industrial biography-第20章

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success　has　surpassed　the　most　sanguine　expectations。　　The　iron　put

into　the　furnace　was　old　Bushes；　which　thou　knowest　are　always　made

of　hard　iron；　and　the　iron　drawn　out　is　the　toughest　I　ever　saw。　　A

bar　1　1/4　inch　square；　when　broke；　appears　to　have　very　little　cold

short　in　it。　　I　look　upon　it　as　one　of　the　most　important　discoveries

ever　made；　and　take　the　liberty　of　recommending　thee　and　earnestly

requesting　thou　wouldst　take　out　a　patent　for　it　immediately。。。。　　The

specification　of　the　invention　will　be　comprised　in　a　few　words；　as

it　will　only　set　forth　that　a　reverberatory　furnace　being　built　of　a

proper　construction；　the　pig　or　cast　iron　is　put　into　it；　and　without

the　addition　of　anything　else　than　common　raw　pit　coal；　is　converted

into　good　malleable　iron；　and；　being　taken　red…hot　from　the

reverberatory　furnace　to　the　forge　hammer；　is　drawn　out　into　bars　of

various　shapes　and　sizes；　according　to　the　will　of　the　workmen。〃



Mr。　Reynolds's　advice　was　implicitly　followed。　　A　patent　was　secured

in　the　name　of　the　brothers　Cranege；　dated　the　17th　June；　1766；　and

the　identical　words　in　the　above　letter　were　adopted　in　the

specification　as　descriptive　of　the　process。　　By　this　method　of

puddling；　as　it　is　termed；　the　manufacturer　was　thenceforward　enabled

to　produce　iron　in　increased　quantity　at　a　large　reduction　in　price；

and　though　the　invention　of　the　Craneges　was　greatly　improved　upon　by

Onions；　and　subsequently　by　Cort；　there　can　be　no　doubt　as　to　the

originality　and　the　importance　of　their　invention。　　Mr。　Tylor　states

that　he　was　informed　by　the　son　of　Richard　Reynolds　that　the　wrought

iron　made　at　Coalbrookdale　by　the　Cranege　process　〃was　very　good；

quite　tough；　and　broke　with　a　long；　bright；　fibrous　fracture：　　that

made　by　Cort　afterwards　was　quite　different。〃*

　＇footnote。。。

Mr。　TYLOR　on　Metal　WorkReports　on　the　Paris　Exhibition　of　1855。

Part　II。　182。　　We　are　informed　by　Mr。　Reynolds　of　Coed…du；　a　grandson

of　Richard　Reynolds；　that　〃on　further　trials　many　difficulties　arose。

The　bottoms　of　the　furnaces　were　destroyed　by　the　heat；　and　the

quality　of　the　iron　varied。　　Still；　by　a　letter　dated　May；　1767；　it

appears　there　had　been　sold　of　iron　made　in　the　new　way　to　the　value

of　247L。　14s。　6d。〃

　。。。＇

Though　Mr。　Reynolds's　generosity　to　the　Craneges　is　apparent；　in　the

course　which　he　adopted　in　securing　for　them　a　patent　for　the

invention　in　their　own　names；　it　does　not　appear　to　have　proved　of

much　advantage　to　them；　and　they　failed　to　rise　above　the　rank　which

they　occupied　when　their　valuable　discovery　was　patented。　　This；

however；　was　no　fault　of　Richard　Reynolds；　but　was　mainly

attributable　to　the　circumstance　of　other　inventions　in　a　great

measure　superseding　their　process；　and　depriving　them　of　the　benefits

of　their　ingenuity。



Among　the　important　improvements　introduced　by　Mr。　Reynolds　while

managing　the　Coalbrookdale　Works；　was　the　adoption　by　him　for　the

first　time　of　iron　instead　of　wooden　rails　in　the　tram…roads　along

which　coal　and　iron　were　conveyed　from　one　part　of　the　works　to

another；　as　well　as　to　the　loading…places　along　the　river　Severn。　　He

observed　that　the　wooden　rails　soon　became　decayed；　besides　being

liable　to　be　broken　by　the　heavy　loads　passing　over　them；　occasioning

much　loss　of　time；　interruption　to　business；　and　heavy　expenses　in

repairs。　　It　occurred　to　him　that　these　inconveniences　would　be

obviated　by　the　use　of　rails　of　cast…iron；　and；　having　tried　an

experiment　with　them；　it　answered　so　well；　that　in　1767　the　whole　of

the　wooden　rails　were　taken　up　and　replaced　by　rails　of　iron。　　Thus

was　the　era　of　iron　railroads　fairly　initiated　at　Coalbrookdale；　and

the　example　of　Mr。　Reynolds　was　shortly　after　followed　on　all　the

tramroads　throughout　the　Country。



It　is　also　worthy　of　note　that　the　first　iron　bridge　ever　erected　was

cast　and　made　at　the　Coalbrookdale　Worksits　projection　as　well　as

its　erection　being　mainly　due　to　the　skill　and　enterprise　of　Abraham

Darby　the　third。　　When　but　a　young　man；　he　showed　indications　of　that

sagacity　and　energy　in　business　which　seemed　to　be　hereditary　in　his

family。　　One　of　the　first　things　he　did　on　arriving　at　man's　estate

was　to　set　on　foot　a　scheme　for　throwing　a　bridge　across　the　Severn

at　Coalbrookdale；　at　a　point　where　the　banks　were　steep　and　slippery；

to　accommodate　the　large　population　which　had　sprung　up　along　both

banks　of　the　river。　　There　were　now　thriving　iron；　brick；　and　pottery

works　established　in　the　parishes　of　Madeley　and　Broseley；　and　the

old　ferry　on　the　Severn　was　found　altogether　inadequate　for　ready

communication　between　one　bank　and　the　other。　　The　want　of　a　bridge

had　long　been　felt；　and　a　plan　of　one　had　been　prepared　during　the

life　time　of　Abraham　Darby　the　second；　but　the　project　was　suspended

at　his　death。　　When　his　son　came　of　age；　he　resolved　to　take　up　his

father's　dropped　scheme；　and　prosecute　it　to　completion；　which　he

did。　　Young　Mr。　Darby　became　lord　of　the　manor　of　Madeley　in　1776；　and

was　the　owner　of　one…half　of　the　ferry　in　right　of　his　lordship。　　He

was　so　fortunate　as　to　find　the　owner　of　the　other　or　Broseley　half

of　the　ferry　equally　anxious　with　himself　to　connect　the　two　banks　of

the　river　by　means　of　a　bridge。　　The　necessary　powers　were　accordingly

obtained　from　Parliament；　and　a　bridge　was　authorized　to　be　built　〃of

cast…iron；　stone；　brick；　or　timber。〃　　A　company　was　formed　for　the

purpose　of　carrying　out　the　project；　and　the　shares　were　taken　by　the

adjoining　owners；　Abraham　Darby　being　the　principal　subscriber。*

　＇footnote。。。

Among　the　other　subscribers　were　the　Rev。　Mr。　Harris；　Mr。　Jennings；

and　Mr。　John　Wilkinson；　an　active　promoter　of　the　scheme；　who　gave

the　company　the　benefit　of　his　skill　and　experience　when　it　was

determined　to　construct　the　bridge　of　iron。　　For　an　account　of　John

Wilkinson　see　Lives　of　the　Engineers；　vol。　ii。　337；　356。　　In　the

description　of　the　first　iron　bridge　given　in　that　work　we　have；　it

appears；　attributed　rather　more　credit　to　Mr。　Wilkinson　than　he　is

entitled　to。　　Mr。　Darby　was　the　most　active　promoter　of　the　scheme；

and　had　the　principal　share　in　the　design。　　Wilkinson　nevertheless　was

a　man　of　great　energy　and　originality。　　Besides　being　the　builder　of

the　first　iron　ship；　he　was　the　first　to　invent；　for　James　Watt；　a

machine　that　would　bore　a　tolerably　true　cylinder。　　He　afterwards

established　iron　works　in　France；　and　Arthur　Young　says；　that　〃until

that　well…known　English　manufacturer　arrived；　the　French　knew　nothing

of　the　art　of　casting　cannon　solid　and　then　boring　them〃　（Travels　in

France；　4to。　ed。　London；　1792；　p。90）。　　Yet　England　had　borrowed　her

first　cannon…maker　from　France　in　the　person　of　Peter　Baude；　as

described　in　chap。　iii。　　Wilkinson　is　also　said　to　have　invented　a

kind　of　hot…blast；　in　respect　of　which　various　witnesses　gave

evidence　on　the　trial　of　Neilson's　patent　in　1839；　but　the　invention

does　not　appear　to　have　been　perfected　by　him。

　。。。＇



The　construction　of　a　bridge　of　iron　was　an　entirely　new　idea。　　An

attempt　had　indeed　been　made　at　Lyons；　in　France；　to　construct　such　a

bridge　more　than　twenty　years　before；　but　it　had　entirely　failed；　and

a　bridge　of　timber　was　erected　instead。　　It　is　not　known　whether　the

Coalbrookdale　masters　had　heard　of　that　attempt；　but；　even　if　they

had；　it　could　have　been　of　no　practical　use　to　them。



Mr。　Pritchard；　an　architect　of　Shrewsbury；　was　first　employed　to

prepare　a　design　of　the　intended　structure；　which　is　still　preserved。

Although　Mr。　Pritchard　proposed　to　introduce　cast…iron　in　the　arch　of

the　bridge；　which　was　to　be　of　120　feet　span；　it　was　only　as　a　sort

of　key；　occupying　but　a　few　feet　at　the　crown　of　the　arch。　　This

sparing　use　of　cast　iron　indicates　the　timidity　of　the　architect　in

dealing　with　the　new　materialhis　plan　exhibiting　a　desire　to　effect

a　compromise　between　the　tried　and　the　untried　in

bridge…construction。　　But　the　use　of　iron　to　so　limited　an　extent；　and

in　such　a　part　of　the　structure；　was　of　more　than　questionable

utility；　and　if　Mr。　Pritchard's　plan　had　been　adopted；　the　problem　of

the　iron　bridge　would　still　have　remained　unsolved。



The　plan；　however；　after　having　been　duly　considered；　was　eventually

set　aside；　and　another；　with　the　entire　arch　of　cast…iron；　was

prepared　under　the　superintendence　of　Abraham　Darby；　by　Mr。　Thomas

Gregory；　his　foreman　of　pattem…makers。　　This　plan　was　adopted；　and

arrangements　were　forthwith　made　for　carrying　it　into　effect。　　The

abutments　of　the　bridge　were　built　in　1777…8；　during　which　the

castings　were　made　at　the　foundry；　and　the　ironwork　was　successfully

erected　in　the　course　of　three　months。　　The　bridge　was　opened　for

traffic　in　1779；　and　proved　a　most　serviceable　structure。　　In　1788　the

Society　of　Arts　recognised　Mr。　Darby's　merit　as　its　designer　and

erector　by　presenting　him　with　their　gold　medal；　and　the　model　of　the

bridge　is　still　to　be　seen　in　the　collection　of　the　Society。　　Mr。

Robert　Stephenson　has　said　of　the　structure：　　〃　If　we　consider　that

the　manipulation　of　cast…iron　was　then　completely　in　its　infancy；　a

bridge　of　such　dimensions　was　doubtless　a　bold　as　well　as　an　original

undertaking；　and　the　efficiency　of　the　details　is　worthy　of　the

boldness　of　the　conception。〃*

　＇footnote。。。

Encyclopaedia　Britannica；　8th　ed。　Art。　　〃Iron　Bridges。〃

　。。。＇

Mr。　Stephenson　adds　that　from　a　defect　in　the　construction　the

abutments　were　thrust　inwards　at　the　approaches　and　the　ribs

partially　fractured。　　We　are；　however；　informed　that　this　is　a

mistake；　though　it　does　appear　that　the　apprehension　at　one　time

existed　that　such　an　accident　might　possibly　occur。



To　remedy　the　supposed　defect；　two　small　land　arches　were；　in　the

year　1800；　substituted　for　the　stone　approach　on　the　Broseley　side　of

the　bridge。　　While　the　work　was　in　progress；　Mr。　Telford；　the

well…known　engineer；　carefully　examined　the　bridge；　and　thus　spoke　of

its　condition　at　the　time：　　　〃The　great　improvement　of　erecting　upon

a　navigable　river　a　bridge　of　cast…iron　of　one　arch　only　was　first

put　in　practice　near　Coalbrookdale。　　The　bridge　was　executed　in　1777

by　Mr。　Abraham　Darby；　and　the　ironwork　is　now　quite　as　perfect　as

when　it　was　first　put　up。　　Drawings　of　this　bridge　have　long　been

before　the　public；　and　have　been　much　and　justly　admired。〃*

　＇footnote。。。

PLYMLEY；　General　View　of　the　Agriculture　of　Shropshire。

　。。。＇

A　Coalbrookdale　correspondent；　writing　in　May；　1862；　informs　us　that

〃at　the　present　time　the　bridge　is　undergoing　repair；　and；　special

examination　having　been　made；　there　is　no　appearance　either　that　the

abutments　have　moved；　or　that　the　ribs　have　been　broken　in　the　centre

or　are　out　of　their　proper　right　line。　　There　has；　it　is　true；　been　a

strain　on　the　land　arches；　and　on　the　roadway　plates；　which；　however；

the　main　arch　has　been　able　effectually　to　resist。〃