industrial biography-第14章

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the　mineral。



Notwithstanding　the　large　number　of　furnaces　in　blast　throughout　the

county　of　Sussex　at　the　period　we　refer　to；　their　produce　was

comparatively　small；　and　must　not　be　measured　by　the　enormous　produce

of　modern　iron…works；　for　while　an　iron…furnace　of　the　present　day

will　easily　turn　out　150　tons　of　pig　per　week；　the　best　of　the　older

furnaces　did　not　produce　more　than　from　three　to　four　tons。　　One　of

the　last　extensive　contracts　executed　in　Sussex　was　the　casting　of

the　iron　rails　which　enclose　St。　　Paul's　Cathedral。　　The　contract　was

thought　too　large　for　one　iron…master　to　undertake；　and　it　was

consequently　distributed　amongst　several　contractors；　though　the

principal　part　of　the　work　was　executed　at　Lamberhurst；　near

Tunbridge　Wells。　　But　to　produce　the　comparatively　small　quantity　of

iron　turned　out　by　the　old　works；　the　consumption　of　timber　was

enormous；　for　the　making　of　every　ton　of　pig…iron　required　four　loads

of　timber　converted　into　charcoal　fuel；　and　the　making　of　every　ton

of　bar…iron　required　three　additional　loads。　　Thus；　notwithstanding

the　indispensable　need　of　iron；　the　extension　of　the　manufacture；　by

threatening　the　destruction　of　the　timber　of　the　southern　counties；

came　to　be　regarded　in　the　light　of　a　national　calamity。　　Up　to　a

certain　point；　the　clearing　of　the　Weald　of　its　dense　growth　of

underwood　had　been　of　advantage；　by　affording　better　opportunities

for　the　operations　of　agriculture。　　But　the　〃voragious　iron…mills〃

were　proceeding　to　swallow　up　everything　that　would　burn；　and　the　old

forest　growths　were　rapidly　disappearing。　　An　entire　wood　was　soon

exhausted；　and　long　time　was　needed　before　it　grew　again。　　At

Lamberhurst　alone；　though　the　produce　was　only　about　five　tons　of

iron　a…week；　the　annual　consumption　of　wood　was　about　200；000　cords！

Wood　continued　to　be　the　only　material　used　for　fuel　generallya

strong　prejudice　existing　against　the　use　of　sea…coal　for　domestic

purposes。*

　＇footnote。。。

It　was　then　believed　that　sea　or　pit…coal　was　poisonous　when　burnt　in

dwellings；　and　that　it　was　especially　injurious　to　the　human

complexion。　　All　sorts　of　diseases　were　attributed　to　its　use；　and　at

one　time　it　was　even　penal　to　burn　it。　　The　Londoners　only　began　to

reconcile　themselves　to　the　use　of　coal　when　the　wood　within　reach　of

the　metropolis　had　been　nearly　all　burnt　up；　and　no　other　fuel　was　to

be　had。

　。。。＇

It　therefore　began　to　be　feared　that　there　would　be　no　available　fuel

left　within　practicable　reach　of　the　metropolis；　and　the　contingency

of　having　to　face　the　rigorous　cold　of　an　English　winter　without　fuel

naturally　occasioning　much　alarm；　the　action　of　the　Government　was

deemed　necessary　to　remedy　the　apprehended　evil。



To　check　the　destruction　of　wood　near　London；　an　Act　was　passed　in

1581　prohibiting　its　conversion　into　fuel　for　the　making　of　iron

within　fourteen　miles　of　the　Thames；　forbidding　the　erection　of　new

ironworks　within　twenty…two　miles　of　London；　and　restricting　the

number　of　works　in　Kent；　Surrey；　and　Sussex；　beyond　the　above　limits。

Similar　enactments　were　made　in　future　Parliaments　with　the　same

object；　which　had　the　effect　of　checking　the　trade；　and　several　of

the　Sussex　ironmasters　were　under　the　necessity　of　removing　their

works　elsewhere。　　Some　of　them　migrated　to　Glamorganshire；　in　South

Wales；　because　of　the　abundance　of　timber　as　well　as　ironstone　in

that　quarter；　and　there　set　up　their　forges；　more　particularly　at

Aberdare　and　Merthyr　Tydvil。　　Mr。　Llewellin　has　recently　published　an

interesting　account　of　their　proceedings；　with　descriptions　of　their

works；*

　＇footnote　。。。

Archaeologia　Cambrensis；　3rd　Series；　No。　34；　April；　1863。　　Art。

〃Sussex　Ironmasters　in　Glamorganshire。〃

　。。。＇

remains　of　which　still　exist　at　Llwydcoed；　Pontyryns；　and　other

places　in　the　Aberdare　valley。　　Among　the　Sussex　masters　who　settled

in　Glamorganshire　for　the　purpose　of　carrying　on　the　iron

manufacture；　were　Walter　Burrell；　the　friend　of　John　Ray；　the

naturalist；　one　of　the　Morleys　of　Glynde　in　Sussex；　the　Relfes　from

Mayfield；　and　the　Cheneys　from　Crawley。



Notwithstanding　these　migrations　of　enterprising　manufacturers；　the

iron　trade　of　Sussex　continued　to　exist　until　the　middle　of　the

seventeenth　century；　when　the　waste　of　timber　was　again　urged　upon

the　attention　of　Parliament；　and　the　penalties　for　infringing　the

statutes　seem　to　have　been　more　rigorously　enforced。　　The　trade　then

suffered　a　more　serious　check；　and　during　the　civil　wars；　a　heavy

blow　was　given　to　it　by　the　destruction　of　the　works　belonging　to　all

royalists；　which　was　accomplished　by　a　division　of　the　army　under　Sir

William　Waller。　　Most　of　the　Welsh　ironworks　were　razed　to　the　ground

about　the　same　time；　and　were　not　again　rebuilt。　　And　after　the

Restoration；　in　1674；　all　the　royal　ironworks　in　the　Forest　of　Dean

were　demolished；　leaving　only　such　to　be　supplied　with　ore　as　were

beyond　the　forest　limits；　the　reason　alleged　for　this　measure　being

lest　the　iron　manufacture　should　endanger　the　supply　of　timber

required　for　shipbuilding　and　other　necessary　purposes。



From　this　time　the　iron　manufacture　of　Sussex；　as　of　England

generally；　rapidly　declined。　　In　1740　there　were　only　fifty…nine

furnaces　in　all　England；　of　which　ten　were　in　Sussex；　and　in　1788

there　were　only　two。　　A　few　years　later；　and　the　Sussex　iron　furnaces

were　blown　out　altogether。　　Farnhurst；　in　western；　and　Ashburnham；　in

eastern　Sussex；　witnessed　the　total　extinction　of　the　manufacture。

The　din　of　the　iron　hammer　was　hushed；　the　glare　of　the　furnace

faded；　the　last　blast　of　the　bellows　was　blown；　and　the　district

returned　to　its　original　rural　solitude。　　Some　of　the　furnace…ponds

were　drained　and　planted　with　hops　or　willows；　others　formed

beautiful　lakes　in　retired　pleasure…grounds；　while　the　remainder　were

used　to　drive　flour…mills；　as　the　streams　in　North　Kent；　instead　of

driving　fulling…mills；　were　employed　to　work　paper…mills。　　All　that

now　remains　of　the　old　iron…works　are　the　extensive　beds　of　cinders

from　which　material　is　occasionally　taken　to　mend　the　Sussex　roads；

and　the　numerous　furnace…ponds；　hammer…posts；　forges；　and　cinder

places；　which　mark　the　seats　of　the　ancient　manufacture。





CHAPTER　III。



IRON…SMELTING　BY　PIT…COALDUD　DUDLEY。



〃God　of　his　Infinite　goodness　（if　we　will　but　take　notice　of　his

goodness　unto　this　Nation）　hath　made　this　Country　a　very　Granary　for

the　supplying　of　Smiths　with　Iron；　Cole；　and　Lime　made　with　cole；

which　hath　much　supplied　these　men　with　Corn　also　of　late；　and　from

these　men　a　great　part；　not　only　of　this　Island；　but　also　of　his

Majestie's　other　Kingdoms　and　Territories；　with　Iron　wares　have　their

supply；　and　Wood　in　these　parts　almost　exhausted；　although　it　were　of

late　a　mighty　woodland　country。〃DUDLEY's　Metallum　Martis；　1665。





The　severe　restrictions　enforced　by　the　legislature　against　the　use

of　wood　in　iron…smelting　had　the　effect　of　almost　extinguishing　the

manufacture。　　New　furnaces　ceased　to　be　erected；　and　many　of　the　old

ones　were　allowed　to　fall　into　decay；　until　it　began　to　be　feared

that　this　important　branch　of　industry　would　become　completely　lost。

The　same　restrictions　alike　affected　the　operations　of　the　glass

manufacture；　which；　with　the　aid　of　foreign　artisans；　had　been

gradually　established　in　England；　and　was　becoming　a　thriving　branch

of　trade。　　It　was　even　proposed　that　the　smelting　of　iron　should　be

absolutely　prohibited：　　〃many　think；〃　said　a　contemporary　writer；

〃that　there　should　be　NO　WORKS　ANYWHEREthey　do　so　devour　the

woods。〃



The　use　of　iron；　however；　could　not　be　dispensed　with。　　The　very

foundations　of　society　rested　upon　an　abundant　supply　of　it；　for

tools　and　implements　of　peace；　as　well　as　for　weapons　of　war。　　In　the

dearth　of　the　article　at　home；　a　supply　of　it　was　therefore　sought

for　abroad；　and　both　iron　and　steel　came　to　be　imported　in

larg