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TSR Wiki > Study Help > Subjects and Revision > Revision Notes > History > Adaptations of the Traditional Sector

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A technique becoming obsolete reaches its highest technical and productive level shortly before it disappears – smelting iron increased productivity in 1820s – 50s – retrenchment on charcoal having highest hares in cost of smelting – even output grew enormously during this period – contemporaries did not see it as certain that wood / iron ore would sink in face British competition.

Trad. Iron industry struggled for survival by both increasing productivity of smelting iron with charcoal and elaborating integrating parts of the new technique

E.G. The Champagne Model – integrating new puddling furnace without changing the rest – puddling furnaces spread as early as 1820 – these use coal, so pressure charcoal prices falls as good a quality but cheaper (Champagne) – new iron was initially inferior quality and had to compete hard against traditional iron and combo iron.

Hot Blast – rendered possible coexistence old and new techniques – increased productivity of smelting both charcoal and coal – better use of the fuel – France, due to high fuel prices, innovation spread v. quickly – applied to charcoal furnaces extending their lifetime – important dev. Is using excess furnace gases to heat air of blower economising on fuel like this protected the traditional iron sector from the rising coal iron industry and also shield more cost-intensive coal industries from the less expensive.

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