men of invention and industry-第50章

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during　the　experiments。



I　completed　the　prescribed　drawings　and　specifications；　and　sent

them；　together　with　the　model；　to　Somerset　House。　　Some　280

schemes　of　lifeboats　were　submitted　for　competition；　but　mine　was

not　successful。　　I　suspect　that　the　extreme　novelty　of　the

arrangement　deterred　the　adjudicators　from　awarding　in　its

favour。　　Indeed；　the　scheme　was　so　unprecedented；　and　so　entirely

out　of　the　ordinary　course　of　things；　that　there　was　no　special

mention　made　of　it　in　the　report　afterwards　published；　and　even

the　description　there　given　was　incorrect。　　The　prize　was　awarded

to　Mr。　James　Beeching；　of　Great　Yarmouth；　whose　plans　were

afterwards　generally　adopted　by　the　Lifeboat　Society。　　I　have

preserved　my　model　just　as　it　was；　and　some　of　its　features　have

since　been　introduced　with　advantage　into　shipbuilding。＇1＇



The　firm　of　Robert　Stephenson　and　Co。　having　contracted　to　build

for　the　Government　three　large　iron　caissons　for　the　Keyham

Docks；　and　as　these　were　very　similar　in　construction　to　that　of

an　ordinary　iron　ship；　draughtsmen　conversant　with　that　class　of

work　were　specially　engaged　to　superintend　it。　　The　manager；

knowing　my　fondness　for　ships；　placed　me　as　his　assistant　at　this

new　work。　　After　I　had　mastered　it；　I　endeavoured　to　introduce

improvements；　having　observed　certain　defects　in　laying　down　the

linesI　mean　by　the　use　of　graduated　curves　cut　out　of　thin

wood。　　In　lieu　of　this　method；　I　contrived　thin　tapered　laths　of

lancewood；　and　weights　of　a　particular　form；　with　steel　claws　and

knife　edges　attached；　so　as　to　hold　the　lath　tightly　down　to　the

paper；　yet　capable　of　being　readily　adjusted；　so　as　to　produce

any　form　of　curve；　along　which　the　pen　could　freely　and

continuously　travel。　　This　method　proved　very　efficient；　and　it

has　since　come　into　general　use。



The　Messrs。　Stephenson　were　then　also　making　marine　engines；　as

well　as　large　condensing　pumping　engines；　and　a　large　tubular

bridge　to　be　erected　over　the　river　Don。　　The　splendid　high…level

bridge　over　the　Tyne；　of　which　Robert　Stephenson　was　the

engineer；　was　also　in　course　of　construction。　　With　the

opportunity　of　seeing　these　great　works　in　progress；　and　of

visiting；　during　my　holidays　and　long　evenings；　most　of　the

manufactories　and　mines　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Newcastle；　I

could　not　fail　to　pick　up　considerable　knowledge；　and　an

acquaintance　with　a　vast　variety　of　trades。　　There　were　about

thirty　other　pupils　in　the　works　at　the　same　time　with　myself；

some　were　there　either　through　favour　or　idle　fancy；　but

comparatively　few　gave　their　full　attention　to　the　work；　and　I

have　since　heard　nothing　of　them。　　Indeed；　unless　a　young　fellow

takes　a　real　interest　in　his　work；　and　has　a　genuine　love　for　it；

the　greatest　advantages　will　prove　of　no　avail　whatever。



It　was　a　good　plan　adopted　at　the　works；　to　require　the　pupils　to

keep　the　same　hours　as　the　rest　of　the　men；　and；　though　they　paid

a　premium　on　entering；　to　give　them　the　same　rate　of　wages　as　the

rest　of　the　lads。　　Mr。　William　Hutchinson；　a　contemporary　of

George　Stephenson；　was　the　managing　partner。　　He　was　a　person　of

great　experience；　and　had　the　most　thorough　knowledge　of　men　and

materials；　knowing　well　how　to　handle　both　to　the　best　advantage。



His　son…in…law；　Mr。　William　Weallans；　was　the　head　draughtsman；

and　very　proficient；　not　only　in　quickness　but　in　accuracy　and

finish。　　I　found　it　of　great　advantage　to　have　the　benefit　of　the

example　and　the　training　of　these　very　clever　men。



My　five　years　apprenticeship　was　completed　in　May　1851；　on　my

twentieth　birthday。　　Having　had　but　very　little　〃black　time；〃　as

it　was　called；　beyond　the　half…yearly　holiday　for　visiting　my

friends；　and　having　only　〃slept　in〃　twice　during　the　five　years；

I　was　at　once　entered　on　the　books　as　a　journeyman；　on　the　〃big〃

wage　of　twenty　shillings　a　week。　　Orders　were；　however；　at　that

time　very　difficult　to　be　had。



Railway　trucks；　and　even　navvies'　barrows；　were　contracted　for　in

order　to　keep　the　men　employed。　　It　was　better　not　to　discharge

them；　and　to　find　something　for　them　to　do。　　At　the　same　time　it

was　not　very　encouraging　for　me；　under　such　circumstances；　to

remain　with　the　firm。　　I　therefore　soon　arranged　to　leave；　and

first　of　all　I　went　to　see　London。　　It　was　the　Great　Exhibition

year　of　1851。　　I　need　scarcely　say　what　a　rich　feast　I　found

there；　and　how　thoroughly　I　enjoyed　it　all。　　I　spent　about　two

months　in　inspecting　the　works　of　art　and　mechanics　in　the

Exhibition；　to　my　own　great　advantage。　　I　then　returned　home；

and；　after　remaining　in　Scarborough　for　a　short　time；　I　proceeded

to　Glasgow　with　a　letter　of　introduction　to　Messrs。　J。　and　G。

Thomson；　marine　engine　builders；　who　started　me　on　the　same　wages

which　I　had　received　at　Stephenson's；　namely　twenty　shillings　a

week。



I　found　the　banks　of　the　Clyde　splendid　ground　for　gaining

further　mechanical　knowledge。　　There　were　the　ship　and　engine

works　on　both　sides　of　the　river；　down　to　Govan；　and　below　there；

at　Renfrew；　Dumbarton；　Port　Glasgow；　and　Greenockno　end　of

magnificent　yardsso　that　I　had　plenty　of　occupation　for　my

leisure　time　on　Saturday　afternoons。　　The　works　of　Messrs。　Robert

Napier　and　Sons　were　then　at　the　top　of　the　tree。　　The　largest

Cunard　steamers　were　built　and　engined　there。　　Tod　and　Macgregor

were　the　foremost　in　screw　steamshipsthose　for　the　Peninsular

and　Oriental　Company　being　splendid　models　of　symmetry　and　works

of　art。　　Some　of　the　fine　wooden　paddle…steamers　built　in　Bristol

for　the　Royal　Mail　Company　were　sent　round　to　the　Clyde　for　their

machinery。　　I　contrived　to　board　all　these　ships　from　time　to

time；　so　as　to　become　well　acquainted　with　their　respective

merits　and　peculiarities。



As　an　illustration　of　how　contrivances；　excellent　in　principle；

but　defective　in　construction；　may　be　discarded；　but　again　taken

up　under　more　favourable　circumstances；　I　may　mention　that　I　saw

a　Hall's　patent　surface…condensor　thrown　to　one　side　from　one　of

these　steamers；　the　principal　difficulty　being　in　keeping　it

tight。　　And　yet；　in　the　course　of　a　very　few　years；　by　the

simplest　possible　contrivanceinserting　an　indiarubber　ring

round　each　end　of　the　tube　（Spencer's　patent）surface

condensation　in　marine　engines　came　into　vogue；　and　there　is

probably　no　ocean…going　steamer　afloat　without　it；　furnished　with

every　variety　of　suitable　packings。



After　some　time；　the　Messrs。　Thomson　determined　to　build　their

own　vessels；　and　an　experienced　naval　draughtsman　was　engaged；　to

whom　I　was　〃told　off〃　whenever　he　needed　assistance。　　In　the

course　of　time；　more　and　more　of　the　ship　work　came　in　my　way。　

Indeed；　I　seemed　to　obtain　the　preference。　　Fortunately　for　us

both；　my　superior　obtained　an　appointment　of　a　similar　kind　on

the　Tyne；　at　superior　pay；　and　I　was　promoted　to　his　place。　　The

Thomsons　had　now　a　very　fine　shipbuilding…yard；　in　full　working

order；　with　several　large　steamers　on　the　stocks。　　I　was　placed

in　the　drawing…office　as　head　draughtsman。　　At　the　same　time　I

had　no　rise　of　wages；　but　still　went　on　enjoying　my　twenty

shillings　a　week。　　I　was；　however；　gaining　information　and

experience；　and　knew　that　better　pay　would　follow　in　due　course

of　time。　　And　without　solicitation　I　was　eventually　offered　an

engagement　for　a　term　of　years；　at　an　increased　and　increasing

salary；　with　three　months'　notice　on　either　side。



I　had　only　enjoyed　the　advance　for　a　short　time；　when　Mr。　Thomas

Toward；　a　shipbuilder　on　the　Tyne；　being　in　want　of　a　manager；

made　application　to　the　Messrs。　Stephenson　for　such　a　person。　

They　mentioned　my　name；　and　Mr。　Toward　came　over　to　the　Clyde　to

see　me。　　The　result　was；　that　I　became　engaged；　and　it　was

arranged　that　I　should　enter　on　my　enlarged　duties　on　the　Tyne　in

the　autumn　of　1853。　　It　was　with　no　small　reluctance　that　I　left

the　Messrs。　Thomson。　　They　were　first…class　practical　men；　and

had　throughout　shown　me　every　kindness　and　consideration。　　But　a

managership　was　not　to　be　had　every　day；　and　being　the　next　step

to　the　position　of　a　master；　I　could　not　neglect　the　opportunity

for　advancement　which　now　offered　itself。



Before　leaving　Glasgow；　however；　I　found　that　it　would　be

necessary　to　have　a　new　angle　and　plate　furnace　provided　for　the

works　on　the　Tyne。　　Now；　the　best　man　in　Glasgow　for　building

these　important　requisites　for　shipbuilding　work　was　scarcely

ever　sober；　but　by　watching　and　coaxing　him；　and　by　a　liberal

supply　of　Glenlivat　afterwards；　I　contrived　to　lay　down　on　paper；

from　his　directions；　what　he　considered　to　be　the　best　class　of

furnace；　and　by　the　aid　of　this　I　was　afterwards　enabled　to

construct　what　proved　to　be　the　best　furnace　on　the　Tyne。



To　return　to　my　education　in　shipbuilding。　　My　early　efforts　in

ship…draughting　at　Stephensons'　were　further　developed　and

matured　at　Thomsons'　on　the　Clyde。　　Models　and　drawings　were　more

carefully　worked　out　on　the　1/4…in。　scale　than　heretofore。　　The

stern　frames　were　laid　off　and　put　up　at　once　correctly；　which

before　had　been　first　shaped　by　full…sized　wooden　moulds。　　I　also

contrived　a　mode　of　quickly　and　correctly　laying　off　the

frame…lines　on　a　model；　by　laying　it　on　a　plane　surface；　and

then；　with　a　rectangular　block　traversing　ita　pencil　in　a

suitable　holder　being　readily　applied　over　the　curved　surface。　

This　method　is　now　in　general　use。



Even　at　that　time；　competition　as　regards　speed　in　the　Clyde

steamers　was　very　keen。　　Foremost　among　the　competitors　was　the

late　Mr。　David　Hutchinson；　who；　though　delighted　with　the

Mountaineer；　built　by　the　Thomsons　in　1853；　did　not　hesitate　to

have　her　lengthened　forward　to　make　her　sharper；　so　as　to　secure

her　ascendency　in　speed　during　the　ensuing　season。　　The　results

were　satisfactory；　and　his　steamers　grew　and　grew；　until　they

developed　into　the　celebrated　Iona　and　Cambria；　which　were　in

later　years　built　for　him　by　the　same　firm。　　I　may　mention　that

the　Cunard　screw　steamer　Jura　was　the　last　heavy　job　with　which　I

was　connected　while　at　Thomsons'。



I　then　proceeded　to　the　Tyne；　to　superintend　the　building　of

ships　and　marine　boilers。　　The　shipbuilding　yard　was　at　St。

Peter's；　about　two　and　a…half　miles　below　Newcastle。　　I　found　the

work；　as　practised　there；　rough　and　ready；　but　by　steady

attention　to　all　the　details；　and　by　careful　inspection　when

passing　the　〃piece…work〃　（a　practice　much　in　vogue　there；　but

which　I　discouraged）；　I　contrived　to　raise　the　standard　of

excellence；　without　a　corresponding　increase　of　price。　　My　object

was　to　raise　the　quality　of　the　work　turned　out；　and；　as　we　had

orders　from　the　Russian　Government；　from　China；　and　the

Continent；　as　well　as　from　shipowners　at　home；　I　observed　that

quality　was　a　very　important　element　in　all　commercial　success。　

My　master；　Mr。　Thomas　Toward；　was　in　declining　health；