The Works Of Messrs. Schneider And Co.

LIV. CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE. 1253 Henri de Monestoy selis to Hugues IV., Duke of Burgundy, the “ Villa de Crosot.” 1502 The existence of coal beds discovered in .Creusot. 1769 Concession granted to Mr. de la Chaise, of the Creusot and Blanzy coal mines. 1781 Mr. Wilkinson, English engineer, and Mr. Toufaire, French architect, conclude in Creusot their designs conceming the construction of the Royal Foundry. 1782 Formation, under the patronage of Louis XVI., of a Company, for working the Royal Foundries of Indret and Montcenis (Le Creusot). (The King, Louis XVI., owned large interests in this Company.) 1785 Foundation, under the patronage of the Queen, Marie- Antoinette, of a Company for working the “Manufacture des Cristaux de la Reine.” 1787 This Company is combined with the Royal Foundries of Indret and Montcenis. 1788 Trial of a gun manufactured with French cast-iron in sub- stitution for English cast-iron. 1793 Creusot is made a separate “commune,” independent of its ancient chief place, Le Breuil. 1793 Opening of the Central Canal, which unités the Saône to the Loire. 1793 to 1814 Creusot Works are appointée! for the Manufacture of War Material, and are worked, from 1794 to 1797, for account of the Nation. 1805 Birth of Mr. J. Eugène Schneider, at Bidestroff (Meurthe). 1818 Mr. Chagot, Senior, purchases Creusot Works, 1826 Creusot Works are sold to the English Company Manby- Wilson. Formation of the Manby-Wilson Company. 1828 Formation of the Company for the working of the Mines, Forges and Foundries of Creusot and Charenton. 1835 The first Blast Furnace is in blast. The date of lighting cannot be traced ; it appears to go as far back as 1830. Same remark as regards coke-ovens. 1836 Mr. J. Eugène Schneider, owner of mills at Bazeilles (Ardennes), and his brother, Mr. Adolphe Schneider, purchase Creusot Works. 1838 First Locomotive built in France. 1839 The Chalon Works are put down, for the construction of iron bridges and buildings, iron boats and craft. 1839 Building of the first Iron River Boat for service in France. 1840 Birth of Mr. Henri Schneider. 1840 Delivery to the Milan Railway of the first Locomotive built in France for a foreign country. 1840 Building of the first engines for a marine steamer for France. 1840 Invention and construction of the Steam Hammer. 1842 Purchase of the Perreuil F orges (Saône and Loire), transformée! into fire-brick Works. 1843 Building of first River Steamship for a foreign country. 1845 Death of Mr Adolphe Schneider. 1845 Mr J. Eugène Schneider is elected Member of Parliament for Saône and Loire (5th district), on the 13th September, 1847, and is re-elected on the Ist of August, 1846. 1851 Mr. J. Eugène Schneider is appointed Secretary of State for Agriculture and Commerce. 1852 Mr. J. Eugène Schneider is elected Député of the Corps Législatif, who appoint him one of their Vice Presidents. A.D. 1853 First Lighters built for navigation on the Rhône. 1854 The concession of the Mazenay Iron Mines is granted Messrs. Schneider and Co. 1855 Purchase of the Change Iron Mine, granted to Mr. Monnet, 19th June, 1852. 1855 First Iron Bridges built by Messrs. Schneider and Co., at their Chalon Works, for the Paris-Lyons Railway. 1855 Manufacture of armour plates for floating batteries. 1858 Swing-bridge for Cherbourg Harbour. 1861 Floating dock-gate for Brest. 1861 Commencement of works for the new Rolling Mills. 1863 Puddling is started at the new Rolling Mills, also the working of Mills numbers 8, 9, 10 and 11. 1865 Mr. J. Eugène Schneider is elected President of the Corps Législatif : office he holds up to 1870. 1865 Starting of Mill nuniber 4, thick sheets and plates ; of Mills 7, 8, 9 and 10, for thin sheets and slabs. 1866 Delivery of the first locomotives built in France for England. 1866 Starting of Mills numbers 1, 2, 5, and 6 ; of Sheet-mill number 3, and conséquent stoppage of the Old Forge mills. 1866 Construction by Messrs. Schneider and Co. of their St. Laurent draining-pump. 1867 Mr Henri Schneider is appointed partner with his father. 1867 The Siemens-Martin Steel process is started in the Rolling Miil department. 1867 Fourteen Blast Furnaces are in blast. 1868 Birth of Mr. C. P. Eugène Schneider. 1868 Manufacture of Siemens-Martin steel rails. 1869 Purchase of the Montchanin and Longpendu coal mines. The Montchanin coal mine formed part of the Creusot conces- sion, from which it was separated in 1838. The Longpendu coal mine had been granted on the 6th October, 1832, to the Marchioness de Montaigu. 1869 Purchase of the Decize coal mines, which had been leased in 1836 to Mr. de Mallevaulc. 1870 Construction of Tug-boats for Russia. 1869 Construction of the first chimney built up of iron plates by Messrs. Schneider and Co. 1870 Construction of a group of Bessemer Converters (two 6-ton Converters). 1870 Stoppage of the manufacture of puddled iron at the Old Forge. 1871 Manufacture of Field-guns for France. 1872 Putting down of a second group of Bessemer Converters (two 8- ton Converters). 1873 Laying clown of the Siemens-Martin steel plant (six 8-toii furnaces). 1873 Opening of the railway, to join the Decize coal mines with the Nivernais canal and the Paris-Lyons-Mediterranean Railway. 1874 Stoppage of the Siemens-Martin steel plant at the Rolling Miil department. 1874 Putting down of a third group of Bessemer Converters (two 8-ton Converters). 1874 Purchase of the Allevard Iron Mines. 1875 Erection of a 27-ton hammer for forging 96-millimetre guns. 1875 Construction of Siege and Garrison guns for France. 1875 Death of Mr. J. Eugène Schneider. 1875 Starting the manufacture of tyres for locomotives and wagons.