men of invention and industry-第23章

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insisted　on　his　going　home　to　bed。〃



On　one　occasion；　when　an　engine　superintended　by　Murdock　stopped

through　some　accident；　the　water　rose　in　the　mine；　and　the

workmen　were　〃drowned　out。〃　　Upon　this　occurring；　the　miners　went

〃roaring　at　him〃　for　throwing　them　out　of　work；　and　threatened　to

tear　him　to　pieces。　　Nothing　daunted；　he　went　through　the　midst

of　the　men；　repaired　the　invalided　engine；　and　started　it　afresh。



When　he　came　out　of　the　engine…house；　the　miners　cheered　him

vociferously　and　insisted　upon　carrying　him　home　upon　their

shoulders　in　triumph！



Steam　was　now　asserting　its　power　everywhere。　　It　was　pumping

water　from　the　mines　in　Cornwall　and　driving　the　mills　of　the

manufacturers　in　Lancashire。　　Speculative　mechanics　began　to

consider　whether　it　might　not　be　employed　as　a　means　of　land

locomotion。　　The　comprehensive　mind　of　Sir　Isaac　Newton　had　long

before；　in　his　'Explanation　of　the　Newtonian　Philosophy；'　thrown

out　the　idea　of　employing　steam　for　this　purpose；　but　no

practical　experiment　was　made。　　Benjamin　Franklin；　while　agent　in

London　for　the　United　Provinces　of　America；　had　a　correspondence

with　Matthew　Boulton；　of　Birmingham；　and　Dr。　Darwin；　of

Lichfield；　on　the　same　subject。　　Boulton　sent　a　model　of　a

fire…engine　to　London　for　Franklin's　inspection；　but　Franklin　was

too　much　occupied　at　the　time　by　grave　political　questions　to

pursue　the　subject　further。　　Erasmus　Darwin's　speculative　mind

was　inflamed　by　the　idea　of　a　〃fiery　chariot；〃　and　he　urged　his

friend　Boulton　to　prosecute　the　contrivance　of　the　necessary

steam　machinery。＇6＇



Other　minds　were　at　work。　　Watt；　when　only　twenty…three　years

old；　at　the　instigation　of　his　friend　Robison；　made　a　model

locomotive；　provided　with　two　cylinders　of　tin　plate；　but　the

project　was　laid　aside；　and　was　never　again　taken　up　by　the

inventor。　　Yet；　in　his　patent　of　1784；　Watt　included　an

arrangement　by　means　of　which　steam…power　might　be　employed　for

the　purposes　of　locomotion。　　But　no　further　model　of　the

contrivance　was　made。



Meanwhile；　Cugnot；　of　Paris；　had　already　made　a　road　engine

worked　by　steam　power。　　It　was　first　tried　at　the　Arsenal　in

1769；　and；　being　set　in　motion；　it　ran　against　a　stone　wall　in

its　way　and　threw　it　down。　　The　engine　was　afterwards　tried　in

the　streets　of　Paris。　　In　one　of　the　experiments　it　fell　over

with　a　crash；　and　was　thenceforward　locked　up　in　the　Arsenal　to

prevent　its　doing　further　mischief。　　This　first　locomotive　is　now

to　be　seen　at　the　Conservatoire　des　Arts　et　Metiers　at　Paris。



Murdock　had　doubtless　heard　of　Watt's　original　speculations；　and

proceeded；　while　at　Redruth；　during　his　leisure　hours；　to

construct　a　model　locomotive　after　a　design　of　his　own。　　This

model　was　of　small　dimensions；　standing　little　more　than　a　foot

and　a　half　high；　though　it　was　sufficiently　large　to　demonstrate

the　soundness　of　the　principle　on　which　it　was　constructed。　　It

was　supported　on　three　wheels；　and　carried　a　small　copper　boiler；

heated　by　a　spirit　lamp；　with　a　flue　passing　obliquely　through

it。　　The　cylinder；　of　3/4　inch　diameter　and　2…inch　stroke；　was

fixed　in　the　top　of　the　boiler；　the　piston…rod　being　connected

with　the　vibratory　beam　attached　to　the　connecting…rod　which

worked　the　crank　of　the　driving…wheel。　　This　little　engine　worked

by　the　expansive　force　of　steam　only；　which　was　discharged　into

the　atmosphere　after　it　had　done　its　work　of　alternately　raising

and　depressing　the　piston　in　the　cylinder。



Mr。　Murdock's　son；　while　living　at　Handsworth；　informed　the

present　writer　that　this　model　was　invented　and　constructed　in

1781；　but；　after　perusing　the　correspondence　of　Boulton　and　Watt；

we　infer　that　it　was　not　ready　for　trial　until　1784。　　The　first

experiment　was　made　in　Murdock's　own　house　at　Redruth；　when　the

little　engine　successfully　hauled　a　model　waggon　round　the

room；the　single　wheel；　placed　in　front　of　the　engine　and

working　in　a　swivel　frame；　enabling　it　to　run　round　in　a　circle。



Another　experiment　was　made　out　of　doors；　on　which　occasion；

small　though　the　engine　was；　it　fairly　outran　the　speed　of　its

inventor。　　One　night；　after　returning　from　his　duties　at　the　mine

at　Redruth；　Murdock　went　with　his　model　locomotive　to　the　avenue

leading　to　the　church；　about　a　mile　from　the　town。　　The　walk　was

narrow；　straight；　and　level。　　Having　lit　the　lamp；　the　water　soon

boiled；　and　off　started　the　engine　with　the　inventor　after　it。　

Shortly　after　he　heard　distant　shouts　of　terror。　　It　was　too　dark

to　perceive　objects；　but　he　found；　on　following　up　the　machine；

that　the　cries　had　proceeded　from　the　worthy　vicar；　who；　while

going　along　the　walk；　had　met　the　hissing　and　fiery　little

monster；　which　he　declared　he　took　to　be　the　Evil　One　in　propria

persona！



When　Watt　was　informed　of　Murdock's　experiments；　he　feared　that

they　might　interfere　with　his　regular　duties；　and　advised　their

discontinuance。　　Should　Murdock　still　resolve　to　continue　them；

Watt　urged　his　partner　Boulton；　then　in　Cornwall；　that；　rather

than　lose　Murdock's　services；　they　should　advance　him　100L。；　and；

if　he　succeeded　within　a　year　in　making　an　engine　capable　of

drawing　a　post…chaise　carrying　two　passengers　and　the　driver；　at

the　rate　of　four　miles　an　hour；　that　a　locomotive　engine　business

should　be　established；　with　Murdock　as　a　partner。　　The

arrangement；　however；　never　proceeded　any　　further。　　Perhaps　a

different　attraction　withdrew　Murdock　from　his　locomotive

experiments。　　　He　was　then　paying　attention　to　a　young　lady；　the

daughter　of　Captain　Painter；　and　in　l785　he　married　her；　and

brought　her　home　to　his　house　in　Cross　Street；　Redruth。



In　the　following　year；September；　1786Watt　says；　in　a　letter

to　Boulton；　〃I　have　still　the　same　opinion　concerning　the　steam

carriage；　but；　to　prevent　more　fruitless　argument　about　it；　I

have　one　of　some　size　under　hand。　　In　the　meantime；　I　wish

William　could　be　brought　to　do　as　we　do；　to　mind　the　business　in

hand；　and　let　such　as　Symington　and　Sadler　throw　away　their　time

and　money　in　hunting　shadows。〃　　In　a　subsequent　letter　Watt

expressed　his　gratification　at　finding　〃that　William　applies　to

his　business。〃　　From　that　time　forward；　Murdock　as　well　as　Watt；

dropped　all　further　speculation　on　the　subject；　and　left　it　to

others　to　work　out　the　problem　of　the　locomotive　engine。　

Murdock's　model　remained　but　a　curious　toy；　which　he　took

pleasure　in　exhibiting　to　his　intimate　friends；　and；　though　he

long　continued　to　speculate　about　road　locomotion；　and　was

persuaded　of　its　practicability；　he　abstained　from　embodying　his

ideas　of　the　necessary　engine　in　any　complete　working　form。



Murdock　nevertheless　continued　inventing；　for　the　man　who　is

given　to　invent；　and　who　possesses　the　gift　of　insight；　cannot

rest。　　He　lived　in　the　midst　of　inventors。　　Watt　and　Boulton　were

constantly　suggesting　new　things；　and　Murdock　became　possessed　by

the　same　spirit。　　In　1791　he　took　out　his　first　patent。　　It　was

for　a　method　of　preserving　ships'　bottoms　from　foulness　by　the

use　of　a　certain　kind　of　chemical　paint。　　Mr。　Murdock's　grandson

informs　us　that　it　was　recently　re…patented　and　was　the　cause　of

a　lawsuit；　and　that　Hislop's　patent　for　revivifying　gas…lime

would　have　been　an　infringement；　if　it　had　not　expired。



Murdock　is　still　better　known　by　his　invention　of　gas　for

lighting　purposes。　　Several　independent　inquirers　into　the

constituents　of　Newcastle　coal　had　arrived　at　the　conclusion　that

nearly　one…third　of　the　substance　was　driven　off　in　vapour　by　the

application　of　heat；　and　that　the　vapour　so　driven　off　was

inflammable。　　But　no　suggestion　had　been　made　to　apply　this

vapour　for　lighting　purposes　until　Murdock　took　the　matter　in

hand。　　Mr。　M。　S。　Pearse　has　sent　us　the　following　interesting

reminiscence：　〃Some　time　since；　when　in　the　West　of　Cornwall；　I

was　anxious　to　find　out　whether　any　one　remembered　Murdock。　　I

discovered　one　of　the　most　respectable　and　intelligent　men　in

Camborne；　Mr。　William　Symons；　who　not　only　distinctly　remembered

Murdock；　but　had　actually　been　present　on　one　of　the　first

occasions　when　gas　was　used。　　Murdock；　he　says；　was　very　fond　of

children；　and　not　unfrequently　took　them　into　his　workshop　to

show　them　what　he　was　doing。　　Hence　it　happened　that　on　one

occasion　this　gentleman；　then　a　boy　of　seven　or　eight；　was

standing　outside　Murdock's　door　with　some　other　boys；　trying　to

catch　sight　of　some　special　mystery　inside；　for　Dr。　Boaze；　the

chief　doctor　of　the　place；　and　Murdock　had　been　busy　all　the

afternoon。　　Murdock　came　out；　and　asked　my　informant　to　run　down

to　a　shop　near　by　for　a　thimble。　　On　returning　with　the　thimble；

the　boy　pretended　to　have　lost　it；　and；　whilst　searching　in　every

pocket；　he　managed　to　slip　inside　the　door　of　the　workshop；　and

then　produced　the　thimble。　　He　found　Dr。　Boaze　and　Murdock　with　a

kettle　filled　with　coal。　　The　gas　issuing　from　it　had　been　burnt

in　a　large　metal　case；　such　as　was　used　for　blasting　purposes。　

Now；　however；　they　had　applied　a　much　smaller　tube；　and　at　the

end　of　it　fastened　the　thimble；　through　the　small　perforations

made　in　which　they　burned　a　continuous　jet　for　some　time。〃＇7＇



After　numerous　experiments；　Murdock　had　his　house　in　Cross　Street

fitted　up　in　1792　for　being　lit　by　gas。　　The　coal　was　subjected

to　heat　in　an　iron　retort；　and　the　gas　was　conveyed　in　pipes　to

the　offices　and　the　different　rooms　of　the　house；　where　it　was

burned　at　proper　apertures　or　burners。＇8＇　　Portions　of　the　gas

were　also　confined　in　portable　vessels　of　tinned　iron；　from　which

it　was　burned　when　required；　thus　forming　a　moveable　gas…light。　

Murdock　had　a　gas　lantern　in　regular　use；　for　the　purpose　of

lighting　himself　home　at　night　across　the　moors；　from　the　mines

where　he　was　working；　to　his　home　at　Redruth。　　This　lantern　was

formed　by　filling　a　bladder　with　gas　and　fixing　a　jet　to　the

mouthpiece　at　the　bottom　of　a　glass　lantern；　with　the　bladder

hanging　underneath。



Having　satisfied　himself　as　to　the　superior　economy　of　coal　gas；

as　compared　with　oils　and　tallow；　for　the　purposes　of　artificial

illumination；　Murdock　mentioned　the　subject　to　Mr。　James　Watt；

jun。；　during　a　brief　visit　to　Soho　in　1794；　and　urged　the

propriety　of　taking　out　a　patent。　　Watt　was；　however；　indifferent

to　taking　out　any　further　patents；　being　still　engaged　in

contesting　with　the　Cornish　mine…owners　his　father's　rights　to

the　user　of　the　condensing　steam…engine。　　Nothing　definite　was

done　at　the　time。　　Murdock　returned　to　Cornwall　and　continued　his

experiments。　　At　the　end　of　the　same　year　he　exhibited　to　Mr。

Phillips　and　others；　at　the　Polgooth　mine；　his　apparatus　for

extracting　gases　from　coal　and　other　substances；　showed　it　in

use；　lit　the　gas　which　issued　from　the　burner；　and　showed　its

〃strong　and　beautiful　light。〃　　He　afterwards　exhibited　the　same

apparatus　to　T