men of invention and industry-第26章

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in　the　eighty…third　year　of　his　age；　to　the　great　grief　of

Murdock；　his　oldest　and　most　attached　friend　and　correspondent。



Meanwhile；　the　firm　of　Boulton　and　Watt　continued。　　The　sons　of

the　two　partners　carried　it　on；　with　Murdock　as　their　Mentor。　　He

was　still　full　of　work　and　inventive　power。　　In　1802；　he　applied

the　compressed　air　of　the　Blast　Engine　employed　to　blow　the

cupolas　of　the　Soho　Foundry；　for　the　purpose　of　driving　the　lathe

in　the　pattern　shop。　　It　worked　a　small　engine；　with　a　l2…inch

cylinder　and　18…inch　stroke；　connected　with　the　lathe；　the　speed

being　regulated　as　required　by　varying　the　admission　of　the

blast。　　This　engine　continued　in　use　for　about　thirty…five　years。



In　1803　Murdock　experimented　on　the　power　of　high…pressure　steam

in　propelling　shot；　and　contrived　a　steam…engine　with　which　he

made　many　trials　at　Soho；　thereby　anticipating　the　apparatus

contrived　by　Mr。　Perkins　many　years　later。



In　1810　Murdock　took　out　a　patent　for　boring　steam…pipes　for

water；　and　cutting　columns　out　of　solid　blocks　of　stone；　by　means

of　a　cylindrical　crown　saw。　　The　first　machine　was　used　at　Soho；

and　afterwards　at　Mr。　Rennie's　Works　in　London；　and　proved　quite

successful。　　Among　his　other　inventions　were　a　lift　worked　by

compressed　air；　which　raised　and　lowered　the　castings　from　the

boring…mill　to　the　level　of　the　foundry　and　the　canal　bank。　　He

used　the　same　kind　of　power　to　ring　the　bells　in　his　house　at

Sycamore　Hill；　and　the　contrivance　was　afterwards　adopted　by　Sir

Walter　Scott　in　his　house　at　Abbotsford。



Murdock　was　also　the　inventor　of　the　well…known　cast…iron　cement；

so　extensively　used　in　engine　and　machine　work。　　The　manner　in

which　he　was　led　to　this　invention　affords　a　striking

illustration　of　his　quickness　of　observation。　　Finding　that　some

iron…borings　and　sal…ammoniac　had　got　accidently　mixed　together

in　his　tool…chest；　and　rusted　his　saw…blade　nearly　through；　he

took　note　of　the　circumstance；　mixed　the　articles　in　various

proportions；　and　at　length　arrived　at　the　famous　cement；　which

eventually　became　an　article　of　extensive　manufacture　at　the　Soho

Works。



Murdock's　ingenuity　was　constantly　at　work；　even　upon　matters

which　lay　entirely　outside　his　special　vocation。　　The　late　Sir

William　Fairbairn　informed　us　that　he　contrived　a　variety　of

curious　machines　for　consolidating　peat　moss；　finely　ground　and

pulverised；　under　immense　pressure；　and　which；　when　consolidated；

could　be　moulded　into　beautiful　medals；　armlets；　and　necklaces。　

The　material　took　the　most　brilliant　polish　and　had　the

appearance　of　the　finest　jet。



Observing　that　fish…skins　might　be　used　as　an　economical

substitute　for　isinglass；　he　went　up　to　London　on　one　occasion　in

order　to　explain　to　brewers　the　best　method　of　preparing　and

using　them。　　He　occupied　handsome　apartments；　and；　little

regarding　the　splendour　of　the　drawing…room；　he　hung　the

fish…skins　up　against　the　walls。　　His　landlady　caught　him　one　day

when　he　was　about　to　bang　up　a　wet　cod's　skin！　　He　was　turned　out

at　once；　with　all　his　fish。　　While　in　town　on　this　errand；　it

occurred　to　him　that　a　great　deal　of　power　was　wasted　in　treading

the　streets　of　London！　　He　conceived　the　idea　of　using　the

streets　and　roadways　as　a　grand　tread…mill；　under　which　the　waste

power　might　be　stored　up　by　mechanical　methods　and　turned　to

account。　　He　had　also　an　idea　of　storing　up　the　power　of　the

tides；　and　of　running　water；　in　the　same　way。　　The　late　Charles

Babbage；　F。R。S。；　entertained　a　similar　idea　about　using　springs

of　Ischia　or　of　the　geysers　of　Iceland　as　a　power　necessary　for

condensing　gases；　or　perhaps　for　the　storage　of　electricity。＇12＇　

The　latter；　when　perfected；　will　probably　be　the　greatest

invention　of　the　next　half　century。



Another　of　Murdock's'　ingenious　schemes；　was　his　proposed　method

of　transmitting　letters　and　packages　through　a　tube　exhausted　by

an　air…pump。　　This　project　led　to　the　Atmospheric　Railway；　the

success　of　which；　so　far　as　it　went；　was　due　to　the　practical

ability　of　Murdock's　pupil；　Samuel　Clegg。　　Although　the

atmospheric　railway　was　eventually　abandoned；　it　is　remarkable

that　the　original　idea　was　afterwards　revived　and　practised　with

success　by　the　London　Pneumatic　Dispatch　Company。



In　1815；　while　Murdock　was　engaged　in　erecting　an　apparatus　of

his　own　invention　for　heating　the　water　for　the　baths　at

Leamington；　a　ponderous　cast…iron　plate　fell　upon　his　leg　above

his　ankle；　and　severely　injured　him。　　He　remained　a　long　while　at

Leamington；　and　when　it　was　thought　safe　to　remove　him；　the

Birmingham　Canal　Company　kindly　placed　their　excursion　boat　at

his　disposal；　and　he　was　conveyed　safely　homeward。　　So　soon　as　he

was　able；　he　was　at　work　again　at　the　Soho　factory。



Although　the　elder　Watt　had　to　a　certain　extent　ignored　the　uses

of　steam　as　applied　to　navigation；　being　too　much　occupied　with

developing　the　powers　of　the　pumping　and　rotary　engine；　the　young

partners；　with　the　stout　aid　of　Murdock；　took　up　the　question。　

They　supplied　Fulton　in　1807　with　his　first　engine；　by　means　of

which　the　Clermont　made　her　first　voyage　along　the　Hudson　river。　

They　also　supplied　Fulton　and　Livingston　with　the　next　two

engines　for　the　Car　of　Neptune　and　the　Paragon。　　From　that　time

forward；　Boulton　and　Watt　devoted　themselves　to　the　manufacture

of　engines　for　steamboats。　　Up　to　the　year　1814；　marine　engines

had　been　all　applied　singly　in　the　vessel；　but　in　this　year

Boulton　and　Watt　first　applied　two　condensing　engines；　connected

by　cranks　set　at　right　angles　on　the　shaft；　to　propel　a　steamer

on　the　Clyde。　　Since　then；　nearly　all　steamers　are　fitted　with

two　engines。　　In　making　this　important　improvement；　the　firm　were

materially　aided　by　the　mechanical　genius　of　William　Murdock；　and

also　of　Mr。　Brown；　then　an　assistant；　but　afterwards　a　member　of

the　firm。



In　order　to　carry　on　a　set　of　experiments　with　respect　to　the

most　improved　form　of　marine　engine；　Boulton　and　Watt　purchased

the　Caledonia；　a　Scotch　boat　built　on　the　Clyde　by　James　Wood　and

Co。；　of　Port　Glasgow。　　The　engines　and　boilers　were　taken　out。　

The　vessel　was　fitted　with　two　side　lever　engines；　and　many

successive　experiments　were　made　with　her　down　to　August；　1817；

at　an　expense　of　about　10；000L。　　This　led　to　a　settled　plan　of

construction；　by　which　marine　engines　were　greatly　improved。　

James　Watt；　junior；　accompanied　the　Caledonia　to　Holland　and　up

the　Rhine。　　The　vessel　was　eventually　sold　to　the　Danish

Government；　and　used　for　carrying　the　mails　between　Kiel　and

Copenhagen。　　It　is；　however；　unnecessary　here　to　venture　upon　the

further　history　of　steam　navigation。



In　the　midst　of　these　repeated　inventions　and　experiments；

Murdock　was　becoming　an　old　man。　　Yet　he　never　ceased　to　take　an

interest　in　the　works　at　Soho。　　At　length　his　faculties

experienced　a　gradual　decay；　and　he　died　peacefully　at　his　house

at　Sycamore　Hill；　on　the　l5th　of　November；1839；　in　his

eighty…fifth　year。　　He　was　buried　near　the　remains　of　the　great

Boulton　and　Watt；　and　a　bust　by　Chantrey　served　to　perpetuate　the

remembrance　of　his　manly　and　intelligent　countenance。





Footnotes　for　Chapter　V。



＇1＇　Fletcher's　Political　Works；　London；　1737；　p。　149；



＇2＇　One　of　the　Murdocks　built　the　cathedral　at　Glasgow；　as　well

as　others　in　Scotland。　　The　famous　school　of　masonry　at　Antwerp

sent　out　a　number　of　excellent　architects　during　the　11th；　12th；

and　13th　centuries。　　One　of　these；　on　coming　into　Scotland；

assumed　the　name　of　Murdo。　　He　was　a　Frenchman；　born　in　Paris；　as

we　learn　from　the　inscription　left　on　Melrose　Abbey；　and　he　died

while　building　that　noble　work：　it　is　as　follows：



〃John　Murdo　sumtyme　cait　was　I　And　born　in　Peryse　certainly；　An'

had　in　kepyng　all　mason　wark　Sanct　Andrays；　the　Hye　Kirk

o'Glasgo；　Melrose　and　Paisley；　Jedybro　and　Galowy。　　Pray　to　God

and　Mary　baith；　and　sweet　Saint　John；　keep　this　Holy　Kirk　frae

scaith。〃



＇3＇　The　discovery　of　the　Black　Band　Ironstone　by　David　Mushet　in

1801；　and　the　invention　of　the　Hot　Blast　by　James　Beaumont

Neilson　in　1828；　will　be　found　related　in　Industrial　Biography；

pp。　141…161。



＇4＇　Note　to　Lockhart's　Life　of　Scott。



＇5＇　This　was　stated　to　the　present　writer　some　years　ago　by

William　Murdock's　son；　although　there　is　no　other　record　of　the

event。



＇6＇　See　Lives　of　Engineers　（Boulton　and　Watt）；　iv。　pp。　182…4。　

Small　edition；　pp。　130…2。



＇7＇　Mr。　Pearse's　letter　is　dated　23rd　April；　1867；　but　has　not

before　been　published。　　He　adds　that　〃others　remembered　Murdock；

one　who　was　an　apprentice　with　him；　and　lived　with　him　for　some

timea　Mr。　Vivian；　of　the　foundry　at　Luckingmill。〃



＇8＇　Murdock's　house　still　stands　in　Cross　Street；　Redruth；　those

still　live　who　saw　the　gas…pipes　conveying　gas　from　the　retort　in

the　little　yard　to　near　the　ceiling　of　the　room；　just　over　the

table；　a　hole　for　the　pipe　was　made　in　the　window　frame。　　The　old

window　is　now　replaced　by　a　new　frame。〃Life　of　Richard

Trevithick；　i。　64。



＇9＇　Philosophical　Transactions；　1808；　pp。　l24…l32。



＇10＇　Winsor's　family　evidently　believed　in　his　great　powers；　for

I　am　informed　by　Francis　Galton；　Esq。；　F。R。S。；　that　there　is　a

fantastical　monument　on　the　right…hand　side　of　the　central　avenue

of　the　Kensal　Green　Cemetery；　about　half　way　between　the　lodge

and　the　church；　which　bears　the　following　inscription：〃Tomb　of

Frederick　Albert　Winsor；　son　of　the　late　Frederick　Albert　Winsor；

originator　of　public　Gas…lighting；　buried　in　the　Cemetery　of　Pere

la　Chaise；　Paris。　　〃At　evening　time　it　shall　be　light。Zachariah

xiv。　7。　　〃I　am　come　a　light　into　the　world；　that　whoever

believeth　in　Me　shall　not　abide　in　darkness。John　xii。　46。〃



＇11＇　Mr。　Parkes；　in　his　well　known　Chemical　Essays　（ed。　1841；　p。

157）；　after　referring　to　the　successful　lighting　up　by　Murdock　of

the　manufactory　of　Messrs。　Phillips　and　Lee　at　Manchester　in

1805；　〃with　coal　gas　issuing　from　nearly　a　thousand　burners；〃

proceeds；　〃This　grand　application　of　the　new　principle　satisfied

the　public　mind；　not　only　of　the　practicability；　but　also　of　the

economy　of　the　application；　and　as　a　mark　of　the　high　opinion

they　entertained　of　his　genius　and　perseverance；　and　in　order　to

put　the　question　of　priority　of　the　discovery　beyond　all　doubt；

the　Council　of　the　Royal　Society　in　1808　awarded　to　Mr。　Murdock

the　Gold　Medal　founded　by　the　late　Count　Rumford。〃



＇12＇　〃Thus；〃　says　Mr。　Charles　Babbage；　〃in　a　future　age；　power

may　become　the　staple　commodity　of　the　Icelanders；　and　of　the

inhabitants　of　other　volcanic　districts；　and　possibly　the　very

process　by　which　they　will　procure　this　article　of　exchange　for

the　luxuries　of　happier　climates　may；　in　some　measure；　tame　the

tremendous　element　which　occasionally　devastates　their

provinces。〃Economy　of　Manufactures。





CHAPTER　VI。



FREDERICK　K