40 A PICTURE OF THE IRON TRADE. 



was, I suppose, a variety of bar'iron ; it was 4 or 5 inches broad, 

 and thin. 



Slitt Iron. — In March, 1663, John Finch, of Dudley, in 

 the Count) of Worcester, bought ten tons of slitt iron, to be 

 delivered at Nottingham Bridge, by the long weight, at ^14 8s. 

 per ton. In April of the next year he bought fourscore ton 

 at ,£14 1 os. 



Flat Iron was sent to London in small quantities ; fifteen tons 

 in August, 1662, and ten tons in September, at ^12 per ton, 

 and discount for six months. In January, 1663, our merchant 

 offered to sell Mr. Pellet thirty tons of broad flat iron at £1 J cash. 

 In March of the same year ten tons are sold to him, two to 

 Mr. Steel, and five to Mr. Western, at ^n per ton and one 

 month's discount. 



Iron Plates of two kinds were manufactured, namely, thin 

 broads and short broads. The latter were 4 feet long, and 10, 12, 

 or 14 inches broad. Twenty tons of short broads were ordered 

 for London, in February, 1662, of fourteen inches breadth, 

 at fourteen pounds per ton. A year later five tons were 

 sold in London, and in December, 1664, six tons went to 

 Lincolnshire. 



Brewer's Squares. — In August, 1662, fifteen tons were sent 

 to London, to be sold at £12 10s. or ^12 per ton, and three 

 months' discount. In September, 1663, Mr. VVesterne ordered 

 six tons of brewer's squares, some six, some seven, and some 

 eight feet long. 



Saws, which were of many kinds, such as long saws, ordinary 

 and block saws, whip saws, pegg saws, cross cast saws, were per T 

 haps the most important product of the forges, and found a 

 market in the colonies as well as at London. They were marked 

 with letters, and as one or two workmen were more successful 

 than the rest in making them, their saws commanded a higher 

 price, and in consequence buyers chose by the mark and not by 

 the goodness. 



In August, 1662, six dozen of long saws were sent to London, 

 but did not sell readily. However, on the 20th of October, 



