industrial biography-第65章

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the　coasts　of　Galloway；　and　producing　general　consternation

throughout　the　district。　　Great　excitement　also　prevailed　through　the

occurrence　of　the　Gordon　riots　in　London；　which　extended　into　remote

country　places；　and　Kennedy　remembered　being　nearly　frightened　out　of

his　wits　on　one　occasion　by　a　poor　dominie　whose　school　he　attended；

who　preached　to　his　boys　about　the　horrors　that　were　coming　upon　the

land　through　the　introduction　of　Popery。　　The　boy　set　out　for　England

on　the　2nd　of　February；　1784；　mounted　upon　a　Galloway；　his　little

package　of　clothes　and　necessaries　strapped　behind　him。　　As　he　passed

along　the　glen；　recognising　each　familiar　spot；　his　heart　was　in　his

mouth；　and　he　dared　scarcely　trust　himself　to　look　back。　　The　ground

was　covered　with　snow；　and　nature　quite　frozen　up。　　He　had　the　company

of　his　brother　Alexander　as　far　as　the　town　of　New　Galloway；　where　he

slept　the　first　night。　　The　next　day；　accompanied　by　one　of　his　future

masters；　Mr。　James　Smith；　a　partner　of　Mr。　Cannan's；　who　had

originally　entered　his　service　as　a　workman；　they　started　on　ponyback

for　Dumfries。　　After　a　long　day's　ride；　they　entered　the　town　in　the

evening；　and　amongst　the　things　which　excited　the　boy's　surprise　were

the　few　street…lamps　of　the　town；　and　a　waggon　with　four　horses　and

four　wheels。　　In　his　remote　valley　carts　were　as　yet　unknown；　and　even

in　Dumfries　itself　they　were　comparative　rarities；　the　common　means

of　transport　in　the　district　being　what　were　called　〃tumbling　cars。〃

The　day　after；　they　reached　Longtown；　and　slept　there；　the　boy　noting

ANOTHER　lamp。　　The　next　stage　was　to　Carlisle；　where　Mr。　Smith；　whose

firm　had　supplied　a　carding　engine　and　spinning…jenny　to　a　small

manufacturer　in　the　town；　went　to　〃gate〃　and　trim　them。　　One　was　put

up　in　a　small　house；　the　other　in　a　small　room；　and　the　sight　of

these　machines　was　John　Kennedy's　first　introduction　to

cotton…spinning。　　While　going　up　the　inn…stairs　he　was　amazed　and　not

a　little　alarmed　at　seeing　two　men　in　armourhe　had　heard　of　the

battles　between　the　Scots　and　Englishand　believed　these　to　be　some

of　the　fighting　men；　though　they　proved　to　be　but　effigies。　　Five　more

days　were　occupied　in　travelling　southward；　the　resting　places　being

at　Penrith；　Kendal；　Preston；　and　Chorley；　the　two　travellers　arriving

at　Chowbent　on　Sunday　the　8th　of　February；　1784。　　Mr。　Cannan　seems　to

have　collected　about　him　a　little　colony　of　Scotsmen；　mostly　from　the

same　neighbourhood；　and　in　the　evening　there　was　quite　an　assembly　of

them　at　the　〃Bear's　Paw；〃　where　Kennedy　put　up；　to　hear　the　tidings

from　their　native　county　brought　by　the　last　new　comer。　　On　the

following　morning　the　boy　began　his　apprenticeship　as　a　carpenter

with　the　firm　of　Cannan　and　Smith；　serving　seven　years　for　his　meat

and　clothing。　　He　applied　himself　to　his　trade；　and　became　a　good；

steady　workman。　　He　was　thoughtful　and　self…improving；　always

endeavouring　to　acquire　knowledge　of　new　arts　and　to　obtain　insight

into　new　machines。　　〃Even　in　early　life；〃　said　he；　in　the　account　of

his　career　addressed　to　his　children；　〃I　felt　a　strong　desire　to　know

what　others　knew；　and　was　always　ready　to　communicate　what　little　I

knew　myself；　and　by　admitting　at　once　my　want　of　education；　I　found

that　I　often　made　friends　of　those　on　whom　I　had　no　claims　beyond

what　an　ardent　desire　for　knowledge　could　give　me。〃



His　apprenticeship　over；　John　Kennedy　commenced　business*

　＇footnote。。。

One　of　the　reasons　which　induced　Kennedy　thus　early　to　begin　the

business　of　mule…spinning　has　been　related　as　follows。　　While　employed

as　apprentice　at　Chowbent；　he　happened　to　sleep　over　the　master's

apartment；　and　late　one　evening；　on　the　latter　returning　from　market；

his　wife　asked　his　success。　　〃I've　sold　the　eightys；〃　said　he；　〃at　a

guinea　a　pound。〃　　〃What；〃　exclaimed　the　mistress；　in　a　loud　voice；

〃sold　the　eightys　for　ONLY　a　guinea　a　pound！　　I　never　heard　of　such　a

thing。〃　　The　apprentice　could　not　help　overhearing　the　remark；　and　it

set　him　a…thinking。　　He　knew　the　price　of　cotton　and　the　price　of

labour；　and　concluded　there　must　be　a　very　large　margin　of　profit。　　So

soon　as　he　was　out　of　his　time；　therefore；　he　determined　that　he

should　become　a　cotton　spinner。

　。。。＇

in　a　small　way　in　Manchester　in　1791；　in　conjunction　with　two　other

workmen；　Sandford　and　MacConnel。　　Their　business　was　machine…making

and　mule…spinning；　Kennedy　taking　the　direction　of　the　machine

department。　　The　firm　at　first　put　up　their　mules　for　spinning　in　any

convenient　garrets　they　could　hire　at　a　low　rental。　　After　some　time；

they　took　part　of　a　small　factory　in　Canal　Street；　and　carried　on

their　business　on　a　larger　scale。　　Kennedy　and　MacConnel　afterwards

occupied　a　little　factory　in　the　same　street；since　removed　to　give

place　to　Fairbairn's　large　machine　works。　　The　progress　of　the　firm

was　steady　and　even　rapid；　and　they　went　on　building　mills　and

extending　their　businessMr。　Kennedy；　as　he　advanced　in　life；

gathering　honour；　wealth；　and　troops　of　friends。　　Notwithstanding　the

defects　of　his　early　education；　he　was　one　of　the　few　men　of　his

class　who　became　distinguished　for　his　literary　labours　in　connexion

principally　with　the　cotton　trade。　　Towards　the　close　of　his　life；　he

prepared　several　papers　of　great　interest　for　the　Literary　and

Philosophical　Society　of　Manchester；　which　are　to　be　found　printed　in

their　Proceedings；　one　of　these；　on　the　Invention　of　the　Mule　by

Samuel　Crompton；　was　for　a　long　time　the　only　record　which　the　public

possessed　of　the　merits　and　claims　of　that　distinguished　inventor。

His　knowledge　of　the　history　of　the　cotton　manufacture　in　its　various

stages；　and　of　mechanical　inventions　generally；　was　most　extensive

and　accurate。　　Among　his　friends　he　numbered　James　Watt；　who　placed

his　son　in　his　establishment　for　the　purpose　of　acquiring　knowledge

and　experience　of　his　profession。　　At　a　much　later　period　he　numbered

George　Stephenson　among　his　friends；　having　been　one　of　the　first

directors　of　the　Liverpool　and　Manchester　Railway；　and　one　of　the

three　judges　（selected　because　of　his　sound　judgment　and　proved

impartiality；　as　well　as　his　knowledge　of　mechanical　engineering）　to

adjudicate　on　the　celebrated　competition　of　Locomotives　at　Rainhill。

By　these　successive　steps　did　this　poor　Scotch　boy　become　one　of　the

leading　men　of　Manchester；　closing　his　long　and　useful　life　in　1855

at　an　advanced　age；　his　mental　faculties　remaining　clear　and

unclouded　to　the　last。　　His　departure　from　life　was　happy　and

tranquilso　easy　that　it　was　for　a　time　doubtful　whether　he　was　dead

or　asleep。



To　return　to　Mr。　Fairbairn's　career；　and　his　progress　as　a　millwright

and　engineer　in　Manchester。　　When　he　and　his　partner　undertook　the

extensive　alterations　in　Mr。　Murray's　factory；　both　were　in　a　great

measure　unacquainted　with　the　working　of　cotton…mills；　having　until

then　been　occupied　principally　with　corn…mills；　and　printing　and

bleaching　works；　so　that　an　entirely　new　field　was　now　opened　to

their　united　exertions。　　Sedulously　improving　their　opportunities；　the

young　partners　not　only　thoroughly　mastered　the　practical　details　of

cotton…mill　work；　but　they　were　very　shortly　enabled　to　introduce　a

series　of　improvements　of　the　greatest　importance　in　this　branch　of

our　national　manufactures。　　Bringing　their　vigorous　practical　minds　to

bear　on　the　subject；　they　at　once　saw　that　the　gearing　of　even　the

best　mills　was　of　a　very　clumsy　and　imperfect　character。　　They　found

the　machinery　driven　by　large　square　cast…iron　shafts；　on　which　huge

wooden　drums；　some　of　them　as　much　as　four　feet　in　diameter；　revolved

at　the　rate　of　about　forty　revolutions　a　minute；　and　the　couplings

were　so　badly　fitted　that　they　might　be　heard　creaking　and　groaning　a

long　way　off。　　The　speeds　of　the　driving…shafts　were　mostly　got　up　by

a　series　of　straps　and　counter　drums；　which　not　only　crowded　the

rooms；　but　seriously　obstructed　the　light　where　most　required　for

conducting　the　delicate　operations　of　the　different　machines。　　Another

serious　defect　lay　in　the　construction　of　the　shafts；　and　in　the　mode

of　fixing　the　couplings；　which　were　constantly　giving　way；　so　that　a

week　seldom　passed　without　one　or　more　breaks…down。　　The　repairs　were

usually　made　on　Sundays；　which　were　the　millwrights'　hardest　working

days；　to　their　own　serious　moral　detriment；　but　when　trade　was　good；

every　consideration　was　made　to　give　way　to　the　uninterrupted　running

of　the　mills　during　the　rest　of　the　week。



It　occurred　to　Mr。　Fairbairn　that　the　defective　arrangements　thus

briefly　described；　might　be　remedied　by　the　introduction　of　lighter

shafts　driven　at　double　or　treble　the　velocity；　smaller　drums　to

drive　the　machinery；　and　the　use　of　wrought…iron　wherever

practicable；　because　of　its　greater　lightness　and　strength　compared

with　wood。　　He　also　provided　for　the　simplification　of　the　hangers　and

fixings　by　which　the　shafting　was　supported；　and　introduced　the

〃half…lap　coupling〃　so　well　known　to　millwrights　and　engineers。　　His

partner　entered　fully　into　his　views；　and　the　opportunity　shortly

presented　itself　of　carrying　them　into　effect　in　the　large　new　mill

erected　in　1818；　for　the　firm　of　MacConnel　and　Kennedy。　　The　machinery

of　that　concern　proved　a　great　improvement　on　all　that　had　preceded

it；　and；　to　Messrs。　Fairbairn　and　Lillie's　new　system　of　gearing　Mr。

Kennedy　added　an　original　invention　of　his　own　in　a　system　of　double

speeds；　with　the　object　of　giving　an　increased　quantity　of　twist　in

the　finer　descriptions　of　mule　yarn。



The　satisfactory　execution　of　this　important　work　at　once　placed　the

firm　of　Fairbairn　and　Lillie　in　the　very　front　rank　of　engineering

millwrights。　　Mr。　Kennedy's　good　word　was　of　itself　a　passport　to　fame

and　business；　and　as　he　was　more　than　satisfied　with　the　manner　in

which　his　mill　machinery　had　been　planned　and　executed；　he　sounded

their　praises　in　all　quarters。　　Orders　poured　in　upon　them　so　rapidly；

that　they　had　difficulty　in　keeping　pace　with　the　demands　of　the

trade。　　They　then　removed　from　their　original　shed　to　larger　premises

in　Matherstreet；　where　they　erected　additional　lathes　and　other

tool…machines；　and　eventually　a　steam…engine。　　They　afterwards　added　a

large　cellar　under　an　adjoining　factory　to　their　premises；　and　from

time　to　time　provided　new　means　of　turning　out　work　with　increased

efficiency　and　despatch。　　In　due　course　of　time　the　firm　erected　a

factory　of　their　own；　fitted　with　the　most　improved　machinery　for

turning　out　millwork；　and　they　went　on　from　one　contract　to　another；

until　their　reputation　as　engineers　became　widely　celebrated。　　In

1826…7；　they　supplied　the　water…wheels　for　the　extensive　cotton…mills

belonging　to　Kirkman　Finlay　and　Company；　at　Catrine　Bank　in　Ayrshire。

These　wheels　are　even　at　this　day　regarded　as　among　the　most　perfect

hydraulic　machines　in　Eu