industrial biography-第29章

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of　practising　his　profession。　　Birmingham　was　then　a　principal　seat　of

the　metal　manufacture；　and　its　mechanics　were　reputed　to　be　among　the

most　skilled　in　Britain。　　Dr。　Roebuck's　attention　was　early　drawn　to

the　scarcity　and　dearness　of　the　material　in　which　the　mechanics

worked；　and　he　sought　by　experiment　to　devise　some　method　of　smelting

iron　otherwise　than　by　means　of　charcoal。　　He　had　a　laboratory　fitted

up　in　his　house　for　the　purpose　of　prosecuting　his　inquiries；　and

there　he　spent　every　minute　that　he　could　spare　from　his　professional

labours。　　It　was　thus　that　he　invented　the　process　of　smelting　iron　by

means　of　pit…coal　which　he　afterwards　embodied　in　the　patent

hereafter　to　be　referred　to。　　At　the　same　time　he　invented　new　methods

of　refining　gold　and　silver；　and　of　employing　them　in　the　arts；　which

proved　of　great　practical　value　to　the　Birmingham　trades…men；　who

made　extensive　use　of　them　in　their　various　processes　of　manufacture。



Dr。　Roebuck's　inquiries　had　an　almost　exclusively　practical

direction；　and　in　pursuing　them　his　main　object　was　to　render　them

subservient　to　the　improvement　of　the　industrial　arts。　　Thus　he　sought

to　devise　more　economical　methods　of　producing　the　various　chemicals

used　in　the　Birmingham　trade；　such　as　ammonia；　sublimate；　and　several

of　the　acids；　and　his　success　was　such　as　to　induce　him　to　erect　a

large　laboratory　for　their　manufacture；　which　was　conducted　with

complete　success　by　his　friend　Mr。　Garbett。　　Among　his　inventions　of

this　character；　was　the　modern　process　of　manufacturing　vitriolic

acid　in　leaden　vessels　in　large　quantities；　instead　of　in　glass

vessels　in　small　quantities　as　formerly　practised。　　His　success　led

him　to　consider　the　project　of　establishing　a　manufactory　for　the

purpose　of　producing　oil　of　vitriol　on　a　large　scale；　and；　having

given　up　his　practice　as　a　physician；　he　resolved；　with　his　partner

Mr。　Garbett；　to　establish　the　proposed　works　in　the　neighbourhood　of

Edinburgh。　　He　removed　to　Scotland　with　that　object；　and　began　the

manufacture　of　vitriol　at　Prestonpans　in　the　year　1749。　　The

enterprise　proved　eminently　lucrative；　and；　encouraged　by　his

success；　Roebuck　proceeded　to　strike　out　new　branches　of　manufacture。

He　started　a　pottery　for　making　white　and　brown　ware；　which

eventually　became　established；　and　the　manufacture　exists　in　the　same

neighbourhood　to　this　day。



The　next　enterprise　in　which　he　became　engaged　was　one　of　still

greater　importance；　though　it　proved　eminently　unfortunate　in　its

results　as　concerned　himself。　　While　living　at　Prestonpans；　he　made

the　friendship　of　Mr。　William　Cadell；　of　Cockenzie；　a　gentleman　who

had　for　some　time　been　earnestly　intent　on　developing　the　industry　of

Scotland；　then　in　a　very　backward　condition。　　Mr。　Cadell　had　tried；

without　success；　to　establish　a　manufactory　of　iron；　and；　though　he

had　heretofore　failed；　he　hoped　that　with　the　aid　of　Dr。　Roebuck　he

might　yet　succeed。　　The　Doctor　listened　to　his　suggestions　with

interest；　and　embraced　the　proposed　enterprise　with　zeal。　　He

immediately　proceeded　to　organize　a　company；　in　which　he　was　joined

by　a　number　of　his　friends　and　relatives。　　His　next　step　was　to　select

a　site　for　the　intended　works；　and　make　the　necessary　arrangements

for　beginning　the　manufacture　of　iron。　　After　carefully　examining　the

country　on　both　sides　of　the　Forth；　he　at　length　made　choice　of　a

site　on　the　banks　of　the　river　Carron；　in　Stirlingshire；　where　there

was　an　abundant　supply　of　wafer；　and　an　inexhaustible　supply　of　iron；

coal；　and　limestone　in　the　immediate　neighbourhood；　and　there　Dr。

Roebuck　planted　the　first　ironworks　in　Scotland；



In　order　to　carry　them　on　with　the　best　chances　of　success；　he

brought　a　large　number　of　skilled　workmen　from　England；　who　formed　a

nucleus　of　industry　at　Carron；　where　their　example　and　improved

methods　of　working　served　to　train　the　native　labourers　in　their　art。

At　a　subsequent　period；　Mr。　Cadell；　of　Carronpark；　also　brought　a

number　of　skilled　English　nail…makers　into　Scotland；　and　settled　them

in　the　village　of　Camelon；　where；　by　teaching　others；　the　business

has　become　handed　down　to　the　present　day。



The　first　furnace　was　blown　at　Carron　on　the　first　day　of　January；

1760；　and　in　the　course　of　the　same　year　the　Carron　Iron　Works　turned

out　1500　tons　of　iron；　then　the　whole　annual　produce　of　Scotland。

Other　furnaces　were　shortly　after　erected　on　improved　plans；　and　the

production　steadily　increased。　　Dr。　Roebuck　was　indefatigable　in　his

endeavours　to　improve　the　manufacture；　and　he　was　one　of　the　first；

as　we　have　said；　to　revive　the　use　of　pit…coal　in　refining　the　ore；

as　appears　from　his　patent　of　1762。　　He　there　describes　his　new

process　as　follows：　　　〃I　melt　pig　or　any　kind　of　cast…iron　in　a

hearth　heated　with　pit…coal　by　the　blast　of　bellows；　and　work　the

metal　until　it　is　reduced　to　nature；　which　I　take　out　of　the　fire　and

separate　to　pieces；　then　I　take　the　metal　thus　reduced　to　nature　and

expose　it　to　the　action　of　a　hollow　pit…coal　fire；　heated　by　the

blast　of　bellows；　until　it　is　reduced　to　a　loop；　which　I　draw　out

under　a　common　forge　hammer　into　bar…iron。〃　　This　method　of

manufacture　was　followed　with　success；　though　for　some　time；　as

indeed　to　this　day；　the　principal　production　of　the　Carron　Works　was

castings；　for　which　the　peculiar　quality　of　the　Scotch　iron　admirably

adapts　it。　　The　well…known　Carronades；*

　＇footnote。。。

The　carronade　was　invented　by　General　Robert　Melville　＇Mr。　Nasmyth

says　it　was　by　Miller　of　Dalswinton＇；　who　proposed　it　for　discharging

68　lb；　shot　with　low　charges　of　powder；　in　order　to　produce　the

increased　splintering　or　SMASHING　effects　which　were　known　to　result

from　such　practice。　　The　first　piece　of　the　kind　was　cast　at　the

Carron　Foundry；　in　1779；　and　General　Melville's　family　have　now　in

their　possession　a　small　model　of　this　gun；　with　the　inscription：　　

〃Gift　of　the　Carron　Company　to　Lieutenant…general　Melville；　inventor

of　the　smashers　and　lesser　carronades；　for　solid；　ship；　shell；　and

carcass　shot；　&c。　　First　used　against　French　ships　in　1779。〃

　。。。＇

or　〃Smashers；〃　as　they　were　named；　were　cast　in　large　numbers　at　the

Carron　Works。　　To　increase　the　power　of　his　blowing　apparatus；

Dr。Roebuck　called　to　his　aid　the　celebrated　Mr。　Smeaton；　the

engineer；　who　contrived　and　erected　for　him　at　Carron　the　most

perfect　apparatus　of　the　kind　then　in　existence。　　It　may　also　be

added；　that　out　of　the　Carron　enterprise；　in　a　great　measure；　sprang

the　Forth　and　Clyde　Canal；　the　first　artificial　navigation　in

Scotland。　　The　Carron　Company；　with　a　view　to　securing　an　improved

communication　with　Glasgow；　themselves　surveyed　a　line；　which　was

only　given　up　in　consequence　of　the　determined　opposition　of　the

landowners；　but　the　project　was　again　revived　through　their　means；

and　was　eventually　carried　out　after　the　designs　of　Smeaton　and

Brindley。



While　the　Carron　foundry　was　pursuing　a　career　of　safe　prosperity；

Dr。　Roebuck's　enterprise　led　him　to　embark　in　coal…mining；　with　the

object　of　securing　an　improved　supply　of　fuel　for　the　iron　works。　　He

became　the　lessee　of　the　Duke　of　Hamilton's　extensive　coal…mines　at

Boroughstoness；　as　well　as　of　the　salt…pans　which　were　connected　with

them。　　The　mansion　of　Kinneil　went　with　the　lease；and　there　Dr。

Roebuck　and　his　family　took　up　their　abode。　　Kinneil　House　was

formerly　a　country　seat　of　the　Dukes　of　Hamilton；　and　is　to　this　day

a　stately　old　mansion；　reminding　one　of　a　French　chateau。　　Its

situation　is　of　remarkable　beauty；　its　windows　overlooking　the　broad

expanse　of　the　Firth　of　Forth；　and　commanding　an　extensive　view　of

the　country　along　its　northern　shores。　　The　place　has　become　in　a

measure　classical；　Kinneil　House　having　been　inhabited；　since　Dr。

Roebuck's　time；　by　Dugald　Stewart；　who　there　wrote　his　Philosophical

Essays。*

　＇footnote。。。

Wilkie　the　painter　once　paid　him　a　visit　there　while　in　Scotland

studying　the　subject　of　his　〃Penny　Wedding；〃　and　Dugald　Stewart　found

for　him　the　old　farm…house　with　the　cradle…chimney；　which　he

introduced　in　that　picture。　　But　Kinneil　House　has　had　its　imaginary

inhabitants　as　well　as　its　real　ones；　the　ghost　of　a　Lady　Lilburn；

once　an　occupant　of　the　place；　still　〃haunting〃　some　of　the

unoccupied　chambers。　　Dugald　Stewart　told　Wilkie　one　night；　as　he　was

going　to　bed；　of　the　unearthly　wailings　which　he　himself　had　heard

proceeding　from　the　ancient　apartments；　but　to　him　at　least　they　had

been　explained　by　the　door　opening　out　upon　the　roof　being　blown　in

on　gusty　nights；　when　a　jarring　and　creaking　noise　was　heard　all　over

the　house。　　One　advantage　derived　from　the　house　being　〃haunted〃　was；

that　the　garden　was　never　broken　into；　and　the　winter　apples　and

stores　were　at　all　times　kept　safe　from　depredation　in　the　apartments

of　the　Lady　Lilburn。

　。。。＇

When　Dr。　Roebuck　began　to　sink　for　coal　at　the　new　mines；　he　found　it

necessary　to　erect　pumping…machinery　of　the　most　powerful　kind　that

could　be　contrived；　in　order　to　keep　the　mines　clear　of　water。　　For

this　purpose　the　Newcomen　engine；　in　its　then　state；　was　found

insufficient；　and　when　Dr。　Roebuck's　friend；　Professor　Black；　of

Edinburgh；　informed　him　of　a　young　man　of　his　acquaintance；　a

mathematical　instrument　maker　at　Glasgow；　having　invented　a

steam…engine　calculated　to　work　with　increased　power；　speed；　and

economy；　compared　with　Newcomen's；　Dr。　Roebuck　was　much　interested；

and　shortly　after　entered　into　a　correspondence　with　James　Watt；　the

mathematical　instrument　maker　aforesaid　on　the　subject。　　The　Doctor

urged　that　Watt；　who；　up　to　that　time；　had　confined　himself　to

models；　should　come　over　to　Kinneil　House；　and　proceed　to　erect　a

working；　engine　in　one　of　the　outbuildings。　　The　English　workmen　whom

he　had　brought；　to　the　Carron　works　would；　he　justly　thought；　give

Watt　a　better　chance　of　success　with　his　engine　than　if　made　by　the

clumsy　whitesmiths　and　blacksmiths　of　Glasgow；　quite　unaccustomed　as

they　were　to　first…class　work；　and　he　proposed　himself　to　cast　the

cylinders　at　Carron　previous　to　Watt's　intended　visit　to　him　at

Kinneil。



Watt　paid　his　promised　visit　in　May；　1768；　and　Roebuck　was　by　this

time　so　much　interested　in　the　invention；　that　the　subject　of　his

becoming　a　partner　with　Watt；　with　the　object　of　introducing　the

engine　into　general　use；　was　seriously　discussed。　　Watt　had　been

labouring　at　his　invention　for　several　years；　contending　with　many

difficulties；　but　especially　with　the　main　difficulty　of　limited

means。　　He　had　borrowed　considerable　sums　of　money　from　Dr。　Black　to

enable　him　to　prosecute　his　experiments；　and　he　felt　the　debt　to　hang

like　a　millstone　round　his　neck。　　Watt　was　a　sickly；　fragile　man；　and

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

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

failure。　　Indeed