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At a subsequent period； Mr。 Cadell； of Carronpark； also brought a
number of skilled English nail…makers into Scotland； and settled them
in the village of Camelon； where； by teaching others； the business
has become handed down to the present day。
The first furnace was blown at Carron on the first day of January；
1760； and in the course of the same year the Carron Iron Works turned
out 1500 tons of iron； then the whole annual produce of Scotland。
Other furnaces were shortly after erected on improved plans； and the
production steadily increased。 Dr。 Roebuck was indefatigable in his
endeavours to improve the manufacture； and he was one of the first；
as we have said； to revive the use of pit…coal in refining the ore；
as appears from his patent of 1762。 He there describes his new
process as follows： 〃I melt pig or any kind of cast…iron in a
hearth heated with pit…coal by the blast of bellows； and work the
metal until it is reduced to nature； which I take out of the fire and
separate to pieces； then I take the metal thus reduced to nature and
expose it to the action of a hollow pit…coal fire； heated by the
blast of bellows； until it is reduced to a loop； which I draw out
under a common forge hammer into bar…iron。〃 This method of
manufacture was followed with success； though for some time； as
indeed to this day； the principal production of the Carron Works was
castings； for which the peculiar quality of the Scotch iron admirably
adapts it。 The well…known Carronades；*
＇footnote。。。
The carronade was invented by General Robert Melville ＇Mr。 Nasmyth
says it was by Miller of Dalswinton＇； who proposed it for discharging
68 lb； shot with low charges of powder； in order to produce the
increased splintering or SMASHING effects which were known to result
from such practice。 The first piece of the kind was cast at the
Carron Foundry； in 1779； and General Melville's family have now in
their possession a small model of this gun； with the inscription：
〃Gift of the Carron Company to Lieutenant…general Melville； inventor
of the smashers and lesser carronades； for solid； ship； shell； and
carcass shot； &c。 First used against French ships in 1779。〃
。。。＇
or 〃Smashers；〃 as they were named； were cast in large numbers at the
Carron Works。 To increase the power of his blowing apparatus；
Dr。Roebuck called to his aid the celebrated Mr。 Smeaton； the
engineer； who contrived and erected for him at Carron the most
perfect apparatus of the kind then in existence。 It may also be
added； that out of the Carron enterprise； in a great measure； sprang
the Forth and Clyde Canal； the first artificial navigation in
Scotland。 The Carron Company； with a view to securing an improved
communication with Glasgow； themselves surveyed a line； which was
only given up in consequence of the determined opposition of the
landowners； but the project was again revived through their means；
and was eventually carried out after the designs of Smeaton and
Brindley。
While the Carron foundry was pursuing a career of safe prosperity；
Dr。 Roebuck's enterprise led him to embark in coal…mining； with the
object of securing an improved supply of fuel for the iron works。 He
became the lessee of the Duke of Hamilton's extensive coal…mines at
Boroughstoness； as well as of the salt…pans which were connected with
them。 The mansion of Kinneil went with the lease；and there Dr。
Roebuck and his family took up their abode。 Kinneil House was
formerly a country seat of the Dukes of Hamilton； and is to this day
a stately old mansion； reminding one of a French chateau。 Its
situation is of remarkable beauty； its windows overlooking the broad
expanse of the Firth of Forth； and commanding an extensive view of
the country along its northern shores。 The place has become in a
measure classical； Kinneil House having been inhabited； since Dr。
Roebuck's time； by Dugald Stewart； who there wrote his Philosophical
Essays。*
＇footnote。。。
Wilkie the painter once paid him a visit there while in Scotland
studying the subject of his 〃Penny Wedding；〃 and Dugald Stewart found
for him the old farm…house with the cradle…chimney； which he
introduced in that picture。 But Kinneil House has had its imaginary
inhabitants as well as its real ones； the ghost of a Lady Lilburn；
once an occupant of the place； still 〃haunting〃 some of the
unoccupied chambers。 Dugald Stewart told Wilkie one night； as he was
going to bed； of the unearthly wailings which he himself had heard
proceeding from the ancient apartments； but to him at least they had
been explained by the door opening out upon the roof being blown in
on gusty nights； when a jarring and creaking noise was heard all over
the house。 One advantage derived from the house being 〃haunted〃 was；
that the garden was never broken into； and the winter apples and
stores were at all times kept safe from depredation in the apartments
of the Lady Lilburn。
。。。＇
When Dr。 Roebuck began to sink for coal at the new mines； he found it
necessary to erect pumping…machinery of the most powerful kind that
could be contrived； in order to keep the mines clear of water。 For
this purpose the Newcomen engine； in its then state； was found
insufficient； and when Dr。 Roebuck's friend； Professor Black； of
Edinburgh； informed him of a young man of his acquaintance； a
mathematical instrument maker at Glasgow； having invented a
steam…engine calculated to work with increased power； speed； and
economy； compared with Newcomen's； Dr。 Roebuck was much interested；
and shortly after entered into a correspondence with James Watt； the
mathematical instrument maker aforesaid on the subject。 The Doctor
urged that Watt； who； up to that time； had confined himself to
models； should come over to Kinneil House； and proceed to erect a
working； engine in one of the outbuildings。 The English workmen whom
he had brought； to the Carron works would； he justly thought； give
Watt a better chance of success with his engine than if made by the
clumsy whitesmiths and blacksmiths of Glasgow； quite unaccustomed as
they were to first…class work； and he proposed himself to cast the
cylinders at Carron previous to Watt's intended visit to him at
Kinneil。
Watt paid his promised visit in May； 1768； and Roebuck was by this
time so much interested in the invention； that the subject of his
becoming a partner with Watt； with the object of introducing the
engine into general use； was seriously discussed。 Watt had been
labouring at his invention for several years； contending with many
difficulties； but especially with the main difficulty of limited
means。 He had borrowed considerable sums of money from Dr。 Black to
enable him to prosecute his experiments； and he felt the debt to hang
like a millstone round his neck。 Watt was a sickly； fragile man； and
a constant sufferer from violent headaches； besides he was by nature
timid； desponding； painfully anxious； and easily cast down by
failure。 Indeed； he was more than once on the point of abandoning his
invention in despair。 On the other hand； Dr。 Roebuck was accustomed
to great enterprises； a bold and undaunted man； and disregardful of
expense where he saw before him a reasonable prospect of success。 His
reputation as a practical chemist and philosopher； and his success as
the founder of the Prestonpans Chemical Works and of the Carron Iron
Works； justified the friends of Watt in thinking that he was of all
men the best calculated to help him at this juncture； and hence they
sought to bring about a more intimate connection between the two。 The
result was that Dr。 Roebuck eventually became a partner to the extent
of two…thirds of the invention； took upon him the debt owing by Watt
to Dr。 Black amounting to about 1200L。； and undertook to find the
requisite money to protect the invention by means of a patent。 The
necessary steps were taken accordingly and the patent right was
secured by the beginning of 1769； thou