s 
Burnett, jun., applied this process to the softening of Spanish lead, and 
employed a large metal pan, set inside the furnace, in which this hard lead 
is melted. This improvement has been the means of developing a most ex- 
tensive trade between this country and Spain. The Spanish ores on the east 
coast of Spain are smelted with the fuel exported from this country, and the 
hard lead is brought here to be softened and refined. The following Table 
shows the gradual development of this trade :— 
ON THE LOCAL MANUFACTURE OF LEAD, ETC. 723 
Imports of Lead into Neweastle-upon-Tyne. 
? Year. tons. Year. tons. 
: 1844 i Rebercrte 213 | 1854 §. Sorcen oe 6,534 
1845 ot ey acct 1,453 1855 = 55.45 BEE 3,723 
1846 Srey Rae 3,939 | 1856 Fin Se 3,391 
1847 SOAS RSE 2,276 1857 se cemans the 4,877 
1848 Lah 1,697 | 1858 een pends 4,871 
1349 ROA HIE 3,958 1859 beecriygrinncl 9,069 
1850 Rete wae care 7,287 | 1860 Orsi. docket 93373 
1851 isamaean- 11,915 | 1861 SES teuoeaahs 12,284 
1852 pee istsm es = 7307 1862 ea eee 12,459 
1853 oi Ae 7,421 | 
This hard lead contains, on an average, about 50 oz. of silver per ton, 
so that the quantity of silver extracted on the Tyne is now upwards of 
600,000 oz. per annum. 
The total imports of lead into this country in 1861 were 23,109 tons, of 
which a considerable portion was from Linares, in Spain. This lead con- 
tains very little silver, and the average contents may be taken at 40 oz. per ton 
on the total imports. The total production of British mines in 1861 was— 
lead, 65,643 tons, and silver, 563,731 oz. Hence the imports and prodit . 
tions of these metals in this district amount to 45 per cent of the lead, and 
upwards of 50 per cent. of the silver of the whole trade of Great Britain, 
Several improvements have also been introduced for the condensation of 
the fumes evolved in the various smelting and refining operations to which 
lead is submitted. The first in point of time is the horizontal flue or chimney, 
which was first used by the late Messrs. Crawhall and Johnstone, in Mr. 
Beaumont’s extensive mills. The flues are built of masonry, eight feet in 
height and six feet wide. The aggregate length of the flues in the mills 
belonging to Mr. Beaumont is nine miles. Another plan, adopted in the 
; mills of the London Lead Company, is the invention‘of the late Mr. Stagg. It 
consists in drawing the entire gaseous products of the furnace through water, 
_ by means of powerful pumping machinery. The lead fume is completely 
- condensed, and easily separated from the water, where it is allowed to 
collect and remain at rest in suitable tanks. Mr. Stokoe’s plan has been 
introduced at Langley and other smelting establishments. In this plan, the 
_ lead fumes are driven by a fan-blast through a series of ascending and de- 
_ scending columns, partially filled with brushwood, on pebble stones, down 
_ which a stream of water falls to condense the lead-fumes. The water collects 
in tanks at the bottom of the columns, and the fumes are allowed to subside. 
_ We have heard that a small quantity of pure ore is reduced in crucibles . 
_ by means of iron, similar to the process employed in treating antimony ore, 
with the object of obtaining a lead of great purity, for the production of red 
lead to be used in the manufacture of flint-glass. 
Manufacturing Processes.—This locality has long been celebrated for its 
manufactured leads. The first establishment is said to have been com- 
menced about a century ago, and those at the Ouseburn and Gallowgate 
were erected about the year 1799. 
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