All About Inventions and Discoveries
The Romance of modern scientific and mechanical Achievements

All About Inventions Simultaneously he explained his dilemma to one or two intimate friends. The outraged ironworkers would have to be placated by hook or by crook, and he could think of no more satisfactory manner to achieve such an end and thereby rehabilitate himself in their estimation than by repurchasing the licences which he had previously disposed to them. Incidentally, he entertained his personal opinion that he had sold his rights at too low a price. His invention was far more valuable than it had first appeared to him. The repurchase of the licences thus became his first objective. But he was in need of some assistance to consummate this end. Would his friends help him ? They agreed, and thereupon Bessemer, with apparent regret, approached the dissatisfied iron- workers and offered to relieve them of their appar- ently bad bargains. But it did not prove so simple a task to buy back these licences as he had imagined. One firm point-blank refused to part with the rights for less than £20,000, although only £10,000 had been spent upon their acquisition. However, at last, Bessemer, after considerable difficulty, achieved his purpose. The five licences were re-acquired, and he was in sole and undisputed possession of his invention. Meanwhile, Bessemer had been engaged in the construction of another experimental plant with which to carry out further trials upon a more extensive scale. He ascertained that the raw material which he had first employed was made from West Cumber- land ore. As it was low in phosphorus, the indis- pensable condition for his purpose, he arranged for r fu[th<rr suPPty of pig iron made from the West Cumberland ore. The consignment arrived at the