men of invention and industry-第11章

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boat　with　his　propeller；　and　tried　it　on　a　sheet　of　water　in　the

grounds　of　Charles　Gordon；　Esq。；　of　Dulwich　Hill。　　〃The　velocity

and　steadiness　of　the　motion；〃　said　Dr。　Birkbeck　in　his　letter；

〃so　far　exceeded　that　of　the　same　model　when　impelled　by

paddle…wheels　driven　by　the　same　spring；　that　I　could　not　doubt

its　superiority；　and　the　stillness　of　the　water　was　such　as　to

give　the　vessel　the　appearance　of　being　moved　by　some　magical

power。〃



Then　comes　another　claimantMr。　Robert　Wilson；　then　of　Dunbar

（not　far　from　Coldingham）；　but　afterwards　of　the　Bridgewater

Foundry；　Patricroft。　　In　his　pamphlet；　published　a　few　years　ago；

he　states　that　he　had　long　considered　the　subject；　and　in　1827　he

made　a　small　model；　fitted　with　〃revolving　skulls；〃　which　he

tried　on　a　sheet　of　water　in　the　presence　of　the　Hon。　Capt。

Anthony　Maitland；　son　of　the　Earl　of　Lauderdale。　　The　experiment

was　successfulso　successful；　that　when　the　〃stern　paddles〃　were

in　1828　used　at　Leith　in　a　boat　twenty…five　feet　long；　with　two

men　to　work　the　machinery；　the　boat　was　propelled　at　an　average

speed　of　about　ten　miles　an　hour；　and　the　Society　of　Arts

afterwards；　in　October；　1882；　awarded　Mr。　Wilson　their　silver

medal　for　the　〃description；　drawing；　and　models　of　stern　paddles

for　propelling　steamboats；　invented　by　him。〃　　The　subject　was；　in

1833；　brought　by　Sir　John　Sinclair　under　the　consideration　of　the

Board　of　Admiralty；　but　the　report　of　the　officials　（Oliver　Lang；

Abethell；　Lloyd；　and　Kingston）　was　to　the　effect　that　〃the　plan

proposed　（independent　of　practical　difficulties）　is

objectionable；　as　it　involves　a　greater　loss　of　power　than　the

common　mode　of　applying　the　wheels　to　the　side。〃　　And　here　ended

the　experiment；　so　far　as　Mr。　Wilson's　〃stern　paddles〃　were

concerned。



It　will　be　observed；　from　what　has　been　said；　that　the　idea　of　a

screw　propeller　is　a　very　old　one。　　Watt；　Bramah；　Trevethick；　and

many　more；　had　given　descriptions　of　the　screw。　　Trevethick

schemed　a　number　of　its　forms　and　applications；　which　have　been

the　subject　of　many　subsequent　patents。　　It　has　been　so　with　many

inventions。　　It　is　not　the　man　who　gives　the　first　idea　of　a

machine　who　is　entitled　to　the　merit　of　its　introduction；　or　the

man　who　repeats　the　idea；　and　re…repeats　it；　but　the　man　who　is

so　deeply　impressed　with　the　importance　of　the　discovery；　that　he

insists　upon　its　adoption；　will　take　no　denial；　and　at　the　risk

of　fame　and　fortune；　pushes　through　all　opposition；　and　is

determined　that　what　he　thinks　he　has　discovered　shall　not　perish

for　want　of　a　fair　trial。　　And　that　this　was　the　case　with　the

practical　introducer　of　the　screw　propeller　will　be　obvious　from

the　following　statement。



Francis　Pettit　Smith　was　born　at　Hythe；　in　the　county　of　Kent；　in

1808。　　His　father　was　postmaster　of　the　town；　and　a　person　of

much　zeal　and　integrity。　　The　boy　was　sent　to　school　at　Ashford；

and　there　received　a　fair　amount　of　education；　under　the　Rev。

Alexander　Power。　　Young　Smith　displayed　no　special　characteristic

except　a　passion　for　constructing　models　of　boats。　　When　he

reached　manhood；　he　adopted　the　business　of　a　grazing　farmer　on

Romney　Marsh。　　He　afterwards　removed　to　Hendon；　north　of　London；

where　he　had　plenty　of　water　on　which　to　try　his　model　boats。　

The　reservoir　of　the　Old　Welsh　Harp　was　close　at　handa　place

famous　for　its　water…birds　and　wild　fowl。



Smith　made　many　models　of　boats；　his　experiments　extending　over

many　years。　　In　1834；　he　constructed　a　boat　propelled　by　a　wooden

screw　driven　by　a　spring；　the　performance　of　which　was　thought

extraordinary。　　Where　he　had　got　his　original　idea　is　not　known。　

It　was　floating　about　in　many　minds；　and　was　no　special　secret。　

Smith；　however；　arrived　at　the　conclusion　that　his　method　of

propelling　steam　vessels　by　means　of　a　screw　was　much　superior　to

paddlesat　that　time　exclusively　employed。　　In　the　following

year；　1835；　he　constructed　a　superior　model；　with　which　he

performed　a　number　of　experiments　at　Hendon。　　In　May　1836；　he

took　out　a　patent　for　propelling　vessels　by　means　of　a　screw

revolving　beneath　the　water　at　the　stern。　　He　then　openly

exhibited　his　invention　at　the　Adelaide　Gallery　in　London。　　Sir

John　Barrow；　Secretary　to　the　Admiralty；　inspected　the　model；　and

was　much　impressed　by　its　action。　　During　the　time　it　was

publicly　exhibited；　an　offer　was　made　to　purchase　the　invention

for　the　Pacha　of　Egypt；　but　the　offer　was　declined。



At　this　stage　of　his　operations；　Smith　was　joined　by　Mr。　Wright；

banker；　and　Mr。　C。　A。　Caldwell；　who　had　the　penetration　to

perceive　that　the　invention　was　one　of　much　promise；　and　were

desirous　of　helping　its　introduction　to　general　use。　　They

furnished　Smith　with　the　means　of　constructing　a　more　complete

model。　　In　the　autumn　of　1836；　a　small　steam　vessel　of　10　tons

burthen　and　six　horse…power　was　built；　further　to　test　the

advantages　of　the　invention。　　This　boat　was　fitted　with　a　wooden

screw　of　two　whole　turns。　　On　the　1st　of　November　the　vessel　was

exhibited　to　the　public　on　the　Paddington　Canal；　as　well　as　on

the　Thames；　where　she　continued　to　ply　until　the　month　of

September　1837。



During　the　trips　upon　the　Thames；　a　happy　accident　occurred；

which　first　suggested　the　advantage　of　reducing　the　length　of　the

screw。　　The　propeller　having　struck　upon　some　obstacle　in　the

water；　about　one…half　of　the　length　of　the　screw　was　broken　off；

and　it　was　found　that；　the　vessel　immediately　shot　ahead　and

attained　a　much　greater　speed　than　before。　　In　consequence　of

this　discovery；　a　new　screw　of　a　single　turn　was　fitted　to　her；

after　which　she　was　found　to　work　much　better。



Having　satisfied　himself　as　to　the　eligibility　of　the　propeller

in　smooth　water；　Mr。　Smith　then　resolved　to　take　his　little

vessel　to　the　open　sea；　and　breast　the　winds　and　the　waves。　

Accordingly；　one　Saturday　in　the　month　of　September　1837；　he

proceeded　in　his　miniature　boat；　down　the　river；　from　Blackwall

to　Gravesend。　　There　he　took　a　pilot　on　board；　and　went　on　to

Ramsgate。　　He　passed　through　the　Downs；　and　reached　Dover　in

safety。　　A　trial　of　the　vessel's　performance　was　made　there　in

the　presence　of　Mr。　Wright；　the　banker；　and　Mr。　Peake；　the　civil

engineer。　　From　Dover　the　vessel　went　on　to　Folkestone　and　Hythe；

encountering　severe　weather。　　Nevertheless；　the　boat　behaved

admirably；　and　attained　a　speed　of　over　seven　miles　an　hour。



Though　the　weather　had　become　stormy　and　boisterous；　the　little

vessel　nevertheless　set　out　on　her　return　voyage　to　London。　

Crowds　of　people　assembled　to　witness　her　departure；　and　many

nautical　men　watched　her　progress　with　solicitude　as　she　steamed

through　the　waves　under　the　steep　cliffs　of　the　South　Foreland。　

The　courage　of　the　undertaking；　and　the　unexpected　good

performance　of　the　little　vessel；　rendered　her　an　object　of　great

interest　and　excitement　as　she　〃screwed〃　her　way　along　the　coast。



The　tiny　vessel　reached　her　destination　in　safety。　　Surely　the

difficulty　of　a　testing　trial；　although　with　a　model　screw；　had

at　length　been　overcome。　　But　no！　　The　paddle　still　possessed　the

ascendency；　and　a　thousand　interestsinvested　capital；　use　and

wont；　and　conservative　instinctsall　stood　in　the　way。



Some　years　beforeindeed；　about　the　time　that　Smith　took　out　his

patentCaptain　Ericsson；　the　Swede；　invented　a　screw　propeller。　

Smith　took　out　his　patent　in　May；　1836；　and　Ericsson　in　the

following　July。　　Ericsson　was　a　born　inventor。　　While　a　boy　in

Sweden；　he　made　saw　mills　and　pumping　engines；　with　tools

invented　by　himself。　　He　learnt　to　draw；　and　his　mechanical

career　began。　　When　only　twelve　years　old；　he　was　appointed　a

cadet　in　the　Swedish　corps　of　mechanical　engineers；　and　in　the

following　year　he　was　put　in　charge　of　a　section　of　the　Gotha

Ship　Canal；　then　under　construction。　　Arrived　at　manhood；

Ericsson　went　over　to　England；　the　great　centre　of　mechanical

industry。　　He　was　then　twenty…three　years　old。　　He　entered　into

partnership　with　John　Braithwaite；　and　with　him　constructed　the

Novelty；　which　took　part　in　the　locomotive　competition　at

Rainhill　on　the　6th　October；　1829。　　The　prize　was　awarded　to

Stephenson's　Rocket　on　the　14th；　but　it　was　acknowledged　by　The

Times　of　the　day　that　the　Novelty　was　Stephenson's　sharpest

competitor。



Ericsson　had　a　wonderfully　inventive　brain；　a　determined　purpose；

and　a　great　capacity　for　work。　　When　a　want　was　felt；　he　was

immediately　ready　with　an　invention。　　The　records　of　the　Patent

Office　show　his　incessant　activity。　　He　invented　pumping　engines；

steam　engines；　fire　engines；　and　caloric　engines。　　His　first

patent　for　a　〃reciprocating　propeller〃　was　taken　out　in　October

1834。　　To　exhibit　its　action；　he　had　a　small　boat　constructed　of

only　about　two　feet　long。　　It　was　propelled　by　means　of　a　screw；

and　was　shown　at　work　in　a　circular　bath　in　London。　　It　performed

its　voyage　round　the　basin　at　the　rate　of　about　three　miles　an

hour。　　His　patent　for　a　〃spiral　propeller；〃　was　taken　out　in　July

1836。　　This　was　the　invention；　to　exhibit　which　he　had　a　vessel

constructed；　of　about　40　feet　long；　with　two　propellers；　each　of

5　feet　3　inches　diameter。



This　boat；　the　Francis　B。　Ogden；　proved　extremely　successful。　

She　moved　at　a　speed　of　about　ten　miles　an　hour。　　She　was　able　to

tow　vessels　of　140　tons　burthen　at　the　rate　of　seven　miles　an

hour。　　Perceiving　the　peculiar　and　admirable　fitness　of　the

screw…propeller　for　ships　of　war；　Ericsson　invited　the　Lords　of

the　Admiralty　to　take　an　excursion　in　tow　of　his　experimental

boat。　　〃My　Lords〃　consented；　and　the　Admiralty　barge　contained　on

this　occasion；　Sir　Charles　Adam；　senior　Lord；　Sir　William

Symonds；　surveyor；　Sir　Edward　Parry；　of　Polar　fame；　Captain

Beaufort；　hydrographer；　and　other　men　of　celebrity。　　This

distinguished　company　embarked　at　Somerset　House；　and　the　little

steamer；　with　her　precious　charge；　proceeded　down　the　river　to

Limehouse　at　the　rate　of　about　ten　miles　an　hour。　　After　visiting

the　steam…engine　manufactory　of　Messrs。　Seawood；　where　their

Lordships'　favourite　apparatus；　the　Morgan　paddle…wheel；　was　in

course　of　construction；　they　re…embarked；　and　returned　in　safety

to　Somerset　House。



The　experiment　was　perfectly　successful；　and　yet　the　result　was

disappointment。　　A　few　days　later；　a　letter　from　Captain　Beaufort

informed　Mr。　Ericsson　that　their　Lordships　had　certainly　been

〃very　much　disappointed　with　the　result　of　the　experiment。〃　　The

reason　for　the　disappointment　was　altogether　inexplicable　to　the

inventor。　　It　afterwards　appeared；　however；　that　Sir　William

Symonds；　then　Surveyor　to　the　Navy；　had　expressed　the　opinion

that　〃even　if　the　propeller　had　the　power　of　propelling　a　vessel；

it　would　be　found　altogether　useless　in　practice；　because　the

power　being　applied　at　the　stern；　it　would　be　absolutely

impossible　to　make　the　vessel