Industrial　BiographyIron　Workers　and　Tool　Makers
  by　Samuel　Smiles
  PREFACE。
  The　Author　offers　the　following　book　as　a　continuation；　in　a　more
  generally　accessible　form；　of　the　Series　of　Memoirs　of　Industrial　Men
  introduced　in　his　Lives　of　the　Engineers。　　While　preparing　that　work
  he　frequently　came　across　the　tracks　of　celebrated　inventors；
  mechanics；　and　iron…workersthe　founders；　in　a　great　measure；　of　the
  modern　industry　of　Britainwhose　labours　seemed　to　him　well　worthy
  of　being　traced　out　and　placed　on　record；　and　the　more　so　as　their
  lives　presented　many　points　of　curious　and　original　interest。　　Having
  been　encouraged　to　prosecute　the　subject　by　offers　of　assistance　from
  some　of　the　most　eminent　living　mechanical　engineers；　he　is　now
  enabled　to　present　the　following　further　series　of　memoirs　to　the
  public。
  Without　exaggerating　the　importance　of　this　class　of　biography；　it
  may　at　least　be　averred　that　it　has　not　yet　received　its　due　share　of
  attention。　　While　commemorating　the　labours　and　honouring　the　names　of
  those　who　have　striven　to　elevate　man　above　the　material　and
  mechanical；　the　labours　of　the　important　industrial　class　to　whom
  society　owes　so　much　of　its　comfort　and　well…being　are　also　entitled
  to　consideration。　　Without　derogating　from　the　biographic　claims　of
  those　who　minister　to　intellect　and　taste；　those　who　minister　to
  utility　need　not　be　overlooked。　　When　a　Frenchman　was　praising　to　Sir
  John　Sinclair　the　artist　who　invented　ruffles；　the　Baronet　shrewdly
  remarked　that　some　merit　was　also　due　to　the　man　who　added　the　shirt。
  A　distinguished　living　mechanic　thus　expresses　himself　to　the　Author
  on　this　point：　　…　〃Kings；　warriors；　and　statesmen　have　heretofore
  monopolized　not　only　the　pages　of　history；　but　almost　those　of
  biography。　　Surely　some　niche　ought　to　be　found　for　the　Mechanic；
  without　whose　skill　and　labour　society；　as　it　is；　could　not　exist。　　I
  do　not　begrudge　destructive　heroes　their　fame；　but　the　constructive
  ones　ought　not　to　be　forgotten；　and　there　IS　a　heroism　of　skill　and
  toil　belonging　to　the　latter　class；　worthy　of　as　grateful
  record；less　perilous　and　romantic；　it　may　be；　than　that　of　the
  other；　but　not　less　full　of　the　results　of　human　energy；　bravery；　and
  character。　　The　lot　of　labour　is　indeed　often　a　dull　one；　and　it　is
  doing　a　public　service　to　endeavour　to　lighten　it　up　by　records　of
  the　struggles　and　triumphs　of　our　more　illustrious　workers；　and　the
  results　of　their　labours　in　the　cause　of　human　advancement。〃
  As　respects　the　preparation　of　the　following　memoirs；　the　Author's
  principal　task　has　consisted　in　selecting　and　arranging　the　materials
  so　liberally　placed　at　his　disposal　by　gentlemen　for　the　most　part
  personally　acquainted　with　the　subjects　of　them；　and　but　for　whose
  assistance　the　book　could　not　have　been　written。　　The　materials　for
  the　biography　of　Henry　Maudslay；　for　instance；　have　been　partly
  supplied　by　the　late　Mr。　Joshua　Field；　F。R。S。　（his　partner）；　but
  principally　by　Mr。　James　Nasmyth；　C。E。；　his　distinguished　pupil。　　In
  like　manner　Mr。　John　Penn；　C。E。；　has　supplied　the　chief　materials　for
  the　memoir　of　Joseph　Clement；　assisted　by　Mr。　Wilkinson；　Clement's
  nephew。　　The　Author　has　also　had　the　valuable　assistance　of　Mr。
  William　Fairbairn；　F。R。S。；　Mr。　J。　O。　March；　tool　manufacturer　（Mayor
  of　Leeds）；　Mr。　Richard　Roberts；　C。E。；　Mr。　Henry　Maudslay；　C。E。；　and
  Mr。　J。　Kitson；　Jun。；　iron　manufacturer；　Leeds；　in　the　preparation　of
  the　other　memoirs　of　mechanical　engineers　included　in　this　volume。
  The　materials　for　the　memoirs　of　the　early　iron…workers　have　in　like
  manner　been　obtained　for　the　most　part　from　original　sources；　those
  of　the　Darbys　and　Reynoldses　from　Mr。　Dickinson　of　Coalbrookdale；　Mr。
  William　Reynolds　of　Coed…du；　and　Mr。　William　G。　Norris　of　the　former
  place；　as　well　as　from　Mr。　Anstice　of　Madeley　Wood；　who　has　kindly
  supplied　the　original　records　of　the　firm。　　The　substance　of　the
  biography　of　Benjamin　Huntsman；　the　inventor　of　cast…steel；　has　been
  furnished　by　his　lineal　representatives；　and　the　facts　embodied　in
  the　memoirs　of　Henry　Cort　and　David　Mushet　have　been　supplied　by　the
  sons　of　those　inventors。　　To　Mr。　Anderson　Kirkwood　of　Glasgow　the
  Author　is　indebted　for　the　memoir　of　James　Beaumont　Neilson；　inventor
  of　the　hot　blast；　and　to　Mr。　Ralph　Moore；　Inspector　of　Mines　in
  Scotland；　for　various　information　relative　to　the　progress　of　the
  Scotch　iron　manufacture。
  The　memoirs　of　Dud　Dudley　and　Andrew　Yarranton　are　almost　the　only
  ones　of　the　series　in　preparing　which　material　assistance　has　been
  derived　from　books；　but　these　have　been　largely　illustrated　by　facts
  contained　in　original　documents　preserved　in　the　State　Paper　Office；
  the　careful　examination　of　which　has　been　conducted　by　Mr。　W。　Walker
  Wilkins。
  It　will　thus　be　observed　that　most　of　the　information　embodied　in
  this　volume；　more　especially　that　relating　to　the　inventors　of　tools
  and　machines；　has　heretofore　existed　only　in　the　memories　of　the
  eminent　mechanical　engineers　from　whom　it　has　been　collected。　　The
  estimable　Joshua　Field　has　died　since　the　date　at　which　he
  communicated　his　recollections；　and　in　a　few　more　years　many　of　the
  facts　which　have　been　caught　and　are　here　placed　on　record　would；
  probably；　in　the　ordinary　course　of　things；　have　passed　into
  oblivion。　　As　it　is；　the　Author　feels　that　there　are　many　gaps　yet　to
  be　filled　up；　but　the　field　of　Industrial　Biography　is　a　wide　one；and
  is　open　to　all　who　will　labour　in　it。
  London；　October；　1863。
  CONTENTS
  CHAPTER　I。
  IRON　AND　CIVILIZATION。
  The　South　Sea　Islanders　and　iron
  Uses　of　iron　for　tools
  The　Stone；　Bronze；　and　Iron　ages
  Recent　discoveries　in　the　beds　of　the　Swiss　lakes
  Iron　the　last　metal　to　come　into　general　use；　and　why
  The　first　iron　smelters
  Early　history　of　iron　in　Britain
  The　Romans
  Social　importance　of　the　Smith　in　early　times
  Enchanted　swords
  Early　scarcity　of　iron　in　Scotland
  Andrea　de　Ferrara
  Scarcity　of　iron　in　England　at　the　time　of　the　Armada
  Importance　of　iron　for　national　defence
  CHAPTER　II。
  BEGINNINGS　OF　THE　IRON…MANUFACTURER　IN　BRITAIN。
  Iron　made　in　the　Forest　of　Dean　in　Anglo…Saxon　times
  Monkish　iron…workers
  Early　iron…smelting　in　Yorkshire
  Much　iron　imported　from　abroad
  Iron　manufactures　of　Sussex
  Manufacture　of　cannon
  Wealthy　ironmasters　of　Sussex
  Founder　of　the　Gale　family
  Extensive　exports　of　English　ordnance
  Destruction　of　timber　in　iron…smelting
  The　manufacture　placed　under　restrictions
  The　Sussex　furnaces　blown　out
  CHAPTER　III。
  IRON　SMELTING　BY　PIT…COALDUD　DUDLEY。
  Greatly　reduced　production　of　English　iron
  Proposal　to　use　pit…coal　instead　of　charcoal　of　wood　in　smelting
  Sturtevant's　patent
  Rovenson's
  Dud　Dudley；　his　family　his　history
  Uses　pit…coal　to　smelt　iron　with　success
  Takes　out　his　patent
  The　quality　of　the　iron　proved　by　tests
  Dudley's　works　swept　away　by　a　flood
  Rebuilds　his　works；　and　they　are　destroyed　by　a　mob
  Renewal　of　his　patent
  Outbreak　of　the　Civil　War
  Dudley　joins　the　Royalists；　and　rises　to　be　General　of　artillery
  His　perilous　adventures　and　hair…breadth　escapes
  His　estate　confiscated
  Recommences　iron…smelting
  Various　attempts　to　smelt　with　pit…coal
  Dudley's　petitions　to　the　King
  His　death
  CHAPTER　IV。
  ANDREW　YARRANTON。
  A　forgotten　patriot
  The　Yarranton　family
  Andrew　Yarranton's　early　life
  A　soldier　under　the　Parliament
  Begins　iron　works
  Is　seized　and　imprisoned
  His　plans　for　improving　internal　navigation
  Improvements　in　agriculture
  Manufacture　of　tin　plate
  His　journey　into　Saxony　to　learn　it
  Travels　in　Holland
  His　views　of　trade　and　industry
  His　various　projects
  His　'England's　Improvement　by　Sea　and　Land'
  His　proposed　Land　Bank
  His　proposed　Registry　of　Real　Estate
  His　controversies
  His　iron…mining
  Value　of　his　labours
  CHAPTER　V。
  COALBROOKDALE　IRON　WORKSTHE　DARBYS　AND　REYNOLDSES。
  Failure　in　the　attempts　to　smelt　iron　with　pit…coal
  Dr。　Blewstone's　experiment
  Decay　of　the　ironmanufacture
  Abraham　Darby
  His　manufacture　of　cast…iron　pots　at　Bristol
  Removes　to　Coalbrookdale
  His　method　of　smelting　iron
  Increased　use　of　coke
  Use　of　pit…coal　by　Richard　Ford
  Richard　Reynolds　joins　the　Coalbrookdale　firm
  Invention　of　the　Craneges　in　iron…refining
  Letter　of　Richard　Reynolds　on　the　subject
  Invention　of　cast…iron　rails　by　Reynolds
  Abraham　Darby　the　Second　constructs　the　first　iron　bridge
  Extension　of　the　Coalbrookdale　Works
  William　Reynolds：　　his　invention　of　inclined　planes　for　working　canals
  Retirement　of　Richard　Reynolds　from　the　firm
  His　later　years；　character；　and　death
  CHAPTER　VI。
  INVENTION　OF　CAST　STEEL　…　BENJAMIN　HUNTSMAN。
  Conversion　of　iron　into　steel
  Early　Sheffield　manufactures
  Invention　of　blistered　steel
  Important　u