The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-11-22
EDITORS coRREsp oNDENcE
From our regular correspondent
Me-. Vo. NJ, On NJ

W eauih, olstaiit twenty OF thrty miles, 20 reach
which. you pass oblIquely down the ST. Georges
channel. AT Cardiff, in Wales, is seen Cardiff castle
which was for twenty-eight years the prison Of
| Robert, Duke of Normandy. He was the Oldest
son OF William the Conqueror. He died in this
castle and was afterwards buried in the cathedral
at Gloucester, where his tomb is still to be seen.
visited the castle, and afterwards the cathedral.
Without stopping to say more than to state that
Cardiff Is the principal ron-port in Wales, the har-
Dor OF which was greatly improved by Lord Butte,
whose estates lie here, (being the owner of the
tie, &c.,) will proceed to the seat Of the iron
works, IN the vicinity Of small town called Merthyr
Iwdfyl, twenty-four miles off This distance is ac-
complished by the Taft Valley railroad. As the
traveller progresses, the mountains increase in
height, while cultivation is struggling towards
their summits till checked by coldness Of air and
sterility Of SOIL Merthyr itself is central to the
largest iron-works in the world, and is built on an
elevation Of land, overlooked by still higher ground
round about it, especially to the north.
AT the time of my visit, the first works went to
were those of Mr.. Crawshay, known by the name
of the Caernarvon works. Here saw large wa
ter-wheel constructed of cast iron, which measured
36 feet in diameter At these works the Welsh iron
ore is used 1t has to be first calcined, and then
fuxed with carbonate of lime. This ore yields 30
per cent of pure iron. Large quantities Of railroad
iron are produced at these works. The rails then
making were Of the double-T form, and weighed IS
pounds to the foot. or rs pounds to the yard.
these works, and supplied with air by two large
steam enginesone of %, and the other Of lO0-horse
power The diameter of the blowing cylinder was
. feet, which supplied air to six blast furnaces.
The annual produce of iron Of all kinds from these
works amounted to $4,000 tons.
Mr.. Crawshay, at the time Of my visit, resided
IN London. Ii is said, besides these extensive
works, he owns others these having been given to
his son.
next day visited the great Dowlais works,
owned by Sir John Guest, M. p, who, in summer
resides in neat dwelling near his works. In win
ter, Sir John goes up to London to attend Para-
ment, &c. The honorable baronet is wing, and
liberal in his politics. | had the pleasure Of
seeing Sir John and Lady Guest. | found them
genteel, plain, intelligent and unaffected in man
ners or dress, with the appearance of much of that
solid English style and comfort, SO often met with
in substantial English families.
Sir John is between 50 and GO years of age, while
Lady Guest is much his junior. She did not appear
to be over 30. She was quite handsome, amable,
and intelligent and the mother of several interesting
children. Sir John keeps neat carriage, but there
is no effort at osentation Himself and family are
much respected by all who know them l am thus
particular in abiding to the highly respectable and
worthy baronet, because he is, probably the largest
iron-master in the world His father, many years
before his maturity, founded the Dowlais works,
and whose neat tomb in the small Welsh
church of Merthyr, erected by Sir John. He owned
n pew in this church, where, with his family, he
| regularly attended service. His works are two
miles from Merthyr, and all the way up hill. On
the road to them passed the works Of Alderman
Thompson, who resides in London, and was then
alderman Of the city, and liberal in his principles.
The works at Dowais spread over an immense sur.
Mr. Evans, the foreman, to whom was intro
duced told me their galleries, under ground, through
which their iron ore and coal were drawn, reach
FIVE miles in length.
The total number of persons, Of every descrip-
ton, employed about the works, amounted to about
5000, of whom about 200 were females.
When the works are in full blast, they produce
1000 tons of iron per week, or $4,000 tons per
| annum.
The total length of iron tram railroads connected
with the works amounts to about 200 miles. They
own and work about 100 coal-pits.
The wages paid coal dggers was lad. per ton for
coal, and halfprce or I'd. per ton for drifi dirt
Within the works, the wages amounted TO from
l5s to 2c sterling per week, according the skill
| of the persons employed. Common laborers earn
| from l5s to lGs. per week.
I The iron ores used at these works are of two
kinds--the black Welsh ore, and the red hemaiiie.
The latter is brought from Lancashire and Corn
wall and yields about 60 per cent. of pure iron. Ii
requires no previous calcination, like Welsh ore,
and can be smelted by one heat.
! The quantity Of coal required to supply these
works is from 1000 to l 100 tons per day. At the
time of my VISIT they were rolling heavy bars of
TallfOaO lrOn lneY WOulu uTdW out the UhrS Qulle
redhot between rollers to the right form and dmen-
sions; then present their rough ends to circular
saw, which would square them off, apparently with
rs much ease as if they were wood They were
turned about an iron sraght-edge, till sufficiently
cold to maintain uniform straightness. They are
| then ready for market.
The price of this iron at the time of my visit was
f6 sterling per ton about $35 to $40 per ton.
has greatly advanced within year or two past.
Sir John Guest uses the hot-air blast, and dou-
BILE heating furnace for remetng the iron; so that
the iron is never cold from the time il is smelted
from the ore till it comes out railroad bars, common
bars, nail rods, hoops, bolts, &c. BY this means,
a great saving of fuel is effected.
| The main blowing cylinder of these works Is
itreipe feet in diameter with nine feet stroke of ps-
ton. The force of the steam-engine which worked
il was equal to from $50 to 20O-horse power. The
air, before reaching the main furnaces, carried
through coil Of large iron tubes kept at red heat
in order that it might be heated before acting the
contents of the smelling furnaces The heated pipes
were about twelve inches in diameter and curved or
coiled in a heating chamber, about twelve feet
long by six in height This has proved great i'm
provement. Time is saved, and larger yield and
better iron obtained by its use.
Mr. Evans, the foreman, is very talented and
| ingenious man--having invented an improved rail-
! bar known as the hollow rail, so formed that less
iron is required to make it, without any loss in
strength while it liz very easily laid or put down
and taken up Considerable quantities Of this kind
of rail have been laid on American roads.
Besides the works mentioned, there others in
the vicinity Of Merthyr; among which is aconsdera-
BILE establishment owned by all English gentleman
of the old school-Anthony Hill, esq.--to whom ]
bore letter, and whose works are mentioned by
Muchet, on iron.
The population employed in the mines in the vi
cinity fMerthyr Twdfy is estimated at about 1000
souls.
AT the time of my visit, there much dscon-
tent among the common laborers on account Of re-
ducton Of wages brought about by the fall of iron
| conversed with one Of the laborers employed in
carting off cinders on the road, who Informed
that he by ,corking sixteen hours per day, used "a
get sireen shings per peek but he only obtained
fourteen diilings per ireek! He had with him lad
(his son. twelve or fourteen years Of age. He in.
formed me this lad only received eight shings PEI
j week for laboring the same length of time. He
used to get twelve shillngs; but his wages had also
been locked. The master found the horse and
| wagon.
u This poor man. by the name Of Jackson, assured