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manufacture at the Welsh works。
。。。＇
the means not having yet been devised at Cyfartha for
malleableizing the pit…coal cast…iron with economy or good effect。
Yet Crawshay found a ready market for all the iron he could make； and
he is said to have counted the gains of the forge…hammer close by his
house at the rate of a penny a stroke。 In course of time he found it
necessary to erect new furnaces； and； having adopted the processes
invented by Henry Cort； he was thereby enabled greatly to increase
the production of his forges； until in 1812 we find him stating to a
committee of the House of Commons that he was making ten thousand
tons of bar…iron yearly； or an average produce of two hundred tons a
week。 But this quantity； great though it was； has since been largely
increased； the total produce of the Crawshay furnaces of Cyfartha；
Ynysfach； and Kirwan； being upwards of 50；000 tons of bar…iron
yearly。
The distance of Merthyr from Cardiff； the nearest port； being
considerable； and the cost of carriage being very great by reason of
the badness of the roads； Mr。 Crawshay set himself to overcome this
great impediment to the prosperity of the Merthyr Tydvil district；
and； in conjunction with Mr。 Homfray of the Penydarran Works； he
planned and constructed the canal*
＇footnote。。。
It may be worthy of note that the first locomotive run upon a
railroad was that constructed by Trevithick for Mr。 Homfray in 1803；
which was employed to bring down metal from the furnaces to the Old
Forge。 The engine was taken off the road because the tram…plates were
found too weak to bear its weight without breaking。
。。。＇
to Cardiff； the opening of which； in 1795； gave an immense impetus to
the iron trade of the neighbourhood。 Numerous other extensive iron
works became established there； until Merthyr Tydvil attained the
reputation of being at once the richest and the dirtiest district in
all Britain。 Mr。 Crawshay became known in the west of England as the
〃Iron King；〃 and was quoted as the highest authority in all questions
relating to the trade。 Mr。 George Crawshay； recently describing the
founder of the family at a social meeting at Newcastle； said；〃In
these days a name like ours is lost in the infinity of great
manufacturing firms which exist through out the land； but in those
early times the man who opened out the iron district of Wales stood
upon an eminence seen by all the world。 It is preserved in the
traditions of the family that when the 'Iron King' used to drive from
home in his coach…and…four into Wales； all the country turned out to
see him； and quite a commotion took place when he passed through
Bristol on his way to the works。 My great grandfather was succeeded
by his son； and by his grandson； the Crawshays have followed one
another for four generations in the iron trade in Wales； and there
they still stand at the head of the trade。〃 The occasion on which
these words were uttered was at a Christmas party； given to the men；
about 1300 in number； employed at the iron works of Messrs。 Hawks；
Crawshay； and Co。； at Newcastle…upon…Tyne。 These works were founded
in 1754 by William Hawks； a blacksmith； whose principal trade
consisted in making claw…hammers for joiners。 He became a thriving
man； and eventually a large manufacturer of bar…iron。 Partners joined
him； and in the course of the changes wrought by time； one of the
Crawshays； in 1842； became a principal partner in the firm。
Illustrations of a like kind might be multiplied to any extent；
showing the growth in our own time of an iron aristocracy of great
wealth and influence； the result mainly of the successful working of
the inventions of the unfortunate and unrequited Henry Cort。 He has
been the very Tubal Cain of Englandone of the principal founders of
our iron age。 To him we mainly owe the abundance of wrought…iron for
machinery； for steam…engines； and for railways； at one…third the
price we were before accustomed to pay to the foreigner。 We have by
his invention； not only ceased to be dependent upon other nations for
our supply of iron for tools； implements； and arms； but we have
become the greatest exporters of iron； producing more than all other
European countries combined。 In the opinion of Mr。 Fairbairn of
Manchester； the inventions of Henry Cort have already added six
hundred millions sterling to the wealth of the kingdom； while they
have given employment to some six hundred thousand working people
during three generations。 And while the great ironmasters； by freely
availing themselves of his inventions； have been adding estate to
estate； the only estate secured by Henry Cort was the little domain
of six feet by two in which he lies interred in Hampstead Churchyard。
CHAPTER VIII。
THE SCOTCH IRON MANUFACTURE … Dr。 ROEBUCK DAVID MUSHET。
〃Were public benefactors to be allowed to pass away； like hewers of
wood and drawers of water； without commemoration； genius and
enterprise would be deprived of their most coveted distinction。〃Sir
Henry Englefield。
The account given of Dr。 Roebuck in a Cyclopedia of Biography；
recently published in Glasgow； runs as follows： 〃Roebuck； John； a
physician and experimental chemist； born at Sheffield； 1718； died；
after ruining himself by his projects； 1794。 Such is the short shrift
which the man receives who fails。 Had Dr。 Roebuck wholly succeeded in
his projects； he would probably have been esteemed as among the
greatest of Scotland's benefactors。 Yet his life was not altogether a
failure； as we think will sufficiently appear from the following
brief account of his labours：
At the beginning of last century； John Roebuck's father carried on
the manufacture of cutlery at Sheffield；*
＇footnote。。。
Dr。 Roebuck's grandson； John Arthur Roebuck； by a singular
coincidence； at present represents Sheffield in the British
Parliament。
。。。＇
in the course of which he realized a competency。 He intended his son
to follow his own business； but the youth was irresistibly attracted
to scientific pursuits； in which his father liberally encouraged him；
and he was placed first under the care of Dr。 Doddridge； at
Northampton； and afterwards at the University of Edinburgh； where he
applied himself to the study of medicine； and especially of
chemistry； which was then attracting considerable attention at the
principal seats of learning in Scotland。 While residing at Edinburgh
young Roebuck contracted many intimate friendships with men who
afterwards became eminent in literature； such as Hume and Robertson
the historians； and the circumstance is supposed to have contributed
not a little to his partiality in favour of Scotland； and his
afterwards selecting it as the field for his industrial operations。
After graduating as a physician at Leyden； Roebuck returned to
England； and settled at Birmingham in the year 1745 for the purpose
of practising his profession。 Birmingham was then a prin