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industrial biography-第32部分
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of the best authorities in the iron trade of last century; Mr。
Alexander Raby of Llanelly; like many others; was at first entirely
sceptical as to the value of Cort's invention; but he had no sooner
witnessed the process than with manly candour he avowed his entire
conversion to his views。
We now return to the history of the chief author of this great branch
of national industry。 As might naturally be expected; the principal
ironmasters; when they heard of Cort's success; and the rapidity and
economy with which he manufactured and forged bar…iron; visited his
foundry for the purpose of examining his process; and; if found
expedient; of employing it at their own works。 Among the first to try
it were Richard Crawshay of Cyfartha; Samuel Homfray of Penydarran
(both in South Wales); and William Reynolds of Coalbrookdale。 Richard
Crawshay was then (in 1787) forging only ten tons of bar…iron weekly
under the hammer; and when he saw the superior processes invented by
Cort he readily entered into a contract with him to work under his
patents at ten shillings a ton royalty; In 1812 a letter from Mr。
Crawshay to the Secretary of Lord Sheffield was read to the House of
Commons; descriptive of his method of working iron; in which he said;
〃I took it from a Mr。 Cort; who had a little mill at Fontley in
Hampshire: I have thus acquainted you with my method; by which I am
now making more than ten thousand tons of bar…iron per annum。〃 Samuel
Homfray was equally prompt in adopting the new process。 He not only
obtained from Cort plans of the puddling…furnaces and patterns of the
rolls; but borrowed Cort's workmen to instruct his own in the
necessary operations; and he soon found the method so superior to
that invented by Onions that he entirely confined himself to
manufacturing after Cort's patent。 We also find Mr。 Reynolds inviting
Cort to conduct a trial of his process at Ketley; though it does not
appear that it was adopted by the firm at that time。*
'footnote。。。
In the memorandum…book of Wm。 Reynolds appears the following entry on
the subject:
〃Copy of a paper given to H。 Cort; Esq。
〃W。 Reynolds saw H。 C。 in a trial which he made at Ketley;
Dec。 17; 1784; produce from the same pig both cold short and tough iron
by a variation of the process used in reducing them from the state of
cast…iron to that of malleable or bar…iron; and in point of yield his
processes were quite equal to those at Pitchford; which did not
exceed the proportion of 31 cwt。 to the ton of bars。 The experiment
was made by stamping and potting the blooms or loops made in his
furnace; which then produced a cold short iron; but when they were
immediately shingled and drawn; the iron was of a black tough。〃
The Coalbrookdale ironmasters are said to have been deterred from
adopting the process because of what was considered an excessive
waste of the metalabout 25 per cent;though; with greater
experience; this waste was very much diminished。
。。。'
The quality of the iron manufactured by the new process was found
satisfactory; and the Admiralty having; by the persons appointed by
them to test it in 1787; pronounced it to be superior to the best
Oregrounds iron; the use of the latter was thenceforward
discontinued; and Cort's iron only was directed to be used for the
anchors and other ironwork in the ships of the Royal Navy。 The merits
of the invention seem to have been generally conceded; and numerous
contracts for licences were entered into with Cort and his partner by
the manufacturers of bar…iron throughout the country。*
'footnote。。。
Mr。 Webster; in the 'Case of Henry Cort;' published in the Mechanic's
Magazine (2 Dec。 1859); states that 〃licences were taken at royalties
estimated to yield 27;500L。 to the owners of the patents。〃 。。。'
Cort himself made arrangements for carrying on the manufacture on a
large scale; and with that object entered upon the possession of a
wharf at Gosport; belonging to Adam Jellicoe; his partner's father;
where he succeeded in obtaining considerable Government orders for
iron made after his patents。 To all ordinary eyes the inventor now
appeared to be on the high road to fortune; but there was a fatal
canker at the root of this seeming prosperity; and in a few years the
fabric which he had so laboriously raised crumbled into ruins。 On the
death of Adam Jellicoe; the father of Cort's partner; in August;
1789;*
'footnote。。。
In the 'Case of Henry Cort;' by Mr。 Webster; above referred to
(Mechanic's Magazine; 2 Dec。 1859); it is stated that Adam Jellicoe
〃committed suicide under the pressure of dread of exposure;〃 but this
does not appear to be confirmed by the accounts in the newspapers of
the day。 He died at his private dwelling…house; No。14; Highbury
Place; Islingtonn; on the 30th August;1789; after a fortnight's
illness。
。。。'
defalcations were discovered in his public accounts to the extent of
39;676l。; and his books and papers were immediately taken possession
of by the Government。 On examination it was found that the debts due
to Jellicoe amounted to 89;657l; included in which was a sum of not
less than 54;853l。 owing to him by the Cort partnership。 In the
public investigation which afterwards took place; it appeared that
the capital possessed by Cort being insufficient to enable him to
pursue his experiments; which were of a very expensive character;
Adam Jellicoe had advanced money from time to time for the purpose;
securing himself by a deed of agreement entitling him to one…half the
stock and profits of all his contracts; and in further consideration
of the capital advanced by Jellicoe beyond his equal share; Cort
subsequently assigned to him all his patent rights as collateral
security。 As Jellicoe had the reputation of being a rich man; Cort
had not the slightest suspicion of the source from which he obtained
the advances made by him to the firm; nor has any connivance whatever
on the part of Cort been suggested。 At the same time it must be
admitted that the connexion was not free from suspicion; and; to say
the least; it was a singularly unfortunate one。 It was found that
among the moneys advanced by Jellicoe to Cort there was a sum of
27;500L。 entrusted to him for the payment of seamen's and officers'
wages。 How his embarrassments had tempted him to make use of the
public funds for the purpose of carrying on his speculations; appears
from his own admissions。 In a memorandum dated the 11th November;
l782; found in his strong box after his death; he set forth that he
had always had much more than his proper balance in hand; until his
engagement; about two years before; with Mr。 Cort; 〃which by degrees
has so reduced me; and employed so much more of my money than I
expected; that I have been obliged to turn most of my Navy bills into
cash; and at the same time; to my great concern; am very deficient in
my balance。 This gives me great uneasiness; nor shall I live or die
in peace till the whole is restored。〃 He had; however; made the first
false step; after which the downhill career of dishonesty is rapid。
His desperate attempts to set himself right only involved him the
deeper; his conscious breach of trust caused him a degree of daily
torment which he could not bear; and the discovery of his
defalcations; which was made only a few days before his death;
doubtless hastened his end。
The Government acted with promptitude; as they were bound to do in
such a case。 The body of Jellicoe was worth nothing to them; but they
could secure the property in which he had fraudulently invested the
public moneys intrusted to him。 With this object the them Paymaster
of the Navy proceeded to make an affidavit in the Exchequer that
Henry Cort was indebted to His Majesty in the sum of 27;500L。 and
upwards; in respect of moneys belonging to the public treasury; which
〃Adam Jellicoe had at different times lent and advanced to the said
Henry Cort; from whom the same now remains justly due and owing; and
the deponent saith he verily believes that the said Henry Cort is
much decayed in his credit and in very embarrassed circumstances; and
therefore the deponent verily believes that the aforesaid debt so due
and owing to His Majesty is in great danger of being lost if some
more speedy means be not taken for the recovery than by the ordinary
process of the Court。〃 Extraordinary measures were therefore adopted。
The assignments of Cort's patents; which had been made to Jellicoe in
consideration of his advances; were taken possession of; but Samuel
Jellicoe; the son of the defaulter; singular to say; was put in
possession of the properties at Fontley and Gosport; and continued to
enjoy them; to Cort's exclusion; for a period of fourteen years。 It
does not however appear that any patent right was ever levied by the
assignees; and the result of the proceeding was that the whole
benefit of Cort's inventions was thus made ov
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