Manchester Memoirs, Vol. Ivii. {\(^\t^). No. Vi. 23 



intention was to work the pneumatic process in con- 

 junction with Parry's patent, and it would have cost 

 Bessemer, according to his calculations, some ^10,000 

 and a couple of years' struggle in the law courts to obtain 

 his rights. Bessemer then threatened to apply for an 

 injunction in the Court of Chancery to restrain the Com- 

 pany from using their obstructive patents (Martien & Parry) 

 unless they immediately took out a licence to use his 

 patents. In an interview with Mr. Joseph Robinson, the 

 manager, and Mr. Abraham Darby, the chief proprietor of 

 the Ebbw Vale Works, Bessemer drew attention to the 

 fact that his invention would seriously reduce the value of 

 a works arranged chiefly for iron manufacture, and that 

 he was in a position to delay the floatation unless they 

 agreed to his terms. A difficulty that arose was that they 

 had not complete control over Parry's patent. Bessemer 

 agreed to pay ^5,000 to secure this, and also to deduct 

 ;^25,ooo from their first royalties in lieu of paying money 

 for the purchase of all their patents. The deed of licence 

 contained a full acknowledgment of the validity of 

 Bessemer's patent. This agreement removed the last 

 barrier to the quiet commercial progress of Bessemer's 

 invention throughout Europe and America, and showed 

 Bessemer in the light of a very astute business man. In 

 fact, the Ebbw Vale royalties eventually amounted to 

 between ;^5o,ooo and ^60,000. This was Bessemer's 

 last battle. 



We can now, quite clearly, see the reasons for Besse- 

 mer's attitude towards Mushet. In his mind, Mushet was 

 inseparably connected with the interests most hostile to 

 him. The use of spiegel-iron was, at that time, just as 

 essential to the one pneumatic process as to the other, and 

 had Parry, with the wealth of the Ebbw Vale Company 

 behind him, succeeded in getting round Bessemer's patent. 



