第 41 节
作者:铲除不公      更新:2021-03-08 19:38      字数:9322
  air…pipe as it entered the furnace against the action of the intense
  heat to which it was subjected; a spiral pipe for a stream of cold
  water constantly to play in has been introduced within the sides of
  the iron tuyere through which the nozzle passes; by which means the
  tuyere is kept comparatively cool; while the nozzle of the air…pipe
  is effectually protected。*
  'footnote。。。
  The invention of the tubular air…vessels and the water…tuyere
  belongs; we believe; to Mr。 John Condie; sometime manager of the
  Blair Iron Works。
  。。。'
  This valuable invention did not escape the usual fate of successful
  patents; and it was on several occasions the subject of protracted
  litigation。  The first action occurred in 1832; but the objectors
  shortly gave in; and renewed their licence。  In 1839; when the process
  had become generally adopted throughout Scotland; and; indeed; was
  found absolutely essential for smelting the peculiar ores of that
  countrymore especially Mushet's Black Banda powerful combination
  was formed amongst the ironmasters to resist the patent。  The
  litigation which ensued extended over five years; during which period
  some twenty actions were proceeding in Scotland; and several in
  England。  Three juries sat upon the subject at different times; and on
  three occasions appeals were carried to the House of Lords。  One jury
  trial occupied ten days; during which a hundred and two witnesses
  were examined; the law costs on both sides amounting; it is supposed;
  to at least 40;000L。  The result was; that the novelty and merit of
  Mr。 Neilson's invention were finally established; and he was secured
  in the enjoyment of the patent right。
  We are gratified to add; that; though Mr。 Neilson had to part with
  two…thirds of the profits of the invention to secure the capital and
  influence necessary to bring it into general use; he realized
  sufficient to enable him to enjoy the evening of his life in peace
  and comfort。  He retired from active business to an estate which he
  purchased in 1851 in the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright; where he is
  found ready to lend a hand in every good workwhether in
  agricultural improvement; railway extension; or the moral and social
  good of those about him。  Mindful of the success of his Workmen's
  Institution at the Glasgow Gas…Works; he has; almost at his own door;
  erected a similar Institution for the use of the parish in which his
  property is situated; the beneficial effects of which have been very
  marked in the district。  We may add that Mr。 Neilson's merits have
  been recognised by many eminent bodiesby the Institution of Civil
  Engineers; the Chemical Society; and othersthe last honour
  conferred on him being his election as a Member of the Royal Society
  in 1846。
  The invention of the hot blast; in conjunction with the discovery of
  the Black Band ironstone; has had an extra ordinary effect upon the
  development of the iron…manufacture of Scotland。  The coals of that
  country are generally unfit for coking; and lose as much as 55 per
  cent。  in the process。  But by using the hot blast; the coal could be
  sent to the blast…furnace in its raw state; by which a large saving
  of fuel was effected。*
  'footnote。。。
  Mr。 Mushet says; 〃The greatest produce in iron per furnace with the
  Black Band and cold blast never exceeded 60 tons a…week。  The produce
  per furnace now averages 90 tons a…week。  Ten tons of this I attribute
  to the use of raw pit…coal; and the other twenty tons to the use of
  hot blast。〃  'Papers on Iron and Steel; 127。' The produce per furnace
  is now 200 tons a…week and upwards。  The hot blast process was
  afterwards applied to the making of iron with the anthracite or stone
  coal of Wales; for which a patent was taken out by George Crane in
  1836。  Before the hot blast was introduced; anthracite coal would not
  act as fuel in the blast…furnace。  When put in; it merely had the
  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 a