22 WILLIAM GOSSAGE 



Claudet discovered the process for the re- 

 covery of silver and gold ; so that, although 

 he was early in the race, he did not succeed 

 in being a sharer in the gain which accrued to 

 those who successfully worked out the prob- 

 lem. Doubtless, his attention was absorbed 

 with other and more engrossing experiments 

 than those which the metallurgy of copper 

 suggested. 



The successful men in the alkali trade have 

 been those who have known how to avail 

 themselves of every invention, whilst those 

 who have succeeded in copper smelting, have, 

 with one or two exceptions, introduced no 

 innovations. Their fortunes have been made 

 by their prudent buying and selling, and not 

 by their methods of manufacture. Such a 

 trade would have few attractions to William 

 Gossage, to be subject to frequent and un- 

 foreseen fluctuations of markets would be a 



worrying distraction to a mind bent on 



. 7 .r 

 scientific invention. 



The connection with Stoke Prior was 

 severed in 1850, and the home was removed 

 from Worcestershire to Lancashire. Mr. 

 Gossage took up his residence at Woodend, 

 in the house that stood close to the lock 

 leading into the canal that connected Widnes 



