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effect of putting the fire out。 With the aid of the hot blast；
however； it now proves to be a most valuable fuel in smelting。
。。。＇
Even coals of an inferior quality were by its means made available
for the manufacture of iron。 But one of the peculiar qualities of the
Black Band ironstone is that in many cases it contains sufficient
coaly matter for purposes of calcination； without any admixture of
coal whatever。 Before its discovery； all the iron manufactured in
Scotland was made from clay…band； but the use of the latter has in a
great measure been discontinued wherever a sufficient supply of Black
Band can be obtained。 And it is found to exist very extensively in
most of the midland Scotch counties；the coal and iron measures
stretching in a broad belt from the Firth of Forth to the Irish
Channel at the Firth of Clyde。 At the time when the hot blast was
invented； the fortunes of many of the older works were at a low ebb；
and several of them had been discontinued； but they were speedily
brought to life again wherever Black Band could be found。 In 1829；
the year after Neilson's patent was taken out； the total make of
Scotland was 29；000 tons。 As fresh discoveries of the mineral were
made； in Ayrshire and Lanarkshire； new works were erected； until； in
1845； we find the production of Scotch pig…iron had increased to
475；000 tons。 It has since increased to upwards of a million of tons；
nineteen…twentieths of which are made from Black Band ironstone。*
＇footnote。。。
It is stated in the North British Review for Nov。 1845； that 〃As in
Scotland every furnacewith the exception of one at Carronnow uses
the hot blast the saving on our present produce of 400；000 tons of
pig…iron is 2；000；000 tons of coals； 200；000 tons of limestone； and
#650；000 sterling per annum。〃 But as the Scotch produce is now above
a million tons of pig…iron a year； the above figures will have to be
multiplied by 2 1/2 to give the present annual savings。
。。。＇
Employment has thus been given to vast numbers of our industrial
population； and the wealth and resources of the Scotch iron districts
have been increased to an extraordinary extent。 During the last year
there were 125 furnaces in blast throughout Scotland； each employing
about 400 men in making an average of 200 tons a week； and the money
distributed amongst the workmen may readily be computed from the fact
that； under the most favourable circumstances； the cost of making
iron in wages alone amounts to 36s。 a…ton。*
＇footnote。。。
Papers read by Mr。 Ralph Moore； Mining Engineer； Glasgow； before the
Royal Scottish Society of Arts； Edin。 1861； pp。 13； 14。
。。。＇
An immense additional value was given to all land in which the Black
Band was found。 Mr。 Mushet mentions that in 1839 the proprietor of
the Airdrie estate derived a royalty of 16；500L。 from the mineral；
which had not before its discovery yielded him one farthing。 At the
same time； many fortunes have been made by pushing and energetic men
who have of late years entered upon this new branch of industry。
Amongst these may be mentioned the Bairds of Gartsherrie； who vie
with the Guests and Crawshays of South Wales； and have advanced
themselves in the course of a very few years from the station of
small farmers to that of great capitalists owning estates in many
counties； holding the highest character commercial men； and ranking
among the largest employers of labour in the kingdom。
CHAPTER X。
MECHANICAL INVENTIONS AND INVENTORS。
〃L'invention nest…elle pas la poesie de la science？ 。 。 。 Toutes les
grandes decouvertes portent avec elles la trace ineffacable d'une
pensee poetique。 ll faut etre poete pour creer。 Aussi； sommes…nous
convaincus que si les puissantes machines； veritable source de la
production et de l'industrie de nos jours； doivent recevoir des
modifications radicales； ce sera a des hommes d'imagination； et non
point a dea hommes purement speciaux； que l'on devra cette
transformation。〃E。 M。 BATAILLE； Tr aite des Machines a Vapeur。
Tools have played a highly important part in the history of
civilization。 Without tools and the ability to use them； man were
indeed but a 〃poor； bare； forked animal；〃worse clothed than the
birds； worse housed than the beaver； worse fed than the jackal。 〃Weak
in himself；〃 says Carlyle； 〃and of small stature； he stands on a
basis； at most for the flattest…soled； of some half square foot；
insecurely enough； has to straddle out his legs； Jest the very wind
supplant him。 Feeblest of bipeds！ Three quintals are a crushing load
for him； the steer of the meadow tosses him aloft like a waste rag。
Nevertheless he can use tools； can devise tools： with these the
granite mountain melts into light dust before him； he kneads glowing
iron as if it were soft paste； seas are his smooth highway； winds and
fire his unvarying steeds。 Nowhere do you find him without tools：
without tools he is nothing； with tools he is all。〃 His very first
contrivances to support life were tools of the simplest and rudest
construction； and his latest achievements in the substitution of
machinery for the relief of the human hand and intellect are founded
on the use of tools of a still higher order。 Hence it is not without
good reason that man has by some philosophers been defined as A
TOOL…MAKING ANIMAL。
Tools； like everything else； had small beginnings。 With the primitive
stone…hammer and chisel very little could be done。 The felling of a
tree would occupy a workman a month； unless helped by the destructive
action of fire。 Dwellings could not be built； the soil could not be
tilled； clothes could not be fashioned and made； and the hewing out
of a boat was so tedious a process that the wood must have been far
gone in decay before it could be launched。 It was a great step in
advance to discover the art of working in metals； more especially in
steel； one of the few metals capable of taking a sharp edge and
keeping it。 From the date of this discovery； working in wood and
stone would be found comparatively easy； and the results must
speedily have been felt not only in the improvement of man's daily
food； but in his domestic and social condition。 Clothing could then
be made； the primitive forest could be cleared and tillage carried
on； abundant fuel could be obtained； dwellings erected； ships built；
temples reared； every improvement in tools marking a new step in the
development of the human intellect； and a further stage in the
progress of human civilization。
The earliest tools were of the simplest possible character；
consisting principally of modifications of the wedge； such as the
knife； the shears （formed of two knives working on a joint）； the
chisel； and the axe。 These； with the primitive hammer； formed the
principal stock…in…trade of the early mechanics； who were
handicraftsmen in the literal sense of the word。 But the work which
the early craftsmen in wood； stone； bras