industrial biography-第56章

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was　imperfect；　he　improved　it；　if　incapable　of　improvement；　and

impracticable；　he　invented　something　entirely　new；　superseding　it

altogether。　　But　with　all　his　inventive　genius；　in　the　exercise　of

which　Mr。　Roberts　has　so　largely　added　to　the　productive　power　of　the

country；　we　regret　to　say　that　he　is　not　gifted　with　the　commercial

faculty。　　He　has　helped　others　in　their　difficulties；　but　forgotten

himself。　　Many　have　profited　by　his　inventions；　without　even

acknowledging　the　obligations　which　they　owed　to　him。　　They　have　used

his　brains　and　copied　his　tools；　and　the　〃sucked　orange〃　is　all　but

forgotten。　　There　may　have　been　a　want　of　worldly　wisdom　on　his　part；

but　it　is　lamentable　to　think　that　one　of　the　most　prolific　and

useful　inventors　of　his　time　should　in　his　old　age　be　left　to　fight

with　poverty。



Mr。　Whitworth　is　another　of　the　first…class　tool…makers　of　Manchester

who　has　turned　to　excellent　account　his　training　in　the　workshops　of

Maudslay　and　Clement。　　He　has　carried　fully　out　the　system　of

uniformity　in　Screw　Threads　which　they　initiated；　and　he　has　still

further　improved　the　mechanism　of　the　planing　machine；　enabling　it　to

work　both　backwards　and　forwards　by　means　of　a　screw　and　roller

motion。　　His　〃Jim　Crow　Machine；〃　so　called　from　its　peculiar　motion　in

reversing　itself　and　working　both　ways；　is　an　extremely　beautiful

tool；　adapted　alike　for　horizontal；　vertical；　or　angular　motions。　　The

minute　accuracy　of　Mr。　Whitworth's　machines　is　not　the　least　of　their

merits；　and　nothing　will　satisfy　him　short　of　perfect　truth。　　At　the

meeting　of　the　Institute　of　Mechanical　Engineers　at　Glasgow　in　1856

he　read　a　paper　on　the　essential　importance　of　possessing　a　true

plane　as　a　standard　of　reference　in　mechanical　constructions；　and　he

described　elaborately　the　true　method　of　securing　it；namely；　by

scraping；　instead　of　by　the　ordinary　process　of　grinding。　　At　the　same

meeting　he　exhibited　a　machine　of　his　invention　by　which　he　stated

that　a　difference　of　the　millionth　part　of　an　inch　in　length　could　at

once　be　detected。　　He　also　there　urged　his　favourite　idea　of

uniformity；　and　proper　gradations　of　size　of　parts；　in　all　the

various　branches　of　the　mechanical　arts；　as　a　chief　means　towards

economy　of　productiona　principle；　as　he　showed；　capable　of　very

extensive　application。　　To　show　the　progress　of　tools　and　machinery　in

his　own　time；　Mr。　Whitworth　cited　the　fact　that　thirty　years　since

the　cost　of　labour　for　making　a　surface　of　cast…iron　trueone　of　the

most　important　operations　in　mechanicsby　chipping　and　filing　by　the

hand；　was　12s。　a　square　foot；　whereas　it　is　now　done　by　the　planing

machine　at　a　cost　for　labour　of　less　than　a　penny。　　Then　in　machinery；

pieces　of　74　reed　printing…cotton　cloth　of　29　yards　each　could　not　be

produced　at　less　cost　than　30s。　6d。　per　piece；　whereas　the　same

description　is　now　sold　for　3s。　9d。　　Mr。　Whitworth　has　been　among　the

most　effective　workers　in　this　field　of　improvement；　his　tools　taking

the　first　place　in　point　of　speed；　accuracy；　and　finish　of　work；　in

which　respects　they　challenge　competition　with　the　world。　　Mr。

Whitworth　has　of　late　years　been　applying　himself　with　his　accustomed

ardour　to　the　development　of　the　powers　of　rifled　guns　and

projectiles；a　branch　of　mechanical　science　in　which　he　confessedly

holds　a　foremost　place；　and　in　perfecting　which　he　is　still　occupied。





CHAPTER　XV。



JAMES　NASMYTH。



　　　　　　　　〃By　Hammer　and　Hand

　　　　　　　　　All　Arts　doth　stand。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Hammermen's　Motto。





The　founder　Of　the　Scotch　family　of　Naesmyth　is　said　to　have　derived

his　name　from　the　following　circumstance。　　In　the　course　of　the　feuds

which　raged　for　some　time　between　the　Scotch　kings　and　their　powerful

subjects　the　Earls　of　Douglas；　a　rencontre　took　place　one　day　on　the

outskirts　of　a　Border　village；　when　the　king's　adherents　were

worsted。　　One　of　them　took　refuge　in　the　village　smithy；　where；

hastily　disguising　himself；　and　donning　a　spare　leathern　apron；　he

pretended　to　be　engaged　in　assisting　the　smith　with　his　work；　when　a

party　of　the　Douglas　followers　rushed　in。　　They　glanced　at　the

pretended　workman　at　the　anvil；　and　observed　him　deliver　a　blow　upon

it　so　unskilfully　that　the　hammer…shaft　broke　in　his　hand。　　On　this

one　of　the　Douglas　men　rushed　at　him；　calling　out；　〃Ye're　nae　smyth！〃

The　assailed　man　seized　his　sword；　which　lay　conveniently　at　hand；

and　defended　himself　so　vigorously　that　he　shortly　killed　his

assailant；　while　the　smith　brained　another　with　his　hammer；　and；　a

party　of　the　king's　men　having　come　to　their　help；　the　rest　were

speedily　overpowered。　　The　royal　forces　then　rallied；　and　their

temporary　defeat　was　converted　into　a　victory。　　The　king　bestowed　a

grant　of　land　on　his　follower　〃Nae　Smyth；〃　who　assumed　for　his　arms　a

sword　between　two　hammers　with　broken　shafts；　and　the　motto　〃Non　arte

sed　Marte；〃　as　if　to　disclaim　the　art　of　the　Smith；　in　which　he　had

failed；　and　to　emphasize　the　superiority　of　the　warrior。　　Such　is　said

to　be　the　traditional　origin　of　the　family　of　Naesmyth　of　Posso　in

Peeblesshire；　who　continue　to　bear　the　same　name　and　arms。



It　is　remarkable　that　the　inventor　of　the　steam…hammer　should　have　so

effectually　contradicted　the　name　he　bears　and　reversed　the　motto　of

his　family；　for　so　far　from　being　〃Nae　Smyth；〃　he　may　not

inappropriately　be　designated　the　very　Vulcan　of　the　nineteenth

century。　　His　hammer　is　a　tool　of　immense　power　and　pliancy；　but　for

which　we　must　have　stopped　short　in　many　of　those　gigantic

engineering　works　which　are　among　the　marvels　of　the　age　we　live　in。

It　possesses　so　much　precision　and　delicacy　that　it　will　chip　the　end

of　an　egg　resting　in　a　glass　on　the　anvil　without　breaking　it；　while

it　delivers　a　blow　of　ten　tons　with　such　a　force　as　to　be　felt

shaking　the　parish。　　It　is　therefore　with　a　high　degree　of

appropriateness　that　Mr。　Nasmyth　has　discarded　the　feckless　hammer

with　the　broken　shaft；　and　assumed　for　his　emblem　his　own　magnificent

steam…hammer；　at　the　same　time　reversing　the　family　motto；　which　he

has　converted　into　〃Non　Marte　sed　Arte。〃



James　Nasmyth　belongs　to　a　family　whose　genius　in　art　has　long　been

recognised。　　His　father；　Alexander　Nasmyth　of　Edinburgh；　was　a

landscape…painter　of　great　eminence；　whose　works　are　sometimes

confounded　with　those　of　his　son　Patrick；　called　the　English　Hobbema；

though　his　own　merits　are　peculiar　and　distinctive。　　The　elder　Nasmyth

was　also　an　admirable　portrait　painter；　as　his　head　of　Burnsthe

best　ever　painted　of　the　poetbears　ample　witness。　　His　daughters；

the　Misses　Nasmyth；　were　highly　skilled　painters　of　landscape；　and

their　works　are　well　known　and　much　prized。　　James；　the　youngest　of

the　family；　inherits　the　same　love　of　art；　though　his　name　is　more

extensively　known　as　a　worker　and　inventor　in　iron。　　He　was　born　at

Edinburgh；　on　the　19th　of　August；　1808；　and　his　attention　was　early

directed　to　mechanics　by　the　circumstance　of　this　being　one　of　his

father's　hobbies。　　Besides　being　an　excellent　painter；　Mr。　Nasmyth　had

a　good　general　knowledge　of　architecture　and　civil　engineering；　and

could　work　at　the　lathe　and　handle　tools　with　the　dexterity　of　a

mechanic。　　He　employed　nearly　the　whole　of　his　spare　time　in　a　little

workshop　which　adjoined　his　studio；　where　he　encouraged　his　youngest

son　to　work　with　him　in　all　sorts　of　materials。　　Among　his　visitors　at

the　studio　were　Professor　Leslie；　Patrick　Miller　of　Dalswinton；　and

other　men　of　distinction。　　He　assisted　Mr。　Miller　in　his　early

experiments　with　paddle…boats；　which　eventually　led　to　the　invention

of　the　steamboat。　　It　was　a　great　advantage　for　the　boy　to　be　trained

by　a　father　who　so　loved　excellence　in　all　its　forms；　and　could

minister　to　his　love　of　mechanics　by　his　own　instruction　and

practice。　　James　used　to　drink　in　with　pleasure　and　profit　the

conversation　which　passed　between　his　father　and　his　visitors　on

scientific　and　mechanical　subjects；　and　as　he　became　older；　the

resolve　grew　stronger　in　him　every　day　that　he　would　be　a　mechanical

engineer；　and　nothing　else。　　At　a　proper　age；　he　was　sent　to　the　High

School；　then　as　now　celebrated　for　the　excellence　of　its　instruction；

and　there　he　laid　the　foundations　of　a　sound　and　liberal　education。

But　he　has　himself　told　the　simple　story　of　his　early　life　in　such

graphic　terms　that　we　feel　we　cannot　do　better　than　quote　his　own

words：　　

　＇footnote。。。

Originally　prepared　for　John　Hick；　Esq。；　C。E。；　of　Bolton；　and

embodied　by　him　in　his　lectures　on　〃Self　Help；〃　delivered　before　the

Holy　Trinity　Working　Men's　Association　of　that　town；　on　the　18th　and

20th　March；　1862；　the　account　having　been　kindly　corrected　by　Mr。

Nasmyth　for　the　present　publication。

　。。。＇



〃I　had　the　good　luck；〃　he　says；　〃to　have　for　a　school　companion　the

son　of　an　iron　founder。　　Every　spare　hour　that　I　could　command　was

devoted　to　visits　to　his　father's　iron　foundry；　where　I　delighted　to

watch　the　various　processes　of　moulding；　iron…melting；　casting；

forging；　pattern…making；　and　other　smith　and　metal　work；　and　although

I　was　only　about　twelve　years　old　at　the　time；　I　used　to　lend　a　hand；

in　which　hearty　zeal　did　a　good　deal　to　make　up　for　want　of　strength。

I　look　back　to　the　Saturday　afternoons　spent　in　the　workshops　of　that

small　foundry；　as　an　important　part　of　my　education。　　I　did　not　trust

to　reading　about　such　and　such　things；　I　saw　and　handled　them；　and

all　the　ideas　in　connection　with　them　became　permanent　in　my　mind。　　I

also　obtained　therewhat　was　of　much　value　to　me　in　after　life

a　considerable　acquaintance　with　the　nature　and　characters　of

workmen。　　By　the　time　I　was　fifteen；　I　could　work　and　turn　out　really

respectable　jobs　in　wood；　brass；　iron；　and　steel：　　indeed；　in　the

working　of　the　latter　inestimable　material；　I　had　at　a　very　early　age

（eleven　or　twelve）　acquired　considerable　proficiency。　　As　that　was　the

pre…lucifer　match　period；　the　possession　of　a　steel　and　tinder　box

was　quite　a　patent　of　nobility　among　boys。　　So　I　used　to　forge　old

files　into　'steels'　in　my　father's　little　workshop；　and　harden　them

and　produce　such　first…rate；　neat　little　articles　in　that　line；　that

I　became　quite　famous　amongst　my　school　companions；　and　many　a　task

have　I　had　excused　me　by　bribing　the　monitor；　whose　grim　sense　of

duty　never　could　withstand　the　glimpse　of　a　steel。



〃My　first　essay　at　making　a　steam　engine　was　when　I　was　fifteen。　　I

then　made　a　real　working；　steam…engine；　1　3/4　diameter　cylinder；　and

8　in。　　stroke；　which　not　only　could　act；　but　really　did　some　useful

work；　for　I　made　it　grind　the　oil　colours　which　my　father　required

for　his　painting。　　Steam　engine　models；　now　so　common；　were

exceedingly　scarce　in　those　days；　and　very　difficult　to　be　had；　and

as　the　demand　for　them　arose；　I　found　it　both　delightful　and

profitable　to　make　them；　as　well　as　sectional　m