironimportedfromabroadIronmanufacturesofSussexManufactureofcannonWealthyironmastersofSussexFounderoftheGalefamilyExtensiveexportsofEnglishordnanceDestructionoftimberiniron-smeltingThemanufactureplacedunderrestrictionsTheSussexfurnacesblownoutCHAPTERIII。

IRONSMELTINGBYPIT-COAL——DUDDUDLEY。

GreatlyreducedproductionofEnglishironProposaltousepit-coalinsteadofcharcoalofwoodinsmeltingSturtevant’spatentRovenson’sDudDudley；hisfamilyhishistoryUsespit-coaltosmeltironwithsuccessTakesouthispatentThequalityoftheironprovedbytestsDudley’sworkssweptawaybyafloodRebuildshisworks，andtheyaredestroyedbyamobRenewalofhispatentOutbreakoftheCivilWarDudleyjoinstheRoyalists，andrisestobeGeneralofartilleryHisperilousadventuresandhair-breadthescapesHisestateconfiscatedRecommencesiron-smeltingVariousattemptstosmeltwithpit-coalDudley’spetitionstotheKingHisdeathCHAPTERIV。

ANDREWYARRANTON。

AforgottenpatriotTheYarrantonfamilyAndrewYarranton’searlylifeAsoldierundertheParliamentBeginsironworksIsseizedandimprisonedHisplansforimprovinginternalnavigationImprovementsinagricultureManufactureoftinplateHisjourneyintoSaxonytolearnitTravelsinHollandHisviewsoftradeandindustryHisvariousprojectsHis’England’sImprovementbySeaandLand’

HisproposedLandBankHisproposedRegistryofRealEstateHiscontroversiesHisiron-miningValueofhislaboursCHAPTERV。

COALBROOKDALEIRONWORKS——THEDARBYSANDREYNOLDSES。

Failureintheattemptstosmeltironwithpit-coalDr。Blewstone’sexperimentDecayoftheironmanufactureAbrahamDarbyHismanufactureofcast-ironpotsatBristolRemovestoCoalbrookdaleHismethodofsmeltingironIncreaseduseofcokeUseofpit-coalbyRichardFordRichardReynoldsjoinstheCoalbrookdalefirmInventionoftheCranegesiniron-refiningLetterofRichardReynoldsonthesubjectInventionofcast-ironrailsbyReynoldsAbrahamDarbytheSecondconstructsthefirstironbridgeExtensionoftheCoalbrookdaleWorksWilliamReynolds：hisinventionofinclinedplanesforworkingcanalsRetirementofRichardReynoldsfromthefirmHislateryears，character，anddeathCHAPTERVI。

INVENTIONOFCASTSTEEL-BENJAMINHUNTSMAN。

ConversionofironintosteelEarlySheffieldmanufacturesInventionofblisteredsteelImportantusesofcast-steelLePlay’swritingsonthesubjectEarlycareerofBenjaminHuntsmanatDoncasterHisexperimentsinsteel-makingRemovestotheneighbourhoodofSheffieldHislaboriousinvestigations，failures，andeventualsuccessProcessofmakingcast-steelTheSheffieldmanufacturersrefusetouseitTheiroppositionfoiledHowtheywrestedHuntsman’ssecretfromhimImportantresultsoftheinventiontotheindustryofSheffieldHenryBessemerandhisprocessHeath’sinventionPracticalskilloftheSheffieldartisansCHAPTERVII。

THEINVENTIONSOFHENRYCORT。

ParentageofHenryCortBecomesanavyagentStateoftheirontradeCort’sexperimentsiniron-makingTakesafoundryatFontleyPartnershipwithJellicoeVariousimproversiniron-making：Roebuck，Cranege，OnionsCort’simprovedprocessesdescribedHispatentsHisinventionsadoptedbyCrawshay，Homfray，andotherironmastersCort’sironapprovedbytheAdmiraltyPublicdefalcationsofAdamJellicoe，Cort’spartnerCort’spropertyandpatentsconfiscatedPublicproceedingsthereonRuinofHenryCortAccountofRichardCrawshay，thegreatironmasterHisearlylifeIronmongerinLondonStartsaniron-furnaceatMerthyrTydvilProjectsandmakesacanalGrowthofMerthyrTydvilanditsindustryHenryCortthefounderoftheironaristocracy，himselfunrewardedCHAPTERVIII。

THESCOTCHIRONMANUFACTURE——Dr。ROEBUCK——DAVIDMUSHET。

Dr。Roebuck，aforgottenpublicbenefactorHisbirthandeducationBeginsbusinessasaphysicianatBirminghamInvestigationsinmetallurgyRemovestoScotland，andbeginsthemanufactureofchemicals，&c。

StartstheCarronIronWorks，nearFalkirkHisinventionofrefiningironinapit-coalfireEmbarksincoal-miningatBoroughstonessResidenceatKinneilHousePumping-engineswantedforhiscollieryIsintroducedtoJamesWattProgressofWattininventingthesteam-engineInterviewswithDr。RoebuckRoebuckbecomesapartnerinthesteam-enginepatentIsinvolvedindifficulties，andeventuallyruinedAdvanceoftheScotchirontradeDiscoveryoftheBlackBandbyDavidMushetEarlycareerofMushetHislaboriousexperimentsHisinventionsanddiscoveriesinironandsteel，anddeathCHAPTERIX。

INVENTIONOFTHEHOTBLAST——JAMESBEAUMONTNEILSON。

DifficultyofsmeltingtheBlackBandbyordinaryprocessuntiltheinventionofthehotblastEarlycareerofJamesBeaumontNeilsonEducationandapprenticeshipWorksasanengine-firemanAscollieryengine-wrightAppointedforemanoftheGlasgowGas-works；afterwardsmanagerandengineerHisself-educationHisWorkmen’sInstituteHisexperimentsiniron-smeltingTrialswithheatedairintheblast-furnaceIncredulityofironmastersSuccessofhisexperiments，andpatentingofhisprocessHispatentrightdisputed，andestablishedExtensiveapplicationofthehotblastIncreaseoftheScotchirontradeExtraordinaryincreaseinthevalueofestatesyieldingBlackBandScotchironaristocracyCHAPTERX。

MECHANICALINVENTIONSANDINVENTORS。