Archibald Cochrane, 9th Earl of Dundonald
Archibald Cochrane, 9th Earl of Dundonald (1749-1831) was a Scottish nobleman and inventor.
One of his noted inventions was a method for making coal tar on an industrial scale. He hoped that he would be able to sell this as a sealant for the hulls of ships to the Royal Navy. After contacts with the British Admiralty were made, a test was performed on a buoy. The buoy was coated on one side and left uncoated on the other. After some time the uncoated half was leaking and full of worms and barnacles, while the treated half was in quite good condition. A patent for his invention was drawn up, although all this time the finances were suffering. The family estates were used as collateral. Only there were powerful interests at play, namely involved with shipyards. A coated ship could stay in the water for very long periods without needing timbers replaced, when compared to a normal ship. The patent expired and the Royal Navy adopted the new mixture and began using it, it was however too late for the earl to benefit financially.
His younger brother Sir Alexander Cochrane was a senior Royal Navy commander during the Napoleonic Wars.
| Peerage of Scotland | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Thomas Cochrane |
Earl of Dundonald 1778–1831 |
Succeeded by Thomas Cochrane |
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