Chapter IX
Invention of the Hot Blast—James Beaumont Neilson
Difficulty of smelting the Black Band by ordinary process until theinvention of the hot blastEarly career of James Beaumont NeilsonEducation and apprenticeshipWorks as an engine-firemanAs colliery engine-wrightAppointed foreman of the Glasgow Gas-works; afterwards managerand engineerHis self-educationHis Workmen’s InstituteHis experiments in iron-smeltingTrials with heated air in the blast-furnaceIncredulity of ironmastersSuccess of his experiments, and patenting of his processHis patent right disputed, and establishedExtensive application of the hot blastIncrease of the Scotch iron tradeExtraordinary increase in the value of estates yielding Black BandScotch iron aristocracy