Carron

   CARRON, a village, and the seat of extensive iron-works, in the parish of Larbert, county of Stirling, 2 miles (N. N. W.) from Falkirk. This village, which is situated on the north bank of the river Carron, about three miles from its influx into the Forth, and has every facility of obtaining water-power, and an easy transit for produce, became, in 1760, the seat of the iron-works which are so well known as the most important and extensive in the kingdom. These works were originally established by a company, consisting of Messrs. Roebuck, formerly of Sheffield, and afterwards of Birmingham, Mr. Garbet, merchant of the latter place, and Messrs. Cadell, of East Lothian. The company was incorporated by charter, in 1773, with a capital of £150,000, raised in shares of £250 each, and having engaged workmen from Sheffield and Birmingham, commenced operations under the superintendence of Mr. Gascoigne, son-in-law of Mr. Garbet, on a very extensive scale. The smelting of iron-ore, and the manufacture of cast-iron goods of every description, are carried on to a great extent; not less than 10,000 tons of pig-iron are annually made, and the manufacture of malleable iron from scraps, which is of more recent introduction, is also extensive. Among the articles produced are, cannon, mortars, howitzers, and carronades, which last derived their name from this establishment; shot, shells, and other implements of war; agricultural instruments, with various articles for domestic use, steam-engines, sugar-mills, sugar-pans, and anchors, anvils, and axles. There are four blast furnaces, two of which have been adapted to the use of the hot blast, and four cupola furnaces, all of which have water-wheels for propelling the machinery; and in summer, a powerful steam-engine until recently lifted water from a reservoir, to turn these wheels, at the rate of forty tons per minute. A steam-engine, also, of gigantic power, is incessantly at work, day and night, for the production of blast; and fifteen air furnaces are in operation. There are mills for boring cylinders and pipes, of which the machinery is almost unrivalled, and the various reservoirs for the supply of the works cover 100 acres of ground; the entire number of persons employed is more than 1000. The foundry is connected with the collieries of Kinnaird and Carron Hall, by a substantial railway of two lines, and, by another, with the shipping wharf on the Forth and Clyde canal, at the village of Bainsford.