CONTENTS CHAPTER I. IRON AND CIVILIZATION. The South Sea Islanders and iron Uses of iron for tools The Stone, Bronze, and Iron ages Recent discoveries in the beds of the Swiss lakes Iron the last metal to come into general use, and why The first iron smelters Early history of iron in Britain The Romans Social importance of the Smith in early times Enchanted swords Early scarcity of iron in Scotland Andrea de Ferrara Scarcity of iron in England at the time of the Armada Importance of iron for national defence CHAPTER II. BEGINNINGS OF THE IRON-MANUFACTURER IN BRITAIN. Iron made in the Forest of Dean in Anglo-Saxon times Monkish iron-workers Early iron-smelting in Yorkshire Much iron imported from abroad Iron manufactures of Sussex Manufacture of cannon Wealthy ironmasters of Sussex Founder of the Gale family Extensive exports of English ordnance Destruction of timber in iron-smelting The manufacture placed under restrictions The Sussex furnaces blown out CHAPTER III. IRON SMELTING BY PIT-COAL--DUD DUDLEY. Greatly reduced production of English iron Proposal to use pit-coal instead of charcoal of wood in smelting Sturtevant's patent Rovenson's Dud Dudley; his family his history Uses pit-coal to smelt iron with success Takes out his patent The quality of the iron proved by tests Dudley's works swept away by a flood Rebuilds his works, and they are destroyed by a mob Renewal of his patent Outbreak of the Civil War Dudley joins the Royalists, and rises to be General of artillery His perilous adventures and hair-breadth escapes His estate confiscated Recommences iron-smelting Various attempts to smelt with pit-coal Dudley's petitions to the King His death CHAPTER IV. ANDREW YARRANTON. A forgotten patriot The Yarranton family Andrew Yarranton's early life A soldier under the Parliament Begins iron works Is seized and imprisoned His plans for improving internal navigation Improvements in agriculture Manufacture of tin plate His journey into Saxony to learn it Travels in Holland His views of trade and industry His various projects His 'England's Improvement by Sea and Land' His proposed Land Bank His proposed Registry of Real Estate His controversies His iron-mining Value of his labours CHAPTER V. COALBROOKDALE IRON WORKS--THE DARBYS AND REYNOLDSES.