industrial biography-第19章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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

the　neighbourhood：　　by　rejecting　those　of　inferior　quality；　and　coking

the　others　with　great　care；　a　combustible　was　obtained　better　fitted

even　than　charcoal　itself　for　the　fusion　of　that　particular　kind　of

ore　which　is　found　in　the　coal…measures。　　Thus　we　find　Darby's　most

favourite　charge　for　his　furnaces　to　have　been　five　baskets　of　coke；

two　of　brays；　and　one　of　peat；　next　followed　the　ore；　and　then　the

limestone。　　The　use　of　charcoal　was　gradually　given　up　as　the　art　of

smelting　with　coke　and　brays　improved；　most　probably　aided　by　the

increased　power　of　the　furnace…blast；　until　at　length　we　find　it

entirely　discontinued。



The　castings　of　Coalbrookdale　gradually　acquired　a　reputation；　and

the　trade　of　Abraham　Darby　continued　to　increase　until　the　date　of

his　death；　which　occurred　at　Madeley　Court　in　1717。　　His　sons　were　too

young　at　the　time　to　carry　on　the　business　which　he　had　so

successfully　started；　and　several　portions　of　the　works　were　sold　at

a　serious　sacrifice。　　But　when　the　sons　had　grown　up　to　manhood；　they

too　entered　upon　the　business　of　iron…founding；　and　Abraham　Darby's

son　and　grandson；　both　of　the　same　name；　largely　extended　the

operations　of　the　firm；　until　Coalbrookdale；　or；　as　it　was　popularly

called；　〃Bedlam；〃　became　the　principal　seat　of　one　of　the　most

important　branches　of　the　iron　trade。



There　seems　to　be　some　doubt　as　to　the　precise　time　when　pit…coal　was

first　regularly　employed　at　Coalbrookdale　in　smelting　the　ore。　　Mr。

Scrivenor　says；　〃pit…coal　was　first　used　by　Mr。　Abraham　Darby；　in　his

furnace　at　Coalbrookdale；　in　1713；〃*

　＇footnote。。。

History　of　the　Iron　Trade；　p。　56。

　。。。＇

but　we　can　find　no　confirmation　of　this　statement　in　the　records　of

the　Company。　　It　is　probable　that　Mr。　Darby　used　raw　coal；　as　was　done

in　the　Forest　of　Dean　at　the　same　time；*

　＇footnote。。。

See　Mr。　Powle's　account　of　the　Iron　Works　in　the　Forest　of　Dean

（1677…8）；　in　the　Philosophical　Transactions；　vol。　ii。　p。　418；　where

he　says；　〃After　they　have　pounded　their　ore；　their　first　work　is　to

calcine　it；　which　is　done　in　kilns；　much　after　the　fashion　of

ordinary　lime…kilns；　These　they　fill　up　to　the　top　with　coal　and　ore；

stratum　super　stratum；　until　it　be　full；　and　so　setting　fire　to　the

bottom；　they　let　it　burn　till　the　coal　be　wasted；　and　then　renew　the

kilns　with　fresh　ore　and　coal；　in　the　same　manner　as　before。　　This　is

done　without　fusion　of　the　metal；　and　serves　to　consume　the　more

drossy　parts　of　the　ore　and　to　make　it　friable。〃　　The　writer　then

describes　the　process　of　smelting　the　ore　mixed　with　cinder　in　the

furnaces；　where；　he　says；　the　fuel　is　〃always　of　charcoal。〃　　〃Several

attempts；〃　he　adds；　〃have　been　made　to　introduce　the　use　of　sea…coal

in　these　works　instead　of　charcoal；　the　former　being　to　be　had　at　an

easier　rate　than　the　latter；　but　hitherto　they　have　proved

ineffectual；　the　workmen　finding　by　experience　that　a　sea…coal　fire；

how　vehement　soever；　will　not　penetrate　the　most　fixed　parts　of　the

ore；　and　so　leaves　much　of　the　metal　unmelted〃

　。。。＇

in　the　process　of　calcining　the　ore；　but　it　would　appear　from　his　own

Memoranda　that　coke　only　was　used　in　the　process　of　smelting。　　We

infer　from　other　circumstances　that　pit…coal　was　not　employed　for　the

latter　purpose　until　a　considerably　later　period。　　The　merit　of　its

introduction；　and　its　successful　use　in　iron…smelting；　is　due　to　Mr。

Richard　Ford；　who　had　married　a　daughter　of　Abraham　Darby；　and

managed　the　Coalbrookdale　works　in　1747。　　In　a　paper　by　the　Rev。　Mr。

Mason；　Woodwardian　Professor　at　Cambridge；　given　in　the

'Philosophical　Transactions'　for　that　year；*

　＇footnote。。。

Phil。　　Trans。　　vol。　xliv。　305。

　。。。＇

the　first　account　of　its　successful

employment　is　stated　as　follows：　　　〃Several　attempts　have　been　made

to　run　iron…ore　with　pit…coal：　　he　（Mr。Mason）　thinks　it　has　not

succeeded　anywhere；　as　we　have　had　no　account　of　its　being　practised；

but　Mr。　Ford；　of　Coalbrookdale　in　Shropshire；　from　iron…ore　and　coal；

both　got　in　the　same　dale；　makes　iron　brittle　or　tough　as　he　pleases；

there　being　cannon　thus　cast　so　soft　as　to　bear　turning　like

wrought…iron。〃　　Most　probably；　however；　it　was　not　until　the　time　of

Richard　Reynolds；　who　succeeded　Abraham　Darby　the　second　in　the

management　of　the　works　in　1757；　that　pit…coal　came　into　large　and

regular　use　in　the　blasting…furnaces　as　well　as　the　fineries　of

Coalbrookdale。



Richard　Reynolds　was　born　at　Bristol　in　1735。　　His　parents；　like　the

Darbys；　belonged　to　the　Society　of　Friends；　and　he　was　educated　in

that　persuasion。　　Being　a　spirited；　lively　youth；　the　〃old　Adam〃

occasionally　cropped　out　in　him；　and　he　is　even　said；　when　a　young

man；　to　have　been　so　much　fired　by　the　heroism　of　the　soldier's

character　that　he　felt　a　strong　desire　to　embrace　a　military　career；

but　this　feeling　soon　died　out；　and　he　dropped　into　the　sober　and

steady　rut　of　the　Society。　　After　serving　an　apprenticeship　in　his

native　town；　he　was　sent　to　Coalbrookdale　on　a　mission　of　business；

where　he　became　acquainted　with　the　Darby　family；　and　shortly　after

married　Hannah；　the　daughter　of　Abraham　the　second。　　He　then　entered

upon　the　conduct　of　the　iron　and　coal　works　at　Ketley　and　Horsehay；

where　he　resided　for　six　years；　removing　to　Coalbrookdale　in　1763；　to

take　charge　of　the　works　there；　on　the　death　of　his　father…in…law。



By　the　exertions　and　enterprise　of　the　Darbys；　the　Coalbrookdale

Works　had　become　greatly　enlarged；　giving　remunerative　employment　to

a　large　and　increasing　population。　　The　firm　had　extended　their

operations　far　beyond　the　boundaries　of　the　Dale：　　they　had

established　foundries　at　London；　Bristol；　and　Liverpool；　and　agencies

at　Newcastle　and　Truro　for　the　disposal　of　steam…engines　and　other

iron　machinery　used　in　the　deep　mines　of　those　districts。　　Watt　had

not　yet　perfected　his　steam…engine；　but　there　was　a　considerable

demand　for　pumping…engines　of　Newcomen's　construction；　many　of　which

were　made　at　the　Coalbrookdale　Works。　　The　increasing　demand　for　iron

gave　an　impetus　to　coal…mining；　which　in　its　turn　stimulated

inventors　in　their　improvement　of　the　power　of　the　steam…engine；　for

the　coal　could　not　be　worked　quickly　and　advantageously　unless　the

pits　could　be　kept　clear　of　water。　　Thus　one　invention　stimulates

another；　and　when　the　steam…engine　had　been　perfected　by　Watt；　and

enabled　powerful…blowing　apparatus　to　be　worked　by　its　agency；　we

shall　find　that　the　production　of　iron　by　means　of　pit…coal　being

rendered　cheap　and　expeditious；　soon　became　enormously　increased。



We　are　informed　that　it　was　while　Richard　Reynolds　had　charge　of　the

Coalbrookdale　works　that　a　further　important　improvement　was　effected

in　the　manufacture　of　iron　by　pit…coal。　　Up　to　this　time　the

conversion　of　crude　or　cast　iron　into　malleable　or　bar　iron　had　been

effected　entirely　by　means　of　charcoal。　　The　process　was　carried　on　in

a　fire　called　a　finery；　somewhat　like　that　of　a　smith's　forge；　the

iron　being　exposed　to　the　blast　of　powerful　bellows；　and　in　constant

contact　with　the　fuel。　　In　the　first　process　of　fusing　the　ironstone；

coal　had　been　used　for　some　time　with　increasing　success；　but　the

question　arose；　whether　coal　might　not　also　be　used　with　effect　in

the　second　or　refining　stage。　　Two　of　the　foremen；　named　Cranege；

suggested　to　Mr。　Reynolds　that　this　might　be　performed　in　what　is

called　a　reverberatory　furnace；*

　＇footnote。。。

Reverberatory；　so　called　because　the　flame　or　current　of　heated　gases

from　the　fuel　is　caused　to　be　reverberated　or　reflected　down　upon　the

substance　under　operation　before　passing　into　the　chimney。　　It　is

curious　that　Rovenson；　in　his　Treatise　of　Metallica　of　1613；

describes　a　reverberatory　furnace　in　which　iron　was　to　be　smelted　by

pit…coal；　though　it　does　not　appear　that　he　succeeded　in　perfecting

his　invention。　　Dr。　Percy；　in　his　excellent　work　on　Metallurgy；　thus

describes　a　reverberatory　furnace：　　　〃It　consists　essentially　of

three　partsa　fireplace　at　one　end；　a　stack　or　chimney　at　the　other；

and　a　bed　between　both　on　which　the　matter　is　heated。　　The　fireplace

is　separated　from　the　bed　by　a　low　partition　wall　called　the

fire…bridge；　and　both　are　covered　by　an　arched　roof　which　rises　from

the　end　wall　of　the　fireplace　and　gradually　dips　toward　the　furthest

end　of　the　bed　connected　with　the　stack。　　On　one　or　both　sides　of　the

bed；　or　at　the　end　near　the　stack；　may　be　openings　through　which　the

ore　spread　over　the　surface　of　the　bed　may　be　stirred　about　and

exposed　to　the　action　of　the　air。　　The　matter　is　heated　in　such　a

furnace　by　flame；　and　is　kept　from　contact　with　the　solid　fuel。　　The

flame　in　its　course　from　the　fireplace　to　the　stack　is　reflected

downwards　or　REVERBERATED　on　the　matter　beneath；　whence　the　name

REVERBERATORY　furnace。〃

　。。。＇

in　which　the　iron　should　not　mix　with　the　coal；　but　be　heated　solely

by　the　flame。　　Mr。　Reynolds　greatly　doubted　the　feasibility　of　the

operation；　but　he　authorized　the　Cranege；　to　make　an　experiment　of

their　process；　the　result　of　which　will　be　found　described　in　the

following　extract　of　a　letter　from　Mr。　Reynolds　to　Mr。　Thomas　Goldney

of　Bristol；　dated　〃Coalbrookdale；　25th　April；　1766　〃：　　



。。。。　　〃I　come　now　to　what　I　think　a　matter　of　very　great　consequence。

It　is　some　time　since　Thos。　Cranege；　who　works　at　Bridgenorth　Forge；

and　his　brother　George；　of　the　Dale；　spoke　to　me　about　a　notion　they

had　conceived　of　making　bar　iron　without　wood　charcoal。　　I　told　them；

consistent　with　the　notion　I　had　adopted　in　common　with　all　others　I

had　conversed　with；　that　I　thought　it　impossible；　because　the

vegetable　salts　in　the　charcoal　being　an　alkali　acted　as　an　absorbent

to　the　sulphur　of　the　iron；　which　occasions　the　red…short　quality　of

the　iron；　and　pit　coal　abounding　with　sulphur　would　increase　it。　　This

specious　answer；　which　would　probably　have　appeared　conclusive　to

most；　and　which　indeed　was　what　I　really　thought；　was　not　so　to　them。

They　replied　that　from　the　observations　they　had　made；　and　repeated

conversations　together；　they　were　both　firmly　of　opinion　that　the

alteration　from　the　quality　of　pig　iron　into　that　of　bar　iron　was

effected　merely　by　heat；　and　if　I　would　give　them　leave；　they　would

make　a　trial　some　day。　　I　consented；　but；　I　confess；　without　any　great

expectation　of　their　success；　and　so　the　matter　rested　some　weeks；

when　it　happening　that　some　repairs　had　to　be　done　at　Bridgenorth；

Thomas　came　up　to　the　Dale；　and；　with　his　brother；　made　a　trial　in

Thos。　Tilly's　air…furnace　with　such　success　as　I　thought　would

justify　the　erection　of　a　small　air…furnace　at　the　Forge　for　the　more

perfectly　ascertaining　the　merit　of　the　invention。　　This　was

accordingly　done；　and　a　trial　of　it　has　been　made　this　week；　and　the

success　has　surpassed　the　most　sanguine　expectations。　　T