industrial biography-第23章

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Atterclifle　Churchyard；　near　Sheffield；　and　from　the　inscription　on

his　tombstone　recites　the　facts　of　his　birth；　his　death；　and　his

brief　history。　　With　the　assistance　of　his　descendants；　we　are　now

enabled　to　add　the　following　record　of　the　life　and　labours　of　this

remarkable　but　almost　forgotten　man。



Benjamin　Huntsman　was　born　in　Lincolnshire　in　the　year　1704。　　His

parents　were　of　German　extraction；　and　had　settled　in　this　country

only　a　few　years　previous　to　his　birth。　　The　boy　being　of　an　ingenious

turn；　was　bred　to　a　mechanical　calling；　and　becoming　celebrated　for

his　expertness　in　repairing　clocks；　he　eventually　set　up　in　business

as　a　clock　maker　and　mender　in　the　town　of　Doncaster。　　He　also

undertook　various　other　kinds　of　metal　work；　such　as　the　making　and

repairing　of　locks；　smoke…jacks；　roasting…jacks；　and　other　articles

requiring　mechanical　skill。　　He　was　remarkably　shrewd；　observant；

thoughtful；　and　practical；　so　much　so　that　he　came　to　be　regarded　as

the　〃wise　man〃　of　his　neighbourhood；　and　was　not　only　consulted　as　to

the　repairs　of　machinery；　but　also　of　the　human　frame。　　He　practised

surgery　with　dexterity；　though　after　an　empirical　fashion；　and　was

held　in　especial　esteem　as　an　oculist。　　His　success　was　such　that　his

advice　was　sought　in　many　surgical　diseases；　and　he　was　always　ready

to　give　it；　but　declined　receiving　any　payment　in　return。



In　the　exercise　of　his　mechanical　calling；　he　introduced　several

improved　tools；　but　was　much　hindered　by　the　inferior　quality　of　the

metal　supplied　to　him；　which　was　common　German　steel。　　He　also

experienced　considerable　difficulty　in　finding　a　material　suitable

for　the　springs　and　pendulums　of　his　clocks。　　These　circumstances

induced　him　to　turn　his　attention　to　the　making　of　a　better　kind　of

steel　than　was　then　procurable；　for　the　purposes　of　his　trade。　　His

first　experiments　were　conducted　at　Doncaster；*

　＇footnote。。。

There　are　several　clocks　still　in　existence　in　the　neighbourhood　of

Doncaster　made　by　Benjamin　Huntsman；　and　there　is　one　in　the

possession　of　his　grandson；　with　a　pendulum　made　of　cast…steel。　　The

manufacture　of　a　pendulum　of　such　a　material　at　that　early　date　is

certainly　curious；　its　still　perfect　spring　and　elasticity　showing

the　scrupulous　care　with　which　it　had　been　made。

　。。。＇

but　as　fuel　was　difficult　to　be　had　at　that　place；　he　determined；　for

greater　convenience；　to　remove　to　the　neighbourhood　of　Sheffield；

which　he　did　in　1740。　　He　first　settled　at　Handsworth；　a　few　miles　to

the　south　of　that　town；　and　there　pursued　his　investigations　in

secret。　　Unfortunately；　no　records　have　been　preserved　of　the　methods

which　he　adopted　in　overcoming　the　difficulties　he　had　necessarily　to

encounter。　　That　they　must　have　been　great　is　certain；　for　the　process

of　manufacturing　cast…steel　of　a　first…rate　quality　even　at　this　day

is　of　a　most　elaborate　and　delicate　character；　requiring　to　be

carefully　watched　in　its　various　stages。　　He　had　not　only　to　discover

the　fuel　and　flux　suitable　for　his　purpose；　but　to　build　such　a

furnace　and　make　such　a　crucible　as　should　sustain　a　heat　more

intense　than　any　then　known　in　metallurgy。　　Ingot…moulds　had　not　yet

been　cast；　nor　were　there　hoops　and　wedges　made　that　would　hold　them

together；　nor；　in　short；　were　any　of　those　materials　at　his　disposal

which　are　now　so　familiar　at　every　melting…furnace。



Huntsman's　experiments　extended　over　many　years　before　the　desired

result　was　achieved。　　Long　after　his　death；　the　memorials　of　the

numerous　failures　through　which　he　toilsomely　worked　his　way　to

success；　were　brought　to　light　in　the　shape　of　many　hundredweights　of

steel；　found　buried　in　the　earth　in　different　places　about　his

manufactory。　　From　the　number　of　these　wrecks　of　early　experiments；　it

is　clear　that　he　had　worked　continuously　upon　his　grand　idea　of

purifying　the　raw　steel　then　in　use；　by　melting　it　with　fluxes　at　an

intense　heat　in　closed　earthen　crucibles。　　The　buried　masses　were

found　in　various　stages　of　failure；　arising　from　imperfect　melting；

breaking　of　crucibles；　and　bad　fluxes；　and　had　been　hid　away　as　so

much　spoiled　steel　of　which　nothing　could　be　made。　　At　last　his

perseverance　was　rewarded；　and　his　invention　perfected；　and　though　a

hundred　years　have　passed　since　Huntsman's　discovery；　the　description

of　fuel　（coke）　which　he　first　applied　for　the　purpose　of　melting　the

steel；　and　the　crucibles　and　furnaces　which　he　used；　are　for　the　most

part　similar　to　those　in　use　at　the　present　day。　　Although　the　making

of　cast…steel　is　conducted　with　greater　economy　and　dexterity；　owing

to　increased　experience；　it　is　questionable　whether　any　maker　has

since　been　able　to　surpass　the　quality　of　Huntsman's　manufacture。



The　process　of　making　cast…steel；　as　invented　by　Benjamin　Huntsman；

may　be　thus　summarily　described。　　The　melting　is　conducted　in　clay

pots　or　crucibles　manufactured　for　the　purpose；　capable　of　holding

about　34　lbs。　each。　　Ten　or　twelve　of　such　crucibles　are　placed　in　a

melting…furnace　similar　to　that　used　by　brass　founders；　and　when　the

furnace　and　pots　are　at　a　white　heat；　to　which　they　are　raised　by　a

coke　fire；　they　are　charged　with　bar　steel　reduced　to　a　certain

degree　of　hardness；　and　broken　into　pieces　of　about　a　pound　each。

When　the　pots　are　all　thus　charged　with　steel；　lids　are　placed　over

them；　the　furnace　is　filled　with　coke；　and　the　cover　put　down。　　Under

the　intense　heat　to　which　the　metal　is　exposed；　it　undergoes　an

apparent　ebullition。　　When　the　furnace　requires　feeding；　the　workmen

take　the　opportunity　of　lifting　the　lid　of　each　crucible　and　judging

how　far　the　process　has　advanced。　　After　about　three　hours'　exposure

to　the　heat；　the　metal　is　ready　for　〃teeming。〃　　The　completion　of　the

melting　process　is　known　by　the　subsidence　of　all　ebullition；　and　by

the　clear　surface　of　the　melted　metal；　which　is　of　a　dazzling

brilliancy　like　the　sun　when　looked　at　with　the　naked　eye　on　a　clear

day。　　The　pots　are　then　lifted　out　of　their　place；　and　the　liquid

steel　is　poured　into　ingots　of　the　shape　and　size　required。　　The　pots

are　replaced；　filled　again；　and　the　process　is　repeated；　the　red…hot

pots　thus　serving　for　three　successive　charges；　after　which　they　are

rejected　as　useless。



When　Huntsman　had　perfected　his　invention；　it　would　naturally　occur

to　him　that　the　new　metal　might　be　employed　for　other　purposes

besides　clock…springs　and　pendulums。　　The　business　of　clock…making　was

then　of　a　very　limited　character；　and　it　could　scarcely　have　been

worth　his　while　to　pursue　so　extensive　and　costly　a　series　of

experiments　merely　to　supply　the　requirements　of　that　trade。　　It　is

more　probable　that　at　an　early　stage　of　his　investigations　he

shrewdly　foresaw　the　extensive　uses　to　which　cast…steel　might　be

applied　in　the　manufacture　of　tools　and　cutlery　of　a　superior　kind；

and　we　accordingly　find　him　early　endeavouring　to　persuade　the

manufacturers　of　Sheffield　to　employ　it　in　the　manufacture　of　knives

and　razors。　　But　the　cutlers　obstinately　refused　to　work　a　material　so

much　harder　than　that　which　they　had　been　accustomed　to　use；　and　for

a　time　he　gave　up　all　hopes　of　creating　a　demand　in　that　quarter。

Foiled　in　his　endeavours　to　sell　his　steel　at　home；　Huntsman　turned

his　attention　to　foreign　markets；　and　he　soon　found　he　could　readily

sell　abroad　all　that　he　could　make。　　The　merit　of　employing　cast…steel

for　general　purposes　belongs　to　the　French；　always　so　quick　to

appreciate　the　advantages　of　any　new　discovery；　and　for　a　time　the

whole　of　the　cast…steel　that　Huntsman　could　manufacture　was　exported

to　France。　　When　he　had　fairly　established　his　business　with　that

country；　the　Sheffield　cutlers　became　alarmed　at　the　reputation　which

cast…steel　was　acquiring　abroad；　and　when　they　heard　of　the

preference　displayed　by　English　as　well　as　French　consumers　for　the

cutlery　manufactured　of　that　metal；　they　readily　apprehended　the

serious　consequences　that　must　necessarily　result　to　their　own　trade

if　cast…steel　came　into　general　use。　　They　then　appointed　a　deputation

to　wait　upon　Sir　George　Savile；　one　of　the　members　for　the　county　of

York；　and　requested　him　to　use　his　influence　with　the　government　to

obtain　an　order　to　prohibit　the　exportation　of　cast…steel。　　But　on

learning　from　the　deputation　that　the　Sheffield　manufacturers

themselves　would　not　make　use　of　the　new　steel；　he　positively

declined　to　comply　with　their　request。　　It　was　indeed　fortunate　for

the　interests　of　the　town　that　the　object　of　the　deputation　was

defeated；　for　at　that　time　Mr。　Huntsman　had　very　pressing　and

favourable　offers　from　some　spirited　manufacturers　in　Birmingham　to

remove　his　furnaces　to　that　place；　and　it　is　extremely　probable　that

had　the　business　of　cast…steel　making　become　established　there；　one

of　the　most　important　and　lucrative　branches　of　its　trade　would　have

been　lost　to　the　town　of　Sheffield。



The　Sheffield　makers　were　therefore　under　the　necessity　of　using　the

cast…steel；　if　they　would　retain　their　trade　in　cutlery　against

France；　and　Huntsman's　home　trade　rapidly　increased。　　And　then　began

the　efforts　of　the　Sheffield　men　to　wrest　his　secret　from　him。　　For

Huntsman　had　not　taken　out　any　patent　for　his　invention；　his　only

protection　being　in　preserving　his　process　as　much　a　mystery　as

possible。　　All　the　workmen　employed　by　him　were　pledged　to　inviolable

secrecy；　strangers　were　carefully　excluded　from　the　works；　and　the

whole　of　the　steel　made　was　melted　during　the　night。　　There　were　many

speculations　abroad　as　to　Huntsman's　process。　　It　was　generally

believed　that　his　secret　consisted　in　the　flux　which　he　employed　to

make　the　metal　melt　more　readily；　and　it　leaked　out　amongst　the

workmen　that　he　used　broken　bottles　for　the　purpose。　　Some　of　the

manufacturers；　who　by　prying　and　bribing　got　an　inkling　of　the

process；　followed　Huntsman　implicitly　in　this　respect；　and　they　would

not　allow　their　own　workmen　to　flux　the　pots　lest　they　also　should

obtain　possession　of　the　secret。　　But　it　turned　out　eventually　that　no

such　flux　was　necessary；　and　the　practice　has　long　since　been

discontinued。　　A　Frenchman　named　Jars；　frequently　quoted　by　Le　Play　in

his　account　of　the　manufacture　of　steel　in　Yorkshire；*

　＇footnote。。。

Annales　des　Mines；　vols。　iii。　and　ix。；　4th　Series。

　。。。＇

paid　a　visit　to　Sheffield　towards　the　end　of　last　century；　and

described　the　process　so　far　as　he　was　permitted　to　examine　it。

According　to　his　statement　all　kinds　of　fragments　of　broken　steel

were　used；　but　this　is　corrected　by　Le　Play；　who　states　that　only　the

best　bar　steel　manufactured　of　Dannemora　iron　was　employed。　　Jars　adds

that　〃the　steel　is　put　into　the　crucible　with　A　FLUX；　the　composition

of　which　is　kept　secret；〃　and　he　states　that　the　time　then　occupied

in　the　conversion　was　five　hours。



It　is　said　that　the　person　who　first　succeeded　in　copying　Hunts