an autobiography-第75部分

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This　state　of　the　iron　is　indicated　by　a　general　loss　of　fluidity；　accompanied　by　a　tendency　to　gather　together　in　globular　masses。　The　puddler；　by　his　dexterous　use　of　the　end　of　the　rabbling　bar；　puts　the　masses　together；　and；　in　fact；　welds　the　new…born　particles　of　malleable　iron　into　puddle…balls　of　about　three…quarters　of　a　hundredweight　each。　　These　are　successively　removed　from　the　pool　of　the　puddling　furnace；　and　subjected　to　the　energetic　blows　of　the　steam　hammer；　which　drives　out　all　the　scoriae　lurking　within　the　spongy　puddle…balls；　and　thus　welds　them　into　compact　masses　of　malleable　iron。　When　reheated　to　a　welding　heat；　they　are　rolled　out　into　flat　bars　or　round　rods；　in　a　variety　of　sizes；　so　as　to　be　suitable　for　the　consumer。

The　manual　and　physical　labour　of　the　puddler　is　tedious；　fatiguing；　and　unhealthy。　　The　process　of　puddling　occupies　about　an　hour's　violent　labour；　and　only　robust　young　men　can　stand　the　fatigue　and　violent　heat。　　I　had　frequent　opportunities　of　observing　the　labour　and　unhealthiness　of　the　process；　as　well　as　the　great　loss　of　time　required　to　bring　it　to　a　conclusion。　　It　occurred　to　me　that　much　of　this　could　be　avoided　by　employing　some　other　means　for　getting　rid　of　the　superfluous　carbon；　and　bringing　the　molten　cast…iron　into　a　malleable　condition。

The　method　that　occurred　to　me　was　the　substitution　of　a　small　steam　pipe　in　the　place　of　the　puddler's　rabbling　bar。　　By　having　the　end　of　this　steam　pipe　bent　downwards　so　as　to　reach　the　bottom　of　the　pool；　and　then　to　discharge　a　current　of　steam　beneath　the　surface　of　the　molten　cast　iron；　I　thought　that　I　should　by　this　simple　means　supply　a　most　effective　carbon…oxidating　agent；　at　the　same　time　that　I　produced　a　powerful　agitating　action　within　the　pool。　　Thus　the　steam　would　be　decomposed　and　supply　oxygen　to　the　carbon　of　the　cast…iron；　while　the　mechanical　action　of　the　rush　of　steam　upwards　would　cause　so　violent　a　commotion　throughout　the　pool　of　melted　iron　as　to　exceed　the　utmost　efforts　of　the　labour　of　the　puddler。　　All　the　gases　would　pass　up　the　chimney　of　the　puddling　furnace；　and　the　puddler　would　not　be　subject　to　their　influence。　　Such　was　the　method　specified　in　my　patent　of　l854*　　＇footnote。。。　Specification　of　James　NasmythEmployment　of　steam　in　the　process　of　puddling　iron。　　May　4；　1854；　No。　1001。　　。。。＇

My　friend；　Thomas　Lever　Rushton；　proprietor　of　the　Bolton　Ironworks；　was　so　much　impressed　with　the　soundness　of　the　principle；　as　well　as　with　the　great　simplicity　of　carrying　the　invention　into　practical　effect；　that　he　urged　me　to　secure　the　patent；　and　he　soon　after　gave　me　the　opportunity　of　trying　the　process　at　his　works。　　The　results　were　most　encouraging。　　There　was　a　great　saving　of　labour　and　time　compared　with　the　old　puddling　process；　and　the　malleable　iron　produced　was　found　to　be　of　the　highest　order　as　regarded　strength；　toughness；　and　purity。　　My　process　was　soon　after　adopted　by　several　iron　manufacturers　with　equally　favourable　results。　　Such；　however；　was　the　energy　of　the　steam；　that　unless　the　workmen　were　most　careful　to　regulate　its　force　and　the　duration　of　its　action；　the　waste　of　iron　by　undue　oxidation　was　such　as　in　a　great　measure　to　neutralise　its　commercial　gain　as　regarded　the　superior　value　of　the　malleable　iron　thus　produced。

Before　I　had　time　or　opportunity　to　remove　this　commercial　difficulty；　Mr。　Bessemer　had　secured　his　patent　of　the　l7th　of　October；　1855。　By　this　patent　he　employed　a　blast　of　air　to　do　the　same　work　as　I　had　proposed　to　accomplish　by　means　of　a　blast　of　steam；　forced　up　beneath　the　surface　of　the　molten　cast　iron。　　He　added　some　other　improvements；　with　that　happy　fertility　of　invention　which　has　always　characterised　him。　　The　results　were　so　magnificently　successful　as　to　totally　eclipse　my　process；　and　to　cast　it　comparatively　into　the　shade。　At　the　same　time　I　may　say　that　I　was　in　a　measure　the　pioneer　of　his　invention；　that　I　initiated　a　new　system；　and　led　to　one　of　the　most　important　improvements　in　the　manufacture　of　iron　and　steel　that　has　ever　been　given　to　the　world。

Mr。　Bessemer　brought　the　subject　of　his　invention　before　the　meeting　of　the　British　Association　at　Cheltenham　in　the　autumn　of　1856。　　There　he　read　his　paper　〃On　the　Manufacture　of　Iron　into　Steel　without　Fuel。〃*　　＇footnote。。。　On　the　morning　of　the　day　on　which　the　paper　was　to　be　read；　Mr。　Bessemer　was　sitting　at　breakfast　at　his　hotel；　when　an　ironmaster　（to　whom　he　was　unknown）　said；　laughing；　to　a　friend　within　his　hearing；　〃Do　you　know　that　there　is　somebody　come　down　from　London　to　read　us　a　paper　on　making　steel　from　cast　iron　without　fuel？　　Did　you　ever　hear　of　such　nonsense？〃　The　title　of　the　paper　was　perhaps　a　misnomer；　but　the　correctness　of　the　principles　on　which　the　pig　iron　was　converted　into　malleable　iron；　as　explained　by　the　inventor；　was　generally　recognised；　and　there　seemed　every　reason　to　anticipate　that　the　process　would　before　long　come　into　general　use。　　。。。＇

I　was　present　on　the　occasion；　and　listened　　to　his　statement　with　mingled　feelings　of　regret　and　enthusiasmof　regret；　because　I　had　been　so　clearly　superseded　and　excelled　in　my　performances；　and　of　enthusiasmbecause　I　could　not　but　admire　and　honour　the　genius　who　had　given　so　great　an　　invention　to　the　mechanical　world。　I　immediately　took　the　opportunity　of　giving　my　assent　to　the　principles　which　he　had　propounded。　　My　words　were　not　reported　at　the　time；　nor　was　Mr。　Bessemer's　paper　printed　by　the　Association；　perhaps　because　it　was　thought　of　so　little　importance　but；　on　applying　to　Mr。　（now　Sir　Henry）　Bessemer；　he　was　so　kind　as　to　give　me　the　following　as　his　recollection　of　the　words　which　I　used　on　the　occasion。

〃I　shall　ever　feel　grateful；〃　says　Sir　Henry；　〃for　the　noble　way　in　which　you　spoke　at　the　meeting　at　Cheltenham　of　my　invention。　If　I　remember　rightly；　you　held　up　a　piece　of　my　malleable　iron；　saying　words　to　this　effect：　　'Here　is　a　true　British　nugget！　　Here　is　a　new　process　that　promises　to　put　an　end　to　all　puddling；　and　I　may　mention　that　at　this　moment　there　are　puddling　furnaces　in　successful　operation　where　my　patent　hollow　steam　Rabbler　is　at　work；　producing　iron　of　superior　quality　by　the　introduction　of　jets　of　steam　in　the　puddling　process。　　I　do　not；　however；　lay　any　claim　to　this　invention　of　Mr。　Bessemer；　but　I　may　fairly　be　entitled　to　say　that　I　have　advanced　along　the　road　on　which　he　has　travelled　so　many　miles；　and　has　effected　such　unexpected　results　that　I　do　not　hesitate　to　say　that　I　may　go　home　from　this　meeting　and　tear　up　my　patent；　for　my　process　of　puddling　is　assuredly　superseded。'〃

After　giving　an　account　of　the　true　origin　of　his　process；　in　which　he　had　met　with　failures　as　well　as　successes；　but　at　last　recognised　the　decarburation　of　pig　iron　by　atmospheric　air；　Sir　Henry　proceeds　to　say：

〃I　prepared　to　try　another　experiment；　in　a　crucible　having　no　hole　the　the　bottom；　but　which　was　provided　with　an　iron　pipe　put　through　a　hole　in　the　cover；　and　passing　down　nearly　to　the　bottom　of　the　crucible。　The　small　lumps　and　grains　of　iron　were　packed　around　fit；　so　as　nearly　to　fill　the　crucible。　　A　blast　of　air　was　to　be　forced　down　the　pipe　so　as　to　rise　up　among　the　pieces　of　granular　iron　and　partially　decarburise　them。　　The　pipe　could　then　be　withdrawn；　and　the　fire　urged　until　the　metal　with　its　coat　of　oxyde　was　fused；　and　cast　steel　thereby　produced。

〃While　the　blowing　apparatus　for　this　experiment　was　being　fitted　up；　I　was　taken　with　one　of　those　short　but　painful　illnesses　to　which　I　was　subject　at　that　time。　　I　was　confined　to　my　bed；　and　it　was　then　that　my　mind；　dwelling　for　hours　together　on　the　experiment　about　to　be　made；　suggested　that　instead　of　trying　to　decarburise　the　granulated　metal　by　forcing　the　air　down　the　vertical　pipe　among　the　pieces　of　iron；　the　air　would　act　much　more　energetically　and　more　rapidly　if　I　first　melted　the　iron　in　the　crucible；　and　forced　the　air　down　the　pipe　below　the　surface　of　the　fluid　metal；　and　thus　burn　out　the　carbon　and　silicum　which　it　contained。

〃This　appeared　so　feasible；　and　in　every　way　so　great　an　improvement；　that　the　experiment　on　the　granular　pieces　was　at　once　abandoned；　and；　as　soon　as　I　was　well　enough；　I　proceeded　to　try　the　experiment　of　forcing　the　air　under　the　fluid　metal。　　The　result　was　marvellous。　Complete　decarburation　was　effected　in　half　an　hour。　　The　heat　produced　was　immense；　but；　unfortunately　more　than　half　the　metal　was　blown　out　of　the　pot。　　This　led　to　the　use　of　pots　with　large　hollow　perforated　covers；　which　effectually　prevented　the　loss　of　metal。　These　experiments　continued　from　January　to　October　1855。　　I　have　by　me　on　the　mantelpiece　at　this　moment；　a　small　piece　of　rolled　bar　iron　which　was　rolled　at　Woolwich　arsenal；　and　exhibited　a　year　later　at　Cheltenham。

〃I　then　applied　for　a　patent；　but　before　preparing　my　provisional　specification　（dated　October　17；　1855）；　I　searched　for　other　patents　to　ascertain　whether　anything　of　the　sort　had　been　done　before。　I　then　found　your　patent　for　puddling　with　the　steam　rabble；　and　also　Martin's　patent　for　the　use　of　steam　in　gutters　while　molten　iron　was　being　conveyed　from　the　blast　furnace　t