The Colorado statesman., 1911-04-01
Yankee Surprised Bessemer

the steel trade he came to know in
timately the inventor of the Bessemer
process of steel making.
About twenty-five years after Sir
Henry Bessemer had invented his
process of converting iron into steel,
was a guest at his home some dis
tance from the city Of Birmingham
said Mr.. Hewitt not long before his
death, which occurred In 1908, when
he was eighty-one years of age. Some
time previous to calling on Sir Henry
l had made the statement that In
twenty-five or thirty years the United
States would be supreme among all
the nations of the world in the pro-
duction of iron and steel-a prophecy
that has come true, as you know Sir
Henry had heard of my forecast, and
was inclined to doubt its accuracy.
But he was eager to talk the matter
over with me, and almost as soon as
| had reached his home he took me
for a chat over my statement into his
library a beautiful room that con-
tanned one of the choicest collection
of the classics | have ever seen, as
we'll as a complete library telling of
the production of iron and steel
throughout the world.
There, while Sir Henry listened at
tentively, l told him why / believed
my country would eventually lead,
and be independent of, the entire
world in the production Of iron and
steel l quoted the statistics I had
at hand in support of my contention,
and, finally, added: And, Sir Henry,
you will be responsible for the pres
tige which we shall obtain, for had 1t
not been for your discovery of the
process by which perfect steel can be
made cheaply, we should not now be
able to compete with you In the man
ufacture of steel and would probably
have to import all our steel
"Sir Henry smiled indulgently; 1t
was plain that had not succeeded in
convincing him.
"'Well. l said. perhaps I can con-
vince you on another matter that has
been interesting me greatly of late.
But first tell me. off-hand, if you can,
about how many millions of pounds
your invention has brought to you per
sonally. / do not ask the question
out of idle curiosity.
For perhaps five minutes Sir Hen
ry was absorbed in mental calcula-
tion. Then he said: Mr.. Hewitt,
should say. off-hand, that my process
of steel manufacturing has brought
me about four million pounds.
THAT is twenty million dollars in
American money l replied. Then l
took a pencil and paper and began to
do some figuring, based on my knowl-
edge of the statistics of steel produc-
ton and of commerce and manufac-
ture. made rapid computation and
handed the paper to Sir Henry.
You will see by my figures l ex-
planned, that your invention, within
quarter of century. has increased
the material wealth of the world by
an amount practically equivalent to
the cash capital of the commercial ma
tions of the world as that was hun
dred years ago, or at the time of the
close of our Revolutionary war
For a long time Sir Henry looked
blankly at the figures. You amaze
me- he said, at last 7 know that
you are familiar with the statistics
you have employed to arrive at this
result Yet 1t doesn't seem credible
Nevertheless, the story those fig
ures tell is the TRUTH l answered.
And of the increased wealth of the
world-hundreds of millions in all
resulting from your great invention,
you have received only twenty mil
lion dollars Surely. you have divided
your great wealth with ell the ma
tions.'"
copyright. 1910. by E. j. Edwards. All
Rights Reserved)