industrial biography-第12章

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Pensnet　in　Worcestershire。　　He　was　no　sooner　installed　manager　of　the

works；　than；　feeling　hampered　by　the　want　of　wood　for　fuel；　his

attention　was　directed　to　the　employment　of　pit…coal　as　a　substitute。

He　altered　his　furnace　accordingly；　so　as　to　adapt　it　to　the　new

process；　and　the　result　of　the　first　trial　was　such　as　to　induce　him

to　persevere。　　It　is　nowhere　stated　in　Dud　Dudley's　Treatise　what　was

the　precise　nature　of　the　method　adopted　by　him；　but　it　is　most

probable　that；　in　endeavouring　to　substitute　coal　for　wood　as　fuel；

he　would　subject　the　coal　to　a　process　similar　to　that　of

charcoal…burning。　　The　result　would　be　what　is　called　Coke；　and　as

Dudley　informs　us　that　he　followed　up　his　first　experiment　with　a

second　blast；　by　means　of　which　he　was　enabled　to　produce　good

marketable　iron；　the　presumption　is　that　his　success　was　also　due　to

an　improvement　of　the　blast　which　he　contrived　for　the　purpose　of

keeping　up　the　active　combustion　of　the　fuel。　　Though　the　quantity

produced　by　the　new　process　was　comparatively　smallnot　more　than

three　tons　a　week　from　each　furnaceDudley　anticipated　that　greater

experience　would　enable　him　to　increase　the　quantity；　and　at　all

events　he　had　succeeded　in　proving　the　practicability　of　smelting

iron　with　fuel　made　from　pit…coal；　which　so　many　before　him　had　tried

in　vain。



Immediately　after　the　second　trial　had　been　made　with　such　good

issue；　Dud　wrote　to　his　father　the　Earl；　then　in　London；　informing

him　what　he　had　done；　and　desiring　him　at　once　to　obtain　a　patent　for

the　invention　from　King　James。　　This　was　readily　granted；　and　the

patent　（No。　18）；　dated　the　22nd　February；　1620；　was　taken　out　in　the

name　of　Lord　Dudley　himself。



Dud　proceeded　with　the　manufacture　of　iron　at　Pensnet；　and　also　at

Cradley　in　Staffordshire；　where　he　erected　another　furnace；　and　a

year　after　the　patent　was　granted　he　was　enabled　to　send　up　to　the

Tower；　by　the　King's　command；　a　considerable　quantity　of　the　new　iron

for　trial。　　Many　experiments　were　made　with　it：　　its　qualities　were

fairly　tested；　and　it　was　pronounced　〃good　merchantable　iron。〃　　Dud

adds；　in　his　Treatise；　that　his　brother…in…law；　Richard　Parkshouse；

of　Sedgeley；*

　＇footnote。。。

Mr。　Parkshouse　was　one　of　the　esquires　to　Sir　Ferdinando　Dudley　（the

legitimate　son　of　the　Earl　of　Dudley）　When　he　was　made　Knight　of　the

Bath。　　Sir　Ferdinando's　only　daughter　Frances　married　Humble　Ward；　son

and　heir　of　William　Ward；　goldsmith　and　jeweller　to　Charles　the

First's　queen。　　Her　husband　having　been　created　a　baron　by　the　title

of　Baron　Ward　of　Birmingham；　and　Frances　becoming　Baroness　of　Dudley

in　her　own　right　on　the　demise　of　her　father；　the　baronies　of　Dudley

and　Ward　thus　became　united　in　their　eldest　son　Edward　in　the　year

1697。

　。。。＇

〃had　a　fowling…gun　there　made　of　the　Pit…cole　iron；〃　which　was　〃well

approved。〃　　There　was　therefore　every　prospect　of　the　new　method　of

manufacture　becoming　fairly　established；　and　with　greater　experience

further　improvements　might　with　confidence　be　anticipated；　when　a

succession　of　calamities　occurred　to　the　inventor　which　involved　him

in　difficulties　and　put　an　effectual　stop　to　the　progress　of　his

enterprise。



The　new　works　had　been　in　successful　operation　little　more　than　a

year；　when　a　flood；　long　after　known　as　the　〃Great　May…day　Flood；〃

swept　away　Dudley's　principal　works　at　Cradley；　and　otherwise

inflicted　much　damage　throughout　the　district。　　〃At　the　market　town

called　Stourbridge；〃　says　Dud；　in　the　course　of　his　curious

narrative；　〃although　the　author　sent　with　speed　to　preserve　the

people　from　drowning；　and　one　resolute　man　was　carried　from　the

bridge　there　in　the　day…time；　the　nether　part　of　the　town　was　so　deep

in　water　that　the　people　had　much　ado　to　preserve　their　lives　in　the

uppermost　rooms　of　their　houses。〃　　Dudley　himself　received　very　little

sympathy　for　his　losses。　　On　the　contrary；　the　iron…smelters　of　the

district　rejoiced　exceedingly　at　the　destruction　of　his　works　by　the

flood。　　They　had　seen　him　making　good　iron　by　his　new　patent　process；

and　selling　it　cheaper　than　they　could　afford　to　do。　　They　accordingly

put　in　circulation　all　manner　of　disparaging　reports　about　his　iron。

It　was　bad　iron；　not　fit　to　be　used；　indeed　no　iron；　except　what　was

smelted　with　charcoal　of　wood；　could　be　good。　　To　smelt　it　with　coal

was　a　dangerous　innovation；　and　could　only　result　in　some　great

public　calamity。　　The　ironmasters　even　appealed　to　King　James　to　put　a

stop　to　Dud's　manufacture；　alleging　that　his　iron　was　not

merchantable。　　And　then　came　the　great　flood；　which　swept　away　his

works；　the　hostile　ironmasters　now　hoping　that　there　was　an　end　for

ever　of　Dudley's　pit…coal　iron。



But　Dud；　with　his　wonted　energy；　forthwith　set　to　work　and　repaired

his　furnaces　and　forges；　though　at　great　cost；　and　in　the　course　of　a

short　time　the　new　manufacture　was　again　in　full　progress。　　The

ironmasters　raised　a　fresh　outcry　against　him；　and　addressed　another

strong　memorial　against　Dud　and　his　iron　to　King　James。　　This　seems　to

have　taken　effect；　and　in　order　to　ascertain　the　quality　of　the

article　by　testing　it　upon　a　large　scale；　the　King　commanded　Dudley

to　send　up　to　the　Tower　of　London；　with　every　possible　speed；

quantities　of　all　the　sorts　of　bar…iron　made　by　him；　fit　for　the

〃making　of　muskets；　carbines；　and　iron　for　great　bolts　for　shipping；

which　iron；〃　continues　Dud；　〃being　so　tried　by　artists　and　smiths；

the　ironmasters　and　iron…mongers　were　all　silenced　until　the　21st

year　of　King　James's　reign。〃　　The　ironmasters　then　endeavoured　to　get

the　Dudley　patent　included　in　the　monopolies　to　be　abolished　by　the

statute　of　that　year；　but　all　they　could　accomplish　was　the

limitation　of　the　patent　to　fourteen　years　instead　of　thirty…one；　the

special　exemption　of　the　patent　from　the　operation　of　the　statute

affording　a　sufficient　indication　of　the　importance　already　attached

to　the　invention。　　After　that　time　Dudley　〃went　on　with　his　invention

cheerfully；　and　made　annually　great　store　of　iron；　good　and

merchantable；　and　sold　it　unto　diverse　men　at　twelve　pounds　per　ton。〃

〃I　also；〃　said　he；　〃made　all　sorts　of　cast…iron　wares；　as　brewing

cisterns；　pots；　mortars；　&c。；　better　and　cheaper　than　any　yet　made　in

these　nations　with　charcoal；　some　of　which　are　yet　to　be　seen　by　any

man　（at　the　author's　house　in　the　city　of　Worcester）　that　desires　to

be　satisfied　of　the　truth　of　the　invention。〃



Notwithstanding　this　decided　success；　Dudley　encountered　nothing　but

trouble　and　misfortune。　　The　ironmasters　combined　to　resist　his

invention；　they　fastened　lawsuit's　upon　him；　and　succeeded　in　getting

him　ousted　from　his　works　at　Cradley。　　From　thence　he　removed　to

Himley　in　the　county　of　Stafford；　where　he　set　up　a　pit…coal　furnace；

but　being　without　the　means　of　forging　the　iron　into　bars；　he　was

constrained　to　sell　the　pig…iron　to　the　charcoal…ironmasters；　〃who

did　him　much　prejudice；　not　only　by　detaining　his　stock；　but　also　by

disparaging　his　iron。〃　　He　next　proceeded　to　erect　a　large　new　furnace

at　Hasco　Bridge；　near　Sedgeley；　in　the　same　county；　for　the　purpose

of　carrying　out　the　manufacture　on　the　most　improved　principles。　　This

furnace　was　of　stone；　twenty…seven　feet　square；　provided　with

unusually　large　bellows；　and　when　in　full　work　he　says　he　was　enabled

to　turn　out　seven　tons　of　iron　per　week；　〃the　greatest　quantity　of

pit…coal　iron　ever　yet　made　in　Great　Britain。〃　　At　the　same　place　he

discovered　and　opened　out　new　workings　of　coal　ten　feet　thick；　lying

immediately　over　the　ironstone；　and　he　prepared　to　carry　on　his

operations　on　a　large　scale；　but　the　new　works　were　scarcely　finished

when　a　mob　of　rioters；　instigated　by　the　charcoal…ironmasters；　broke

in　upon　them；　cut　in　pieces　the　new　bellows；　destroyed　the　machinery；

and　laid　the　results　of　all　his　deep…laid　ingenuity　and　persevering

industry　in　ruins。　　From　that　time　forward　Dudley　was　allowed　no　rest

nor　peace：　　he　was　attacked　by　mobs；　worried　by　lawsuits；　and

eventually　overwhelmed　by　debts。　　He　was　then　seized　by　his　creditors

and　sent　up　to　London；　where　he　was　held　a　prisoner　in　the　Comptoir

for　several　thousand　pounds。　　The　charcoal…iron　men　thus　for　a　time

remained　masters　of　the　field。



Charles　I。　seems　to　have　taken　pity　on　the　suffering　inventor；　and　on

his　earnest　petition；　setting　forth　the　great　advantages　to　the

nation　of　his　invention；　from　which　he　had　as　yet　derived　no

advantage；　but　only　losses；　sufferings；　and　persecution；　the　King

granted　him　a　renewal　of　his　patent*

　＇footnote。。。

Patent　No。　117；　Old　Series；　granted　in　1638；　to　Sir　George　Horsey；

David　Ramsey；　Roger　Foulke；　and　Dudd　Dudley。

　。。。＇

in　the　year　1638；　three　other　gentlemen　joining　him　as　partners；　and

doubtless　providing　the　requisite　capital　for　carrying　on　the

manufacture　after　the　plans　of　the　inventor。　　But　Dud's　evil　fortune

continued　to　pursue　him。　　The　patent　had　scarcely　been　securedere　the

Civil　War　broke　out；　and　the　arts　of　peace　must　at　once　perforce　give

place　to　the　arts　of　war。　　Dud's　nature　would　not　suffer　him　to　be

neutral　at　such　a　time；　and　when　the　nation　divided　itself　into　two

hostile　camps；　his　predilections　being　strongly　loyalist；　he　took　the

side　of　the　King　with　his　father。　　It　would　appear　from　a　petition

presented　by　him　to　Charles　II。　in　1660；　setting　forth　his　sufferings

in　the　royal　cause；　and　praying　for　restoral　to　certain　offices　which

he　had　enjoyed　under　Charles　I。；　that　as　early　as　the　year　1637　he

had　been　employed　by　the　King　on　a　mission　into　Scotland；*

　＇footnote。。。

By　his　own　account；　given　in　Metallum　Martis；　while　in　Scotland　in

1637；　he　visited　the　Highlands　as　well　as　the　Lowlands；　spending　the

whole　summer　of　that　year　〃in　opening　of　mines　and　making　of

discoveries；〃　spending　part　of　the　time　with　Sir　James　Hope　of　Lead

Hills；　near　where；　he　says；　〃he　got　gold。〃　　It　does　not　appear；

however；　that　any　iron　forges　existed　in　Scotland　at　the　time：　　indeed

Dudley　expressly　says　that　〃Scotland　maketh　no　iron；〃　and　in　his

treatise　of　1665　he　urges　that　the　Corporation　of　the　Mines　Royal

should　set　him　and　his　inventions　at　work　to　enable　Scotland　to　enjoy

the　benefit　of　a　cheap　and　abundant　supply　of　the　manufactured

article。

　。。。＇

in　the　train　of　the　Marquis　of　Hamilton；　the　King's　Commissioner。

Again　in　1639；　leaving　his　ironworks　and　partners；　he　accompanied

Charles　on　his　expedition　across　the　Scotch　border；　and　was　present

with　the　army　until　its　discomfiture　at　Newburn　near　Newcastle　in　the

following　year。



The　sword　was　now　fairly　drawn；　and　Dud　seems　for　a　time　to　have

abandoned　his　iron…works　and　followed　entirely　the　fortunes　of　the

king。　　He　was　sworn　surveyor　of　the　Mews　or　Armoury　in　1640；　but　being

unable　to　pay　for　the　patent；　another　was　sworn　in　in　his　place。　　Yet

his　loyalty　did　not　falter；　for　in　the　beginn