Therefore compelling necessity doth constrain (having prosecuted his Petition hitherto) him to desist from his Inventions, in which he hath taken more pains, care and charge, then any man, to perfect his new Invention in these Kingdomes.
Although the Author had not as yet so fully perfected or raised his invention, to the quantity of Charcole Iron Furnaces, yet the Authors quantity being but seven Tuns per week at the most, together with the quality of his Iron made with Pit-cole and Sea-cole, hath the most eminent Triplicity of Iron of all that can be desired in any new Invention.
1. More Sufficient. 2. More Cheap. 3. More excellent.
Upon which triplicity, the Authour might enlarge himself, but shall not be tedious, only give me leave to mention that there be three sorts of Cast Iron;
1. The first sort is Gray Iron.
2. The second sort is called Motley Iron, of which one part of the Sowes or Piggs is gray, the other part is white intermixt.
3. The third sort is called white Iron, this is almost as white as Bell-Mettle, but in the Furnace is least fined, and the most Terrestrial; of the three, the Motley Iron is somewhat more fined, but the Gray Iron, is most fined, and more sufficient to make Bar-Iron with, and tough Iron to make Ordnance, or any Cast Vessels, being it is more fined in the Furnace, and more malliable and tough, then the other two sorts before mentioned; and of this sort, is the Iron made with Pit-cole, Sea-cole for the most part, and therefore more sufficiently to be preferred.
2. More cheaper Iron there cannot be made, for the Author did sell pigg or cast Iron made with Pit-cole at four pounds per Tun, many Tuns in the twentieth year of King James, with good profit; of late Charcole Pig-iron hath been sold at six pounds per Tun, yea at seven pounds per Tun hath much been sold.
Also the Authour did sell Bar-iron Good and Merchantable, at twelve pounds per Tun, and under, but since Bar-iron hath been sold for the most part ever since at 15l. 16l. 17l. and 18l. per Tun, by Charcole Iron-Masters.
3. More excellent for diverse Reasons, and principally, being the meanes whereby the Wood and Timber of this Island almost exhausted, may be timely preserved yet, and vegetate and grow again unto his former wonted cheapness, for the maintenance of Navigation, which is the greatest Strength of Great Brittain, whose Defence and Offence for all the Territories that belong unto it, next under God and his Vice-Gerent, our Sacred Majesties Cares, consists most of Shiping, Men of War, Experienced Mariners, Ordnances, Ammunition, and Stores, the Ordnance made therewith will be more gray and tough, therefore more serviceable at Sea and Land, and the Bar-iron will wall, rivet, and hold better then most commonly Charcole Iron.