The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-07-07
AN EPIC IN IRON.
what Mechanics Have Done for Eng.
laDd-Ths VulcRns of Albion.

what Mechanics Have Done for Eng
1and-Ih9 NulcRns of Albion.
Samuel Smiles is a most industrious compiler,
and his books, like the tales in the Arabian
Nights" may be said 10 breed one another. In
the course of his researches while preparing a
recent work entitled olives Of the Engineers"
he frequently came across the tracks of celebrated
inventors, mechanics, and irOn-workers, whose
labors seemed 20 him well worthy of finding some
permanent record. Hinc ike GchyymG Hence
a new book, published in this country by TicknOr
x E.Rlds, under the title Indus rial Biography
1rg Workers and oOl-Makers."
/B ecedpg the biographies with history Of
HbSI, its relation to civilization and early iron
.nan ufacture in England, he opens the personal
DuD DUDLEY,
the father of iron-working in England, and the
Chaueer of the iron poets TO fanciful
image) who have since made England great. lie
was one of eleven illegitimate children, and does
not TO be at all ashamed otit for in an official
document he speaks Of his mother as Elizabeth,
daughter of William Tomlinson, Of Dudley, con-
eubine OF EDWARD Lord Dudley"
Dudley village was the centre of a manufac-
turing district, and the Earl himself had large
iron works where Dud used 10 pass much of his
time. As he grew 10 be a man he established
iron works of his own. He wrote a treatise on
iron; he built immense furnaces, and became
overwhelmed with debt. He invented an inn
portant ystem OF iron smelling In the Crom-
wellian war he fought on the Kings side, was, in
l64S captured, stripped almost naked and in
triumph carried up TO the gates OF Worcester
(Which place Dud had forfeited for the KingJ,
and put in prison.
with parry Of other prisoners he, however,
managed TO escape In August OF the same year.
AS he had receiyeda wound in the leg he had to
stumble across the country on crutches, and thus
rached Bristol. His estates had been cOntiscdted,
but Ell he was sole pOsst of his Tor smel
ing iron with pitt coal aud finding q moneyed
partner built another foundry but soon quarrelled
with bis business associate, and the affair was
brought to a stand still On the restoration he
made : variety of claims for damages he had
suffered during the civil war, again built foun-
cries, published bis treatise, "Metallum Martis,'
In 1868, and died in his eighy-tourth year, after
. life of singular vicissiudes.
IHB INVENTOR oP cAsT-sTEBL.
Cast-steel was invented, Mr.. Smiles tells us, by
enc Benjamin Huntsman, who was born in Lin
colnkhiIe in l704. He Was the son Of German
parents, and when a boy was noted for his skill
In meDdng clocks aud locks. He also early OBJ
tanned some reputation as an ocuIist In Doncas-
ter he began making experiments in the improve
ment of steel, but IL was many weary years before
the desired result was achieved; yet il was
achieved at last, and although hundred years
have passed since Huntsman's discovery, the de-
scription of fuel (coke) which he first applied for
the purpose Of making the steel, and the cruci-
bles and furnaces which he used, were, for the
most part, similar TO those in use at the present
day. Although The making of cast-stee, as in
TeDed by Benjamin HuntsmAn, is now con-
Quoted with greater economy and dexterity, owing
20 increased experience, IL is questionable
whether any maker has since been able 10 sur
the qualify OF HuntBmal'B 3 manufactures.
Yet his own countrymen, the Sheffield cutters
with true British obstinacy, refused 10 use bis
cast-steel and he had 10 send il abroad for sale
on the continent. In short time the French
cutters were able TO undersell the English, anC
go the latter obliged to come TO Huntsman
He had taken no patent for his invention, hi
only protection being in preserving his process a.
much q mystery as possiblei all his workmer
were pledged 10 inviolabe secrecy strangers
were carefully excluded from his works, and the
whole Of his steel was cast at night.
OF course there were plenty Of efforts-many
of them dishonorahe enough--to unveil thu
secret. An iron foInder named Walker at las
discovered it by adopting the ruse OF Disgusting
himself as wandering tramp" and teignint
great distress Hnd aboct poverty. Shiyering witt
cold at the door Of Huntsman's foundry lace on'
night when the workmen were about TO begiI
their labOrs az steel casting, he asked for adms
sion to warm himself by the furnace fire: In
humane wOrkmen found the appeal Irresistible
and the apparent beggdr was admitted and pro
yided with a srug corner, where he pretended 9
fall asleep. But lie watched the process OF steel
making; and before many months had passe(
the Hunlsman mandatory was not the only on
where cast-stee was produced.
Hnntsman was a Quaker, eccentric, but yerl
benevolent; he died i'm l776, in his Ia year, anC
was buried in Attercllte churchyud.
AN UNREoUIrBD BENEFACToR.
The principal iron. founder Of England durnl
the last century was one Henry Cort, 10 whom
England owes the production of wrought lrol
for machinery, for steam engines, and for rail
WAYS, dL Oub-kuliu tue pllNC ~ was DplViS a. ~
ton ed 10 pay TO foreigners. IL is estimated th
tbe inventions of Henry COrt have already addel
six hundred million pounds sterling 10 the wei
of the kingdoms, while they have gwen employ
ment % some tx hundred thousand working
people during three generations. "And while
the great iron masters, by freely aVail1ng them
selves of his invention, have been adding estau
20 estate the only estate secured by Henry
Cort was the little domain of six feet two II
which he lies inferred in Hampstead church
yard"
BRAMAH.
Joseph Bramah was one Of the most curious o
the characters % be met with in the annals o
great mechanics. He was born in l74o, in York
thife village, and, when a boy, devoted his spar
TIME IN inaklng musical instruments, his tool
Oeing 10" OLD hles and razor blades given hin
by the lflendly " village smith a." whose forge wa
young Bramah's iayorite haunt His first regu
lar work was al ploughing hut when sixteer
years old he hurt his ankle, WAS un6tted for Earn
work, and apprentcing himself 10 n 'csrnentor h,
soon became an expert workman tdrnir an
plOughs aud hddles, WindOw-frames AMI ,,ioIon
celloF, with equal skill. iNi0N
Ambitious 10 improve In his trade, he wen, On
foot TO London, where he found work in a ca6i
net makers shop, and where he made a nurnhe
of useful little Inventions At last he discovers
some new method OF pump-making, for which I
took out patent, and remembering his o
friend the Yorkshire blacksmith, sent for him
take charge Of the backsmith's work.
In l773, Bramah FIRST turned his attention
locks, which we're then YeFy poor and easi
picked. Bramah invented a lock, and took out
patent therefor; and for nearly eighty years d
nN. N.4 Id rfn4 Ha.a sa J.