IRON AND STEEL. 63 



backs, and the operation was wasteful of metal as of labor ; for so 

 little of it was extracted from the ore that in late years the slag has 

 been remelted in modern furnaces, and the operation found remun- 

 erative. Now, the Romans had for centuries been accustomed to 

 the use of the bellows in smelting iron ; and if they had introduced 

 the industry into Britain they certainly would have adopted the 

 methods known to them and not have reverted to a ruder, more 

 wasteful and more laborious one. I am therefore compelled to be- 

 lieve that when the Romans invaded Britain they found the wind 

 bloomary in use. The hearths of more modern bloomaries have 

 been found, with Roman coins and remains among the ashes ; and 

 these are pretty good evidences that during the Roman occupation, 

 improvements based upon Roman knowledge were introduced. 

 Andrew Yarrantan says that " within a hundred yards of the walls of 

 the city of Worcester there was dug up one of the hearths of the 

 Roman foot blast, it being then firm and in order, and was seven feet 

 deep in the earth, and by the side of the work there was found a 

 pot of Roman coin to the quantity of a peck." Strabo says that in 

 his day iron was exported from Britain. In the year 121 a great 

 Roman military forge or fabrica was established at Bath, the iron used 

 at it being obtained at the Forest of Dean. At the time of the 

 Conquest the same region was noted for its iron industry. Camden 

 says that " in and before the reign of William the Conqueror the 

 chief trade of the city of Gloucester was the forging of iron, and it 

 is mentioned in Doomsday book that there was scarcely any other 

 tribute required from that city by the King, than certain dicars of 

 iron (a dicar containing ten bars and one hundred rods) for the use 

 of the royal navy. In n 12 there were in the Forest of Dean 72 

 forgece errantes or movable forges, each of which paid a license of 

 7s. to the crown. The Scotch at this period made no iron, and had 

 none but that which they imported from the continent or stole in 

 England. We are told that in a predatory expedition which they 

 made in 131 7, they found no iron worthy of notice till they came to 

 Furness in Lancashire, where they seized all the manufactured iron 

 they could find and carried it off with the greatest joy, though so 

 heavy of carriage, and preferred it to all other plunder." Soon after 

 the Conquest English iron began to be known abroad, and it was ex- 

 ported even to Spain. It was very dear, however, and highly prized. 



