industrial biography-第30章

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a　constant　sufferer　from　violent　headaches；　besides　he　was　by　nature

timid；　desponding；　painfully　anxious；　and　easily　cast　down　by

failure。　　Indeed；　he　was　more　than　once　on　the　point　of　abandoning　his

invention　in　despair。　　On　the　other　hand；　Dr。　Roebuck　was　accustomed

to　great　enterprises；　a　bold　and　undaunted　man；　and　disregardful　of

expense　where　he　saw　before　him　a　reasonable　prospect　of　success。　　His

reputation　as　a　practical　chemist　and　philosopher；　and　his　success　as

the　founder　of　the　Prestonpans　Chemical　Works　and　of　the　Carron　Iron

Works；　justified　the　friends　of　Watt　in　thinking　that　he　was　of　all

men　the　best　calculated　to　help　him　at　this　juncture；　and　hence　they

sought　to　bring　about　a　more　intimate　connection　between　the　two。　　The

result　was　that　Dr。　Roebuck　eventually　became　a　partner　to　the　extent

of　two…thirds　of　the　invention；　took　upon　him　the　debt　owing　by　Watt

to　Dr。　Black　amounting　to　about　1200L。；　and　undertook　to　find　the

requisite　money　to　protect　the　invention　by　means　of　a　patent。　　The

necessary　steps　were　taken　accordingly　and　the　patent　right　was

secured　by　the　beginning　of　1769；　though　the　perfecting　of　his　model

cost　Watt　much　further　anxiety　and　study。



It　was　necessary　for　Watt　occasionally　to　reside　with　Dr。　Roebuck　at

Kinneil　House　while　erecting　his　first　engine　there。　　It　had　been

originally　intended　to　erect　it　in　the　neighbouring　town　of

Boroughstoness；　but　as　there　might　be　prying　eyes　there；　and　Watt

wished　to　do　his　work　in　privacy；　determined　〃not　to　puff；〃　he　at

length　fixed　upon　an　outhouse　still　standing；　close　behind　the

mansion；　by　the　burnside　in　the　glen；　where　there　was　abundance　of

water　and　secure　privacy。　　Watt's　extreme　diffidence　was　often　the

subject　of　remark　at　Dr。　Roebuck's　fireside。　　To　the　Doctor　his

anxiety　seemed　quite　painful；　and　he　was　very　much　disposed　to

despond　under　apparently　trivial　difficulties。　　Roebuck's　hopeful

nature　was　his　mainstay　throughout。　　Watt　himself　was　ready　enough　to

admit　this；　for；　writing　to　his　friend　Dr。Small；　he　once　said；　〃I

have　met　with　many　disappointments；　and　I　must　have　sunk　under　the

burthen　of　them　if　I　had　not　been　supported　by　the　friendship　of　Dr。

Roebuck。〃



But　more　serious　troubles　were　rapidly　accumulating　upon　Dr。　Roebuck

himself；　and　it　was　he；　and　not　Watt；　that　sank　under　the　burthen。

The　progress　of　Watt's　engine　was　but　slow；　and　long　before　it　could

be　applied　to　the　pumping　of　Roebuck's　mines；　the　difficulties　of　the

undertaking　on　which　he　had　entered　overwhelmed　him。　　The　opening　out

of　the　principal　coal　involved　a　very　heavy　outlay；　extending　over

many　years；　during　which　he　sank　not　only　his　own　but　his　wife's

fortune；　andwhat　distressed　him　most　of　alllarge　sums　borrowed

from　his　relatives　and　friends；　which　he　was　unable　to　repay。　　The

consequence　was；　that　he　was　eventually　under　the　necessity　of

withdrawing　his　capital　from　the　refining　works　at　Birmingham；　and

the　vitriol　works　at　Prestonpans。　　At　the　same　time；　he　transferred　to

Mr。　Boulton　of　Soho　his　entire　interest　in　Watt's　steam…engine；　the

value　of　which；　by　the　way；　was　thought　so　small　that　it　was　not　even

included　among　the　assets；　Roebuck's　creditors　not　estimating　it　as

worth　one　farthing。　　Watt　sincerely　deplored　his　partner's

misfortunes；　but　could　not　help　him。　　〃He　has　been　a　most　sincere　and

generous　friend；〃　said　Watt；　〃and　is　a　truly　worthy　man。〃　　And　again；

〃My　heart　bleeds　for　him；　but　I　can　do　nothing　to　help　him：　　I　have

stuck　by　him　till　I　have　much　hurt　myself；　I　can　do　so　no　longer；　my

family　calls　for　my　care　to　provide　for　them。〃　　The　later　years　of　Dr。

Roebuck's　life　were　spent　in　comparative　obscurity；　and　he　died　in

1794；　in　his　76th　year。



He　lived　to　witness　the　success　of　the　steam…engine；　the　opening　up

of　the　Boroughstoness　coal；*

　＇footnote。。。

Dr。　Roebuck　had　been　on　the　brink　of　great　good　fortune；　but　he　did

not　know　it。　　Mr。　Ralph　Moore；　in　his　〃Papers　on　the　Blackband

Ironstones〃　（Glasgow；　1861）；　observes：　　　〃Strange　to　say；　he　was

leaving　behind　him；　almost　as　the　roof　of　one　of　the　seams　of　coal

which　he　worked；　a　valuable　blackband　ironstone；　upon　which　Kinneil

Iron　Works　are　now　founded。　　The　coal…field　continued　to　be　worked

until　the　accidental　discovery　of　the　blackband　about　1845。　　The　old

coal…pits　are　now　used　for　working　the　ironstone。〃

　。。。＇

and　the　rapid　extension　of　the　Scotch　iron　trade；　though　he　shared　in

the　prosperity　of　neither　of　those　branches　of　industry。　　He　had　been

working　ahead　of　his　age；　and　he　suffered　for　it。　　He　fell　in　the

breach　at　the　critical　moment；　and　more　fortunate　men　marched　over

his　body　into　the　fortress　which　his　enterprise　and　valour　had　mainly

contributed　to　win。　　Before　his　great　undertaking　of　the　Carron　Works；

Scotland　was　entirely　dependent　upon　other　countries　for　its　supply

of　iron。　　In　1760；　the　first　year　of　its　operations；　the　whole　produce

was　1500　tons。　　In　course　of　time　other　iron　works　were　erected；　at

Clyde　Cleugh；　Muirkirk；　and　Devonthe　managers　and　overseers　of

which；　as　well　as　the　workmen；　had　mostly　received　their　training　and

experience　at　Carronuntil　at　length　the　iron　trade　of　Scotland　has

assumed　such　a　magnitude　that　its　manufacturers　are　enabled　to　export

to　England　and　other　countries　upwards　of　500；000　tons　a…year。　　How

different　this　state　of　things　from　the　time　when　raids　were　made

across　the　Border　for　the　purpose　of　obtaining　a　store　of　iron

plunder　to　be　carried　back　into　Scotland！



The　extraordinary　expansion　of　the　Scotch　iron　trade　of　late　years

has　been　mainly　due　to　the　discovery　by　David　Mushet　of　the　Black

Band　ironstone　in　1801；　and　the　invention　of　the　Hot　Blast　by　James

Beaumont　Neilson　in　1828。　　David　Mushet　was　born　at　Dalkeith；　near

Edinburgh；　in　1772。*

　＇footnpote。。。

The　Mushets　are　an　old　Kincardine　family；　but　they　were　almost

extinguished　by　the　plague　in　the　reign　of　Charles　the　Second。　　Their

numbers　were　then　reduced　to　two；　one　of　whom　remained　at　Kincardine；

and　the　other；　a　clergyman；　the　Rev。　George　Mushet　；　accompanied

Montrose　as　chaplain。　　He　is　buried　in　Kincardine　churchyard。

　。。。＇

Like　other　members　of　his　family　he　was　brought　up　to　metal…founding。

At　the　age　of　nineteen　he　joined　the　staff　of　the　Clyde　Iron　Works；

near　Glasgow；　at　a　time　when　the　Company　had　only　two　blast…furnaces

at　work。　　The　office　of　accountant；　which　he　held；　precluded　him　from

taking　any　part　in　the　manufacturing　operations　of　the　concern。　　But

being　of　a　speculative　and　ingenious　turn　of　mind；　the　remarkable

conversions　which　iron　underwent　in　the　process　of　manufacture　very

shortly　began　to　occupy　his　attention。　　The　subject　was　much　discussed

by　the　young　men　about　the　works；　and　they　frequently　had　occasion　to

refer　to　Foureroy's　well…known　book　for　the　purpose　of　determining

various　questions　of　difference　which　arose　among　them　in　the　course

of　their　inquiries。　　The　book　was；　however；　in　many　respects

indecisive　and　unsatisfactory；　and；　in　1793；　when　a　reduction　took

place　in　the　Company's　staff；　and　David　Mushet　was　left　nearly　the

sole　occupant　of　the　office；　he　determined　to　study　the　subject　for

himself　experimentally；　and　in　the　first　place　to　acquire　a　thorough

knowledge　of　assaying；　as　the　true　key　to　the　whole　art　of

iron…making。



He　first　set　up　his　crucible　upon　the　bridge　of　the　reverberatory

furnace　used　for　melting　pig…iron；　and　filled　it　with　a　mixture

carefully　compounded　according　to　the　formula　of　the　books；　but；

notwithstanding　the　shelter　of　a　brick；　placed　before　it　to　break　the

action　of　the　flame；　the　crucible　generally　split　in　two；　and　not

unfrequently　melted　and　disappeared　altogether。　　To　obtain　better

results　if　possible；　he　next　had　recourse　to　the　ordinary　smith's

fire；　carrying　on　his　experiments　in　the　evenings　after　office…hours。

He　set　his　crucible　upon　the　fire　on　a　piece　of　fire　brick；　opposite

the　nozzle　of　the　bellows；　covering　the　whole　with　coke；　and　then

exciting　the　flame　by　blowing。　　This　mode　of　operating　produced

somewhat　better　results；　but　still　neither　the　iron　nor　the　cinder

obtained　resembled　the　pig　or　scoria　of　the　blast…furnace；　which　it

was　his　ambition　to　imitate。　　From　the　irregularity　of　the　results；

and　the　frequent　failure　of　the　crucibles；　he　came　to　the　conclusion

that　either　his　furnace；　or　his　mode　of　fluxing；　was　in　fault；　and　he

looked　about　him　for　a　more　convenient　means　of　pursuing　his

experiments。　　A　small　square　furnace　had　been　erected　in　the　works　for

the　purpose　of　heating　the　rivets　used　for　the　repair　of　steam…engine

boilers；　the　furnace　had　for　its　chimney　a　cast…iron　pipe　six　or

seven　inches　in　diameter　and　nine　feet　long。　　After　a　few　trials　with

it；　he　raised　the　heat　to　such　an　extent　that　the　lower　end　of　the

pipe　was　melted　off；　without　producing　any　very　satisfactory　results

on　the　experimental　crucible；　and　his　operations　were　again　brought

to　a　standstill。　　A　chimney　of　brick　having　been　substituted　for　the

cast…iron　pipe；　he　was；　however；　enabled　to　proceed　with　his　trials。



He　continued　to　pursue　his　experiments　in　assaying　for　about　two

years；　during　which　he　had　been　working　entirely　after　the　methods

described　in　books；　but；　feeling　the　results　still　unsatisfactory；　he

determined　to　borrow　no　more　from　the　books；　but　to　work　out　a　system

of　his　own；　which　should　ensure　results　similar　to　those　produced　at

the　blast…furnace。　　This　he　eventually　succeeded　in　effecting　by

numerous　experiments　performed　in　the　night；　as　his　time　was　fully

occupied　by　his　office…duties　during　the　day。　　At　length　these　patient

experiments　bore　their　due　fruits。　　David　Mushet　became　the　most

skilled　assayer　at　the　works；　and　when　a　difficulty　occurred　in

smelting　a　quantity　of　new　ironstone　which　had　been　contracted　for；

the　manager　himself　resorted　to　the　bookkeeper　for　advice　and

information；　and　the　skill　and　experience　which　he　had　gathered

during　his　nightly　labours；　enabled　him　readily　and　satisfactorily　to

solve　the　difficulty　and　suggest　a　suitable　remedy。　　His　reward　for

this　achievement　was　the　permission；　which　was　immediately　granted

him　by　the　manager；　to　make　use　of　his　own　assay…furnace；　in　which　he

thenceforward　continued　his　investigations；　at　the　same　time　that　he

instructed　the　manager's　son　in　the　art　of　assaying。　　This　additional

experience　proved　of　great　benefit　to　him；　and　he　continued　to

prosecute　his　inquiries　with　much　zeal；　sometimes　devoting　entire

nights　to　experiments　in　assaying；　roasting　and　cementing　iron…ores

and　ironstone；　decarbonating　cast…iron　for　steel　and　bar…iron；　and

various　like　operations。　　His　general　practice；　however；　at　that　time

was；　to　retire　between　two　and　three　o'clock　in　the　morning；　leaving

directions　with　the　engine…man　to　call　him　at　half…past　five；　so　as

to　be　present　in　the　office　at　six。　　But　these