born June 22, 1792, Shettleston, Lanark, Scot.
died Jan. 18, 1865, Queenshill, Kirkcudbright
Scottish inventor.
Working at the Glasgow Gasworks (1817–47), he introduced the use of a hot-air blast for the smelting of iron ore. It had been believed that a blast of cold air was the most efficient smelting method (see coke and the construction of larger smelting furnaces.