industrial biography-第45章

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Brunel　for　manufacturing　ships'　blocks。　　The　career　of　Brunel　was　of　a

more　romantic　character　than　falls　to　the　ordinary　lot　of　mechanical

engineers。　　His　father　was　a　small　farmer　and　postmaster；　at　the

village　of　Hacqueville；　in　Normandy；　where　Marc　Isambard　was　born　in

1769。　　He　was　early　intended　for　a　priest；　and　educated　accordingly。

But　he　was　much　fonder　of　the　carpenter's　shop　than　of　the　school；

and　coaxing；　entreaty；　and　punishment　alike　failed　in　making　a

hopeful　scholar　of　him。　　He　drew　faces　and　plans　until　his　father　was

almost　in　despair。　　Sent　to　school　at　Rouen；　his　chief　pleasure　was　in

watching　the　ships　along　the　quays；　and　one　day　his　curiosity　was

excited　by　the　sight　of　some　large　iron　castings　just　landed。　　What

were　they？　How　had　they　been　made？　Where　did　they　come　from？　His

eager　inquiries　were　soon　answered。　　They　were　parts　of　an　engine

intended　for　the　great　Paris　water…works；　the　engine　was　to　pump

water　by　the　power　of　steam；　and　the　castings　had　been　made　in

England；　and　had　just　been　landed　from　an　English　ship。　　〃England！〃

exclaimed　the　boy；　〃ah！　when　I　am　a　man　I　will　go　see　the　country

where　such　grand　machines　are　made！〃　On　one　occasion；　seeing　a　new

tool　in　a　cutler's　window；　he　coveted　it　so　much　that　he　pawned　his

hat　to　possess　it。　　This　was　not　the　right　road　to　the　priesthood；　and

his　father　soon　saw　that　it　was　of　no　use　urging　him　further：　　but　the

boy's　instinct　proved　truer　than　the　father's　judgment。



It　was　eventually　determined　that　he　should　qualify　himself　to　enter

the　royal　navy；　and　at　seventeen　he　was　nominated　to　serve　in　a

corvette　as　〃volontaire　d'honneur。〃　　His　ship　was　paid　off　in　1792；

and　he　was　at　Paris　during　the　trial　of　the　King。　　With　the

incautiousness　of　youth　he　openly　avowed　his　royalist　opinions　in　the

cafe　which　he　frequented。　　On　the　very　day　that　Louis　was　condemned

to　death；　Brunel　had　an　angry　altercation　with　some

ultra…republicans；　after　which　he　called　to　his　dog；　〃Viens；

citoyen！〃　　Scowling　looks　were　turned　upon　him；　and　he　deemed　it

expedient　to　take　the　first　opportunity　of　escaping　from　the　house；

which　he　did　by　a　back…door；　and　made　the　best　of　his　way　to

Hacqueville。　　From　thence　he　went　to　Rouen；　and　succeeded　in　finding　a

passage　on　board　an　American　ship；　in　which　he　sailed　for　New　York；

having　first　pledged　his　affections　to　an　English　girl；　Sophia

Kingdom；　whom　he　had　accidentally　met　at　the　house　of　Mr。　Carpentier；

the　American　consul　at　Rouen。



Arrived　in　America；　he　succeeded　in　finding　employment　as　assistant

surveyor　of　a　tract　of　land　along　the　Black　River；　near　Lake　Ontario。

In　the　intervals　of　his　labours　he　made　occasional　visits　to　New

York；　and　it　was　there　that　the　first　idea　of　his　block…machinery

occurred　to　him。　　He　carried　his　idea　back　with　him　into　the　woods；

where　it　often　mingled　with　his　thoughts　of　Sophia　Kingdom；　by　this

time　safe　in　England　after　passing　through　the　horrors　of　a　French

prison。　　〃My　first　thought　of　the　block…machinery；〃　he　once　said；　〃was

at　a　dinner　party　at　Major…General　Hamilton's；　in　New　York；　my　second

under　an　American　tree；　when；　one　day　that　I　was　carving　letters　on

its　bark；　the　turn　of　one　of　them　reminded　me　of　it；　and　I　thought；

'Ah！　my　block！　so　it　must　be。'　And　what　do　you　think。　　were　the

letters　I　was　cutting？　Of　course　none　other　than　S。　　K。〃　　Brunel

subsequently　obtained　some　employment　as　an　architect　in　New　York；

and　promulgated　various　plans　for　improving　the　navigation　of　the

principal　rivers。　　Among　the　designs　of　his　which　were　carried　out；

was　that　of　the　Park　Theatre　at　New　York；　and　a　cannon　foundry；　in

which　he　introduced　improvements　in　casting　and　boring　big　guns。　　But

being　badly　paid　for　his　work；　and　a　powerful　attraction　drawing　him

constantly　towards　England；　he　determined　to　take　final　leave　of

America；　which　he　did　in　1799；　and　landed　at　Falmouth　in　the

following　March。　　There　he　again　met　Miss　Kingdom；　who　had　remained

faithful　to　him　during　his　six　long　years　of　exile；　and　the　pair　were

shortly　after　united　for　life。



Brunel　was　a　prolific　inventor。　　During　his　residence　in　America；　he

had　planned　many　contrivances　in　his　mind；　which　he　now　proceeded　to

work　out。　　The　first　was　a　duplicate　writing　and　drawing　machine；

which　he　patented。　　The　next　was　a　machine　for　twisting　cotton　thread

and　forming　it　into　balls；　but　omitting　to　protect　it　by　a　patent；　he

derived　no　benefit　from　the　invention；　though　it　shortly　came　into

very　general　use。　　He　then　invented　a　machine　for　trimmings　and

borders　for　muslins；　lawns；　and　cambrics；of　the　nature　of　a　sewing

machine。　　His　famous　block…machinery　formed　the　subject　of　his　next

patent。



It　may　be　explained　that　the　making　of　the　blocks　employed　in　the

rigging　of　ships　for　raising　and　lowering　the　sails；　masts；　and

yards；　was　then　a　highly　important　branch　of　manufacture。　　Some　idea

may　be　formed　of　the　number　used　in　the　Royal　Navy　alone；　from　the

fact　that　a　74…gun　ship　required　to　be　provided　with　no　fewer　than

1400　blocks　of　various　sizes。　　The　sheaved　blocks　used　for　the　running

rigging　consisted　of　the　shell；　the　sheaves；　which　revolved　within

the　shell；　and　the　pins　which　fastened　them　together。　　The　fabrication

of　these　articles；　though　apparently　simple；　was　in　reality　attended

with　much　difficulty。　　Every　part　had　to　be　fashioned　with　great

accuracy　and　precision　to　ensure　the　easy　working　of　the　block　when

put　together；　as　any　hitch　in　the　raising　or　lowering　of　the　sails

might；　on　certain　emergencies；　occasion　a　serious　disaster。　　Indeed；

it　became　clear　that　mere　hand…work　was　not　to　be　relied　on　in　the

manufacture　of　these　articles；　and　efforts　were　early　made　to　produce

them　by　means　of　machinery　of　the　most　perfect　kind　that　could　be

devised。　　In　1781；　Mr。　Taylor；　of　Southampton；　set　up　a　large

establishment　on　the　river　Itchen　for　their　manufacture；　and　on　the

expiry　of　his　contract；　the　Government　determined　to　establish　works

of　their　own　in　Portsmouth　Dockyard；　for　the　purpose　at　the　same　time

of　securing　greater　economy；　and　of　being　independent　of　individual

makers　in　the　supply　of　an　article　of　such　importance　in　the

equipment　of　ships。



Sir　Samuel　Bentham；　who　then　filled　the　office　of　Inspector…General

of　Naval　Works；　was　a　highly　ingenious　person；　and　had　for　some　years

been　applying　his　mind　to　the　invention　of　improved　machinery　for

working　in　wood。　　He　had　succeeded　in　introducing　into　the　royal

dockyards　sawing…machines　and　planing…machines　of　a　superior　kind；　as

well　as　block…making　machines。　　Thus　the　specification　of　one　of　his

patents；　taken　out　in　1793；　clearly　describes　a　machine　for　shaping

the　shells　of　the　blocks；　in　a　manner　similar　to　that　afterwards

specified　by　Brunel。　　Bentham　had　even　proceeded　with　the　erection　of

a　building　in　Portsmouth　Dockyard　for　the　manufacture　of　the　blocks

after　his　method；　the　necessary　steam…engine　being　already　provided；

but　with　a　singular　degree　of　candour　and　generosity；　on　Brunel's

method　being　submitted　to　him；　Sir　Samuel　at　once　acknowledged　its

superiority　to　his　own；　and　promised　to　recommend　its　adoption　by　the

authorities　in　his　department。



The　circumstance　of　Mrs。　Brunel's　brother　being　Under…Secretary　to

the　Navy　Board　at　the　time；　probably　led　Brunel　in　the　first　instance

to　offer　his　invention　to　the　Admiralty。　　A　great　deal；　however；

remained　to　be　done　before　he　could　bring　his　ideas　of　the

block…machinery　into　a　definite　shape；　for　there　is　usually　a　wide

interval　between　the　first　conception　of　an　intricate　machine　and　its

practical　realization。　　Though　Brunel　had　a　good　knowledge　of

mechanics；　and　was　able　to　master　the　intricacies　of　any　machine；　he

laboured　under　the　disadvantage　of　not　being　a　practical　mechanic　and

it　is　probable　that　but　for　the　help　of　someone　possessed　of　this

important　qualification；　his　invention；　ingenious　and　important

though　it　was；　would　have　borne　no　practical　fruits。　　It　was　at　this

juncture　that　he　was　so　fortunate　as　to　be　introduced　to　Henry

Maudslay；　the　inventor　of　the　sliderest。



It　happened　that　a　M。　de　Bacquancourt；　one　of　the　French　emigres；

of　whom　there　were　then　so　many　in　London；　was　accustomed　almost

daily　to　pass　Maudslay's　little　shop　in　Wells…street；　and　being

himself　an　amateur　turner；　he　curiously　inspected　the　articles　from

time　to　time　exhibited　in　the　window　of　the　young　mechanic。　　One　day　a

more　than　ordinarily　nice　piece　of　screw…cutting　made　its　appearance；

on　which　he　entered　the　shop　to　make　inquiries　as　to　the　method　by

which　it　had　been　executed。　　He　had　a　long　conversation　with　Maudslay；

with　whom　he　was　greatly　pleased；　and　he　was　afterwards　accustomed　to

look　in　upon　him　occasionally　to　see　what　new　work　was　going　on。

Bacquancourt　was　also　on　intimate　terms　with　Brunel；　who　communicated

to　him　the　difficulty　he　had　experienced　in　finding　a　mechanic　of

sufficient　dexterity　to　execute　his　design　of　the　block…making

machinery。　　It　immediately　occurred　to　the　former　that　Henry　Maudslay

was　the　very　man　to　execute　work　of　the　elaborate　character　proposed；

and　he　described　to　Brunel　the　new　and　beautiful　tools　which　Maudslay

had　contrived　for　the　purpose　of　ensuring　accuracy　and　finish。　　Brunel

at　once　determined　to　call　upon　Maudslay；　and　it　was　arranged　that

Bacquancourt　should　introduce　him；　which　he　did；　and　after　the

interview　which　took　place　Brunel　promised　to　call　again　with　the

drawings　of　his　proposed　model。



A　few　days　passed；　and　Brunel　called　with　the　first　drawing；　done　by

himself；　for　he　was　a　capital　draughtsman；　and　used　to　speak　of

drawing　as　the　〃alphabet　of　the　engineer。〃　　The　drawing　only　showed　a

little　bit　of　the　intended　machine；　and　Brunel　did　not　yet　think　it

advisable　to　communicate　to　Maudslay　the　precise　object　he　had　in

view；　for　inventors　are　usually　very　chary　of　explaining　their

schemes　to　others；　for　fear　of　being　anticipated。　　Again　Brunel

appeared　at　Maudslay's　shop　with　a　further　drawing；　still　not

explaining　his　design；　but　at　the　third　visit；　immediately　on　looking

at　the　fresh　drawings　he　had　brought；　Maudslay　exclaimed；　〃Ah！　now　I

see　what　you　are　thinking　of；　you　want　machinery　for　making　blocks。〃

At　this　Brunel　became　more　communicative；　and　explained　his　designs

to　the　mechanic；　who　fully　entered　into　his　views；　and　went　on　from

that　time　forward　striving　to　his　utmost　to　work　out　the　inventor's

conceptions　and　embody　them　in　a　practical　machine。



While　still　occupied　on　the　models；　which　were　begun　in　1800；

Maudslay　removed　his　shop　from　Wells…street；　where　he　was　assisted　by

a　single　journeyman；　to　Margaret…street；　Cavendish…square；　where　he

had　greater　room　for　carrying　on　his　trade；　and　was　also　enabled　to

increase　the　number　of　his　hands。　　The　working　models　were　ready　for

inspection　by　Sir　Samuel　Bentham　and　the　Lords　of　the