men of invention and industry-第51章

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

desirous　of　spending　his　winters　abroad；　I　was　consequently　left

in　full　charge　of　the　works。　　But　as　there　did　not　appear　to　be　a

satisfactory　prospect；　under　the　circumstances；　for　any　material

development　of　the　business；　a　trifling　circumstance　arose；　which

again　changed　the　course　of　my　career。



An　advertisement　appeared　in　the　papers　for　a　manager　to　conduct

a　shipbuilding　yard　in　Belfast。　　I　made　inquiries　as　to　the

situation；　and　　eventually　applied　for　it。　　I　was　appointed；　and

entered　upon　my　duties　there　at　Christmas；　1854。　　The　yard　was　a

much　larger　one　than　that　on　the　Tyne；　and　was　capable　of　great

expansion。　　It　was　situated　on　what　was　then　well　known　as　the

Queen's　Island；　but　now；　like　the　Isle　of　Dogs；　it　has　been

attached　by　reclamation。　　The　yard；　about　four　acres　in　extent；

was　held　by　lease　from　the　Belfast　Harbour　Commissioners。　　It　was

well　placed；　alongside　a　fine　patent　slip；　with　clear　frontage；

allowing　of　the　largest　ships　being　freely　launched。　　Indeed；　the

first　ship　built　there；　the　Mary　Stenhouse；　had　only　just　been

completed　and　launched　by　Messrs。　Robert　Hickson　and　Co。；　then

the　proprietors　of　the　undertaking。　　They　were　also　the　owners　of

the　Eliza　Street　Iron　Works；　Belfast；　which　were　started　to　work

up　old　iron　materials。　　But　as　the　works　were　found　to　be

unremunerative；　they　were　shortly　afterwards　closed。



On　my　entering　the　shipbuilding　yard　I　found　that　the　firm　had　an

order　for　two　large　sailing　ships。　　One　of　these　was　partly　in

frame；　and　I　at　once　tackled　with　it　and　the　men。　　Mr。　Hickson；

the　acting　partner；　not　being　practically　acquainted　with　the

business；　the　whole　proceeding　connected　with　the　building　of　the

ships　devolved　upon　me。　　I　had　been　engaged　to　supersede　a

manager　summarily　dismissed。　　Although　he　had　not　given

satisfaction　to　his　employers；　he　was　a　great　favourite　with　the

men。　　Accordingly；　my　appearance　as　manager　in　his　stead　was　not

very　agreeable　to　the　employed。　　On　inquiry　I　found　that　the　rate

of　wages　paid　was　above　the　usual　value；　whilst　the　quantity　as

well　as　quality　of　the　work　done　were　below　the　standard。　　I

proceeded　to　rectify　these　defects；　by　paying　the　ordinary　rate

of　wages；　and　then　by　raising　the　quality　of　the　work　done。　　I

was　met　by　the　usual　methoda　strike。　　The　men　turned　out。　　They

were　abetted　by　the　former　manager；　and　the　leading　hands　hung

about　the　town　unemployed；　in　the　hope　of　my　throwing　up　the　post

in　disgust。



But；　nothing　daunted；　I　went　repeatedly　over　to　the　Clyde　for　the

purpose　of　enlisting　fresh　hands。　　When　I　brought　them　over；

however；　in　batches；　there　was　the　greatest　difficulty　in

inducing　them　to　work。　　They　were　intimidated；　or　enticed；　or

feasted；　and　sent　home　again。　　The　late　manager　had　also　taken　a

yard　on　the　other　side　of　the　river；　and　actually　commenced　to

build　a　ship；　employing　some　of　his　old　comrades；　but　beyond

laying　the　keel；　little　more　was　ever　done。　　A　few　months　after

my　arrival；　my　firm　had　to　arrange　with　its　creditors；　whilst　I；

pending　the　settlement；　had　myself　to　guarantee　the　wages　to　a

few　of　the　leading　hands；　whom　I　had　only　just　succeeded　in

gathering　together。　　In　this　dilemma；　an　old　friend；　a　foreman　on

the　Clyde；　came　over　to　Belfast　to　see　me。　　After　hearing　my

story；　and　considering　the　difficulties　I　had　to　encounter；　he

advised　me　at　once　to　〃throw　up　the　job！〃　　My　reply　was；　that

〃having　mounted　a　restive　horse；　I　would　ride　him　into　the

stable。〃



Notwithstanding　the　advice　of　my　friend；　I　held　on。　　The

comparatively　few　men　in　the　works；　as　well　as　those　out；　no

doubt　observed　my　determination。　　The　obstacles　were　no　doubt

great；　the　financial　difficulties　were　extreme；　and　yet　there　was

a　prospect　of　profit　from　the　work　in　hand；　provided　only　the　men

could　be　induced　to　settle　steadily　down　to　their　ordinary

employment。　　I　gradually　gathered　together　a　number　of　steady

workmen；　and　appointed　suitable　foremen。　　I　obtained　a

considerable　accession　of　strength　from　Newcastle。　　On　the　death

of　Mr。　Toward；　his　head　foreman；　Mr。　William　Hanston；　with　a

number　of　the　leading　hands；　joined　me。　　From　that　time　forward

the　works　went　on　apace；　and　we　finished　the　ships　in　hand　to　the

perfect　satisfaction　of　the　owners。



Orders　were　obtained　for　several　large　sailing　ships　as　well　as

screw　vessels。　　We　lifted　and　repaired　wrecked　ships；　to　the

material　advantage　of　Mr。　Hickson；　then　the　sole　representative

of　the　firm。　　After　three　years　thus　engaged；　I　resolved　to　start

somewhere　as　a　shipbuilder　on　my　own　account。　　I　made　inquiries

at　Garston；　Birkenhead；　and　other　places。　　When　Mr。　Hickson　heard

of　my　intentions；　he　said　he　had　no　wish　to　carry　on　the　concern

after　I　left；　and　made　a　satisfactory　proposal　for　the　sale　to　me

of　his　holding　of　the　Queen's　Island　Yard。　　So　I　agreed　to　the

proposed　arrangement。　　The　transfer　and　the　purchase　were　soon

completed；　through　the　kind　assistance　of　my　old　and　esteemed

friend　Mr。　G。　G。　Schwabe；　of　Liverpool；　whose　nephew；　Mr。　G。　W。

Wolff；　had　been　with　me　for　a　few　months　as　my　private　assistant。



It　was　necessary；　however；　before　commencing　for　myself；　that　I

should　assist　Mr。　Hickson　in　finishing　off　the　remaining　vessels

in　hand；　as　well　as　to　look　out　for　orders　on　my　own　account。　

Fortunately；　I　had　not　long　to　wait；　for　it　had　so　happened　that

my　introduction　to　the　Messrs。　Thomson　of　Glasgow　had　been　made

through　the　instrumentality　of　my　good　friend　Mr。　Schwabe；　who

induced　Mr。　James　Bibby　（of　J。　Bibby；　Sons　&　Co。；　Liverpool）　to

furnish　me　with　the　necessary　letter。　　While　in　Glasgow；　I　had

endeavoured　to　assist　the　Messrs。　Bibby　in　the　purchase　of　a

steamer；　　so　I　was　now　intrusted　by　them　with　the　building　of

three　screw　steamers　the　Venetian；　Sicilian；　and　Syrian；　each　270

feet　long；　by　34　feet　beam；　and　22　feet　9　inches　hold；　and

contracted　with　Macnab　and　Co。；　Greenock；　to　supply　the　requisite

steam…engines。



This　was　considered　a　large　order　in　those　days。　　It　required

many　additions　to　the　machinery；　plant；　and　tools　of　the　yard。　　I

invited　Mr。　Wolff；　then　away　in　the　Mediterranean　as　engineer　of

a　steamer；　to　return　and　take　charge　of　the　drawing　office。　　Mr。

Wolff　had　served　his　apprenticeship　with　Messrs。　Joseph　Whitworth

and　Co。；　of　Manchester；　and　was　a　most　able　man；　thoroughly

competent　for　the　work。　　Everything　went　on　prosperously；　and；　in

the　midst　of　all　my　engagements；　I　found　time　to　woo　and　win　the

hand　of　Miss　Rosa　Wann；　of　Vermont；　Belfast；　to　whom　I　was

married　on　the　26th　of　January；　1860；　and　by　her　great　energy；

soundness　of　judgment；　and　cleverness　in　organization；　I　was　soon

relieved　from　all　sources　of　care　and　anxiety；　excepting　those

connected　with　business。



The　steamers　were　completed　in　the　course　of　the　following　year；

doubtless　to　the　satisfaction　of　the　owners；　for　their　delivery

was　immediately　followed　by　an　order　for　two　larger　vessels。　　As

I　required　frequently　to　go　from　home；　and　as　the　works　must　be

carefully　attended　to　during　my　absence；　on　the　1st　of　January；

1862；　I　took　Mr。　Wolff　in　as　a　partner；　and　the　firm　has　since

continued　under　the　name　of　Harland　and　Wolff。　　I　may　here　add

that　I　have　throughout　received　the　most　able　advice　and

assistance　from　my　excellent　friend　and　partner；　and　that　we　have

together　been　enabled　to　found　an　entirely　new　branch　of　industry

in　Belfast。



It　is　necessary　for　me　here　to　refer　back　a　little　to　a　screw

steamer　which　was　built　on　the　Clyde　for　Bibby　and　Co。　by　Mr。

John　Read；　and　engined　by　J。　and　G。　Thomson　while　I　was　with

them。　　That　steamer　was　called　the　Tiber。　　She　was　looked　upon　as

of　an　extreme　length；　being　235　feet；　in　proportion　to　her　beam；

which　was　29　feet。　　Serious　misgivings　were　thrown　out　as　to

whether　she　would　ever　stand　a　heavy　sea。　　Vessels　of　such

proportions　were　thought　to　be　crank；　and　even　dangerous。　

Nevertheless；　she　seemed　to　my　mind　a　great　success。　　From　that

time；　I　began　to　think　and　work　out　the　advantages　and

disadvantages　of　such　a　vessel；　from　an　owner's　as　well　as　from　a

builder's　point　of　view。　　The　result　was　greatly　in　favour　of　the

owner；　though　entailing　difficulties　in　construction　as　regards

the　builder。　　These　difficulties；　however。　　I　thought　might

easily　be　overcome。



In　the　first　steamers　ordered　of　me　by　the　Messrs。　Bibby；　I

thought　it　more　prudent　to　simply　build　to　the　dimensions

furnished；　although　they　were　even　longer　than　usual。　　But；　prior

to　the　precise　dimensions　being　fixed　for　the　second　order；　I

with　confidence　proposed　my　theory　of　the　greater　carrying　power

and　accommodation；　both　for　cargo　and　passengers；　that　would　be

gained　by　constructing　the　new　vessels　of　increased　length；

without　any　increase　of　beam。　　I　conceived　that　they　would　show

improved　qualities　in　a　sea…way；　and　that；　notwithstanding　the

increased　accommodation；　the　same　speed　with　the　same　power　would

be　obtained；　by　only　a　slight　increase　in　the　first　cost。　　The

result　was；　that　I　was　allowed　to　settle　the　dimensions；　and　the

following　were　then　decided　on：　Length；　310　feet；　beam；　34　feet；

depth　of　hold；　24　feet　9　inches；　all　of　which　were　fully

compensated　for　by　making　the　upper　deck　entirely　of　iron。　　In

this　way；　the　hull　of　the　ship　was　converted　into　a　box　girder　of

immensely　increased　strength；　and　was；　I　believe；　the　first　ocean

steamer　ever　so　constructed。　　The　rig　too　was　unique。　　The　four

masts　were　made　in　one　continuous　length；　with　fore…and…aft

sails；　but　no　yards；thereby　reducing　the　number　of　hands

necessary　to　work　them。　　And　the　steam　winches　were　so　arranged

as　to　be　serviceable　for　all　the　heavy　hauls；　as　well　as　for　the

rapid　handling　of　the　cargo。



In　the　introduction　of　so　many　novelties；　I　was　well　supported　by

Mr。　F。　Leyland；　the　junior　partner　of　Messrs。　Bibby's　firm；　and

by　the　intelligent　and　practical　experience　of　Captain　Birch；　the

overlooker；　and　Captain　George　Wakeham；　the　Commodore　of　the

company。　　Unsuccessful　attempts　had　been　made　many　years　before

to　condense　the　steam　from　the　engines　by　passing　it　into

variously　formed　chambers；　tubes；　&c。；　to　be　there　condensed　by

surfaces　kept　cold　by　the　circulation　of　sea…water　round　them；　so

as　to　preserve　the　pure　water　and　return　it　to　the　boilers　free

of　salt。　　In　this　way；　〃salting　up〃　was　avoided；　and　a

considerable　saving　of　fuel　and　expenses　in　repairs　was　effected。



Mr。　Spencer　had　patented　an　improvement　on　Hall's　method　of

surface　condensation；　by　introducing　indiarubber　rings　at　each

end　of　the　tubes。　　This　had　been　tried　as　an　experiment　on　shore；

and　we　advised　that　it　should　be　adopted　in　one　of　Messrs。

Bibby's　smallest　steamers；　the　Frankfort。　　The　results　were　found

perfectly　satisfactory。　　Some　20　per　cent。　of　fu