The Centenary of James B. Neilson's Invention of Hot-Blast in Iron Smelting

Abstract

IT may be considered singularly fortunate and appropriate that the forthcoming meeting of the British Association in Glasgow exactly coincides with the centenary of James Beaumont Neilson's epoch-making invention of the use of hot-blast in iron smelting, which was first conceived and demonstrated in that city. For it inaugurated a century of continuous advance in scientific fuel economy, and may be said to have done for iron-smelting what Richard Arkwright's inventions had previously done for cotton-spinning.