industrial biography-第41章

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dry　rot。



Besides　his　various　mechanical　pursuits；　Bramah　also　followed　to　a

certain　extent　the　profession　of　a　civil　engineer；　though　his　more

urgent　engagements　rendered　it　necessary　for　him　to　refuse　many

advantageous　offers　of　employment　in　this　line。　　He　was；　however；　led

to　carry　out　the　new　water…works　at　Norwich；　between　the　years　l790

and　l793；　in　consequence　of　his　having　been　called　upon　to　give

evidence　in　a　dispute　between　the　corporation　of　that　city　and　the

lessees；　in　the　course　of　which　he　propounded　plans　which；　it　was

alleged；　could　not　be　carried　out。　　To　prove　that　they　could　be

carried　out；　and　that　his　evidence　was　correct；　he　undertook　the　new

works；　and　executed　them　with　complete　success；　besides　demonstrating

in　a　spirited　publication　elicited　by　the　controversy；　the

insufficiency　and　incongruity　of　the　plans　which　had　been　submitted

by　the　rival　engineer。



For　some　time　prior　to　his　death　Bramah　had　been　employed　in　the

erection　of　several　large　machines　in　his　works　at　Pimlico　for　sawing

stone　and　timber；　to　which　he　applied　his　hydraulic　power　with　great

success。　　New　methods　of　building　bridges　and　canal…locks；　with　a

variety　of　other　matters；　were　in　an　embryo　state　in　his　mind；　but　he

did　not　live　to　complete　them。　　He　was　occupied　in　superintending　the

action　of　his　hydrostatic　press　at　Holt　Forest；　in　Hantswhere

upwards　of　300　trees　of　the　largest　dimensions　were　in　a　very　short

time　torn　up　by　the　roots；when　he　caught　a　severe　cold；　which

settled　upon　his　lungs；　and　his　life　was　suddenly　brought　to　a　close

on　the　9th　of　December；　1814；　in　his　66th　year。



His　friend；　Dr。　Cullen　Brown；*

　＇footnote。。。

Dr。　Brown　published　a　brief　memoir　of　his　friend　in　the　New　Monthly

Magazine　for　April；　1815；　which　has　been　the　foundation　of　all　the

notices　of　Bramah's　life　that　have　heretofore　appeared。

　。。。＇

has　said　of　him；　that　Bramah　was　a　man　of　excellent　moral　character；

temperate　in　his　habits；　of　a　pious　turn　of　mind；*

　＇footnote。。。

Notwithstanding　his　well…known　religious　character；　Bramah　seems　to

have　fallen　under　the　grievous　displeasure　of　William　Huntington；

S。S。　　（Sinner　Saved）；　described　by　Macaulay　in　his　youth　as　〃a

worthless　ugly　lad　of　the　name　of　Hunter；〃　and　in　his　manhood　as

〃that　remarkable　impostor〃　（Essays；　1　vol。　ed。　529）。　　It　seems　that

Huntington　sought　the　professional　services　of　Bramah　when

re…edifying　his　chapel　in　1793；　and　at　the　conclusion　of　the　work；

the　engineer　generously　sent　the　preacher　a　cheque　for　8l。　　towards

defraying　the　necessary　expenses。　　Whether　the　sum　was　less　than

Huntington　expected；　or　from　whatever　cause；　the　S。S。　　contemptuously

flung　back　the　gift；　as　proceeding　from　an　Arian　whose　religion　was

〃unsavoury；〃　at　the　same　time　hurling　at　the　giver　a　number　of　texts

conveying　epithets　of　an　offensive　character。　　Bramah　replied　to　the

farrago　of　nonsense；　which　he　characterised　as　〃unmannerly；　absurd；

and　illiterate　that　it　must　have　been　composed　when　the　writer　was

〃intoxicated；　mad；　or　under　the　influence　of　Lucifer；〃　and　he

threatened　that　unless　Huntington　apologised　for　his　gratuitous

insults；　he　（Bramah）　would　assuredly　expose　him。　　The　mechanician

nevertheless　proceeded　gravely　to　explain　and　defend　his　〃profession

of　faith；〃　which　was　altogether　unnecessary。　　On　this　Huntington

returned　to　the　charge；　and　directed　against　the　mechanic　a　fresh

volley　of　Scripture　texts　and　phraseology；　not　without　humour；　if

profanity　be　allowable　in　controversy；　as　where　he　says；　〃Poor　man！

he　makes　a　good　patent　lock；　but　cuts　a　sad　figure　with　the　keys　of

the　Kingdom　of　Heaven！〃　　〃What　Mr。　Bramah　is；〃　says　S。S。；　〃In　respect

to　his　character　or　conduct　in　life；　as　a　man；　a　tradesman；　a

neighbour；　a　gentleman；　a　husband；　friend；　master；　or　subject；　I　know

not。　　In　all　these　characters　he　may　shine　as　a　comet　for　aught　I

know；　but　he　appears　to　me　to　be　as　far　from　any　resemblance　to　a

poor　penitent　or　broken…hearted　sinner　as　Jannes；　Jambres；　or

Alexander　the　coppersmith！〃　　Bramah　rejoined　by　threatening　to　publish

his　assailant's　letters；　but　Huntington　anticipated　him　in　A　Feeble

Dispute　with　a　Wise　and　Learned　Man；　8vo。　　London；　1793；　in　which；

whether　justly　or　not；　Huntington　makes　Bramah　appear　to　murder　the

king's　English　in　the　most　barbarous　manner。

　。。。＇

and　so　cheerful　in　temperament；　that　he　was　the　life　of　every　company

into　which　he　entered。　　To　much　facility　of　expression　he　added　the

most　perfect　independence　of　opinion；　he　was　a　benevolent　and

affectionate　man；　neat　and　methodical　in　his　habits；　and　knew　well

how　to　temper　liberality　with　economy。　　Greatly　to　his　honour；　he

often　kept　his　workmen　employed；　solely　for　their　sake；　when

stagnation　of　trade　prevented　him　disposing　of　the　products　of　their

labour。　　As　a　manufacturer　he　was　distinguished　for　his　promptitude

and　probity；　and　he　was　celebrated　for　the　exquisite　finish　which　he

gave　to　all　his　productions。　　In　this　excellence　of　workmanship；　which

he　was　the　first　to　introduce；　he　continued　while　he　lived　to　be

unrivalled。



Bramah　was　deservedly　honoured　and　admired　as　the　first　mechanical

genius　of　his　time；　and　as　the　founder　of　the　art　of　tool…making　in

its　highest　branches。　　From　his　shops　at　Pimlico　came　Henry　Maudslay；

Joseph　Clement；　and　many　more　first…class　mechanics；　who　carried　the

mechanical　arts　to　still　higher　perfection；　and　gave　an　impulse　to

mechanical　engineering；　the　effects　of　which　are　still　felt　in　every

branch　of　industry。



The　parish　to　which　Bramah　belonged　was　naturally　proud　of　the

distinction　he　had　achieved　in　the　world；　and　commemorated　his　life

and　career　by　a　marble　tablet　erected　by　subscription　to　his　memory；

in　the　parish　church　of　Silkstone。　　In　the　churchyard　are　found　the

tombstones　of　Joseph's　father；　brother；　and　other　members　of　the

family；　and　we　are　informed　that　their　descendants　still　occupy　the

farm　at　Stainborough　on　which　the　great　mechanician　was　born。







CHAPTER　XII。



HENRY　MAUDSLAY。



〃The　successful　construction　of　all　machinery　depends　on　the

perfection　of　the　tools　employed；　and　whoever　is　a　master　in　the　arts

of　tool…making　possesses　the　key　to　the　construction　of　all

machines。。。。。　　The　contrivance　and　construction　of　tools　must

therefore　ever　stand　at　the　head　of　the　industrial　arts。〃

C。　　BABBAGE；　Exposition　of　1851。





Henry　Maudslay　was　born　at　Woolwich　towards　the　end　of　last　century；

in　a　house　standing　in　the　court　at　the　back　of　the　Salutation　Inn；

the　entrance　to　which　is　nearly　opposite　the　Arsenal　gates。　　His

father　was　a　native　of　Lancashire；　descended　from　an　old　family　of

the　same　name；　the　head　of　which　resided　at　Mawdsley　Hall　near

Ormskirk　at　the　beginning　of　the　seventeenth　century。　　The　family　were

afterwards　scattered；　and　several　of　its　members　became　workmen。

William　Maudslay；　the　father　of　Henry；　belonged　to　the　neighbourhood

of　Bolton；　where　he　was　brought　up　to　the　trade　of　a　joiner。　　His

principal　employment；　while　working　at　his　trade　in　Lancashire；

consisted　in　making　the　wood　framing　of　cotton　machinery；　in　the

construction　of　which　cast…iron　had　not　yet　been　introduced。　　Having

got　into　some　trouble　in　his　neighbourhood；　through　some　alleged

LIAISON；　William　enlisted　in　the　Royal　Artillery；　and　the　corps　to

which　he　belonged　was　shortly　after　sent　out　to　the　West　Indies。　　He

was　several　times　engaged　in　battle；　and　in　his　last　action　he　was

hit　by　a　musket…bullet　in　the　throat。　　The　soldier's　stock　which　he

wore　had　a　piece　cut　out　of　it　by　the　ball；　the　direction　of　which

was　diverted；　and　though　severely　wounded；　his　life　was　saved。　　He

brought　home　the　stock　and　preserved　it　as　a　relic；　afterwards

leaving　it　to　his　son。　　Long　after；　the　son　would　point　to　the　stock；

hung　up　against　his　wall；　and　say　〃But　for　that　bit　of　leather　there

would　have　been　no　Henry　Maudslay。〃　　The　wounded　artilleryman　was

invalided　and　sent　home　to　Woolwich；　the　headquarters　of　his　corps；

where　he　was　shortly　after　discharged。　　Being　a　handy　workman；　he

sought　and　obtained　employment　at　the　Arsenal。　　He　was　afterwards

appointed　a　storekeeper　in　the　Dockyard。　　It　was　during　the　former

stage　of　William　Maudslay's　employment　at　Woolwich；　that　the　subject

of　this　memoir　was　born　in　the　house　in　the　court　above　mentioned；　on

the　22nd　of　August；　1771。



The　boy　was　early　set　to　work。　　When　twelve　years　old　he　was　employed

as　a　〃powder…monkey；〃　in　making　and　filling　cartridges。　　After　two

years；　he　was　passed　on　to　the　carpenter's　shop　where　his　father

worked；　and　there　he　became　acquainted　with　tools　and　the　art　of

working　in　wood　and　iron。　　From　the　first；　the　latter　seems　to　have

had　by　far　the　greatest　charms　for　him。　　The　blacksmiths'　shop　was

close　to　the　carpenters'；　and　Harry　seized　every　opportunity　that

offered　of　plying　the　hammer；　the　file；　and　the　chisel；　in　preference

to　the　saw　and　the　plane。　　Many　a　cuff　did　the　foreman　of　carpenters

give　him　for　absenting　himself　from　his　proper　shop　and　stealing　off

to　the　smithy。　　His　propensity　was　indeed　so　strong　that；　at　the　end

of　a　year；　it　was　thought　better；　as　he　was　a　handy；　clever　boy；　to

yield　to　his　earnest　desire　to　be　placed　in　the　smithy；　and　he　was

removed　thither　accordingly　in　his　fifteenth　year。



His　heart　being　now　in　his　work；　he　made　rapid　progress；　and　soon

became　an　expert　smith　and　metal　worker。　　He　displayed　his　skill

especially　in　forging　light　ironwork；　and　a　favourite　job　of　his　was

the　making　of　〃Trivets〃　out　of　the　solid；　which　only　the　〃dab　hands〃

of　the　shop　could　do；　but　which　he　threw　off　with　great　rapidity　in

first　rate　style。　　These　〃Trivets〃　were　made　out　of　Spanish　iron　bolts

rare　stuff；　which；　though　exceedingly　tough；　forged　like　wax　under

the　hammer。　　Even　at　the　close　of　his　life；　when　he　had　acquired

eminent　distinction　as　an　inventor；　and　was　a　large　employer　of

skilled　labour；　he　looked　back　with　pride　to　the　forging　of　his　early

days　in　Woolwich　Arsenal。　　He　used　to　describe　with　much　gusto；　how

the　old　experienced　hands；　with　whom　he　was　a　great　favourite；　would

crowd　about　him　when　forging　his　〃Trivets；〃　some　of　which　may　to　this

day　be　in　use　among　Woolwich　housewives　for　supporting　the

toast…plate　before　the　bright　fire　against　tea　time。　　This　was；

however；　entirely　contraband　work；　done　〃on　the　sly；〃　and　strictly

prohibited　by　the　superintending　officer；　who　used　kindly　to　signal

his　approach　by　blowing　his　nose　in　a　peculiar　manner；　so　that　all

forbidden　jobs　might　be　put　out　of　the　way　by　the　time　he　entered　the

shop。



We　have　referred　to　Maudslay's　early　dexterity　in　trivet…makinga

circumstance　trifling　enough　in　itselffor　the　purpose　of

illustrating　the　progress　which　he　had　made　in　a　branch　of　his　art　of

the　greatest　importance　in　tool　and　machine　making。　　Nothing　pleased

him　more　in　his　aft