an autobiography-第38章

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　systematic　in　his　use　of　time　that　we　found　that　he　was　able　also　to　undertake　the　foremanship　of　the　boiler…making　department；　in　addition　to　that　of　the　smith　work；　and　to　this　he　was　afterwards　appointed；　with　highly　satisfactory　results　to　all　concerned。

So　strongly　and　clearly　impressed　is　my　mind　with　the　recollection　of　the　valuable　assistance　which　I　received　during　my　engineering　life　from　those　vicegerents　of　practical　management　at　Patricroft；　that　I　feel　that　I　cannot　proceed　further　in　my　narrative　without　thus　placing　the　merits　of　these　worthy　men　upon　record。　　It　was　a　source　of　great　good　fortune　to　me　to　be　associated　with　them；　and　I　consider　them　to　have　been　among　the　most　important　elements　in　the　prosperity　of　the　Bridgewater　Foundry。　　There　were　many　others；　in　comparatively　humble　positions；　whom　I　have　also　reason　to　remember　with　gratitude。　In　all　well…conducted　concerns　the　law　of　〃selection　of　the　fittest〃　sooner　or　later　comes　into　happy　action；　when　a　loyal　and　attached　set　of　men　work　together　harmoniously　for　their　own　advantage　as　well　as　for　that　of　their　employers。

It　was　not；　however；　without　some　difficulty　that　we　were　allowed　to　carry　out　our　views　as　to　Free　Trade　in　Ability。　　As　the　buildings　were　increased；　more　men　were　taken　onfrom　Manchester；　Bolton；　Liverpool；　as　well　as　from　more　distant　places。　　We　were　soon　made　to　feel　that　our　idea　of　promoting　workmen　according　to　their　merits；　and　advancing　them　to　improved　positions　and　higher　wages　in　proportion　to　their　skill；　ability；　industry；　and　natural　intelligence；　was　quite　contrary　to　the　views　of　many　of　our　new　employees。　　They　took　advantage　of　a　large　access　of　orders　for　machinery；　which　they　knew　had　come　into　the　foundry；　to　wait　upon　us　suddenly；　and　to　lay　down　their　Trade　Union　law　for　our　observance。

The　men　who　waited　upon　us　were　deputed　by　the　Engineer　Mechanics'　Trades'　Union　to　inform　us　that　there　were　men　in　our　employment　who　were　not；　as　they　termed　it；　〃legally　entitled　to　the　trade；〃　that　is；　they　had　never　served　a　regular　seven　years'　apprenticeship。　〃These　men；〃　said　the　delegates；　〃are　filling　up　the　places；　and　keeping　out　of　work；　the　legal　hands。〃　　We　were　accordingly　requested　to　discharge　the　workmen　whom　we　had　promoted；　in　order　to　make　room　for　members　of　the　Trades'　Union。

To　have　complied　with　this　request　would　have　altered　the　whole　principles　and　practice　on　which　we　desired　to　conduct　our　business。　I　wished；　and　my　partner　agreed　with　me；　to　stimulate　men　to　steadfast　and　skilful　work　by　the　hope　of　promotion。　　It　was　thus　that　I　had　taken　several　of　the　Worsley　men　from　the　rank　of　labourers；　and　raised　them　to　the　class　mechanics　with　correspondingly　higher　wages。　We　were　perfectly　satisfied　with　the　conduct　of　these　workmen；　and　with　the　productive　results　of　their　labour。　　We　thought　it　fair　to　them　as　well　as　to　ourselves　to　resist　the　order　to　discharge　them；　and　we　consequently　firmly　refused　to　submit　to　the　dictation　of　the　Unionists。

The　delegates　left　us　with　a　distinct　intimation　that　if　we　continued　to　retain　the　illegal　men　in　our　employment　they　would　call　out　the　Union　men；　and　strike　until　〃the　grievance　〃　was　redressed。　The　Unionists；　no　doubt；　fixed　upon　the　right　time　to　place　their　case　before　us。　　We　wanted　more　workmen　to　execute　the　advantageous　orders　which　had　come　in；　and　they　thought　that　the　strike　would　put　an　entire　stop　to　our　operations。　　On　engaging　the　workmen　we　had　never　up　to　this　time　concerned　ourselves　with　the　question　of　whether　they　belonged　to　the　Trades'　Union　or　not。　　The　only　proof　we　required　of　a　man　was　Ability。　　If；　after　a　week's　experience；　he　proved　himself　an　efficient　workman；　we　engaged　him。

The　strike　took　place。　　All　the　Union　men　were　〃called　out；〃　and　left　the　works。　　Many　of　them　expressed　their　great　regret　at　leaving　us；　as　they　were　perfectly　satisfied　with　their　employment　as　well　as　with　their　remuneration。　　But　they　were　nevertheless　compelled　to　obey　the　mandate　of　the　Council。　　The　result　was　that　more　than　half　of　our　men　left　us。　　Those　who　remained　were　very　zealous。　　Nothing　could　exceed　their　activity　and　workfulness。　　We　appealed　to　our　employers。　They　were　most　considerate　in　not　pressing　us　for　the　speedy　execution　of　the　work　we　had　in　hand。　　We　made　applications　in　the　neighbourhood　for　other　mechanics　in　lieu　of　those　who　had　left　us。　But　the　men　on　strike；　under　orders　from　the　Union；　established　pickets　round　the　works；　who　were　only　too　efficient　in　preventing　those　desirous　of　obtaining　employment　from　getting　access　to　the　foundry。

Our　position　for　a　time　seemed　to　be　hopeless。　　We　could　not　find　workmen　enough　to　fill　our　shops　or　to　execute　our　orders。　What　were　we　to　do　under　the　circumstances？　　We　could　not　find　mechanics　in　the　neighbourhood；　but　might　they　not；　be　found　elsewhere？　Why　not　bring　them　from　a　distance？　　We　determined　to　try。　Advertisements　were　inserted　in　the　Scotch　newspapers；　announcing　our　want　of　mechanics；　smiths；　and　foundrymen。　　We　appointed　an　agent　in　Edinburgh；　to　whom　applications　were　to　be　made。　　We　were　soon　in　receipt　of　the　welcome　intelligence　that　numbers　of　the　best　class　of　mechanics　had　applied；　and　that　our　agent's　principal　difficulty　consisted　in　making　the　proper　selection　from　amongst　them。

A　selection　was；　however；　made　of　over　sixty　men；　who　appeared　in　every　respect　likely　to　suit　us。　　With　true　Scotch　caution　they　deputed　two　of　their　number　to　visit　our　works　and　satisfy　themselves　as　to　the　real　state　of　the　case。　　We　had　great　pleasure　in　receiving　these　two　clear…headed　cautious　pioneers。　　We　showed　them　over　the　workshops；　and　pointed　out　the　habitations　in　the　neighbourhood　with　their　attractive　surroundings。　　The　men　returned　to　their　constituents；　and　gave　such　a　glowing　account　of　their　mission　that　we　had　no　difficulty　in　obtaining　the　men　we　required。　　Indeed；　we　might　easily　have　obtained　three　times　the　number　of　efficient　mechanics。　Sixty…four　of　the　most　likely　men　were　eventually　selected；　men　in　the　zenith　of　their　physical　powers。　　We　made　arrangements　for　their　conveyance　to　Glasgow；　from　whence　they　started　for　Liverpool　by　steamer。　　They　landed　in　a　body　at　the　latter　port；　many　of　them　accompanied　by　their　wives　and　children；　and　eight…day　clocks！　A　special　train　was　engaged　for　the　conveyance　of　the　wholemen；　women；　and　children；　bag　and　baggagefrom　Liverpool　to　Patricroft；　where　suitable　accommodation　had　been　provided　for　them。

The　arrival　of　so　powerful　a　body　of　men　made　a　great　sensation　in　the　neighbourhood。　　The　men　were　strong；　respectable　looking；　and　well　dressed。　　The　pickets　were　〃dumfoundered。〃　　They　were　brushed　to　one　side　by　the　fresh　arrivals。　　They　felt　that　their　game　was　up；　and　they　suddenly　departed。　　The　men　were　taken　over　the　workshops；　with　which　they　appeared　quite　delighted。　　They　were　told　to　be　ready　to　start　next　morning　at　six；　after　which　they　departed　to　their　lodgings。　The　morning　arrived　and　the　gallant　sixty…four　were　all　present。　After　allotting　to　each　his　special　work；　they　gave　three　hearty　cheers；　and　dispersed　throughout　the　workshops。

We　had　no　reason　to　regret　the　results　which　were　effected　through　the　strike　ordered　by　the　Trades'　Union。　　The　new　men　worked　with　a　will。　They　were　energetic；　zealous；　and　skilful。　　They　soon　gave　evidence　of　their　general　handiness　and　efficiency　in　all　the　departments　of　work　in　which　they　were　engaged。　　We　were　thus　enabled　to　carry　out　our　practice　of　Free　Trade　in　Ability　in　our　own　way；　and　we　were　no　longer　interfered　with　in　our　promotion　of　workmen　who　served　us　best。　In　short；　we　had　scotched　the　strike；　we　conquered　the　Union　in　their　wily　attempt　to　get　us　under　their　withering　control；　and　the　Bridgewater　Foundry　resumed　its　wonted　activity　in　every　department。

It　was　afterwards　a　great　source　of　happiness　to　me　to　walk　through　the　various　workshops　and　observe　the　cheerful　and　intelligent　countenances　of　the　new　men；　and　to　note　the　energetic　skill　with　which　they　used　their　tools　in　the　advancement　of　their　work。　　General　handiness　is　one　of　the　many　valuable　results　that　issues　from　the　practice　of　handling　the　variety　of　materials　which　are　more　or　less　employed　in　mechanical　structures。　　At　the　time　that　I　refer　to；　the　skilful　workmen　employed　in　the　engineering　establishments　of　Scotland　（which　were　then　comparatively　small　in　size）　were　accustomed　to　use　all　manner　of　mechanical　tools。　　They　could　handle　with　equally　good　effect　the　saw；　the　plane；　the　file；　and　the　chisel；　and；　as　occasion　required；　they　could　exhibit　their　skill　at　the　smith's　forge　with　the　hammer　and　the　anvil。　　This　was　the　kind　of　workmen　with　which　I　had　reinforced　the　foundry。　　The　men　had　been　bred　to　various　branches　of　mechanics。　Some　had　been　blacksmiths；　others　carpenters；　stone　masons；　brass　or　iron　founders；　but　all　of　them　were　handy　men。　　They　merely　adopted　the　occupation　of　machine　and　steam…engine　makers　because　it　offered　a　wider　field　for　the　exercise　of　their　skill　and　energy。

I　may　here　be　allowed　to　remark　that　we　owe　the　greatest　advances　in　mechanical　invention　to　Free　Trade　in　Ability。　　If　we　look　carefully　into　the　narratives　of　the　lives　of　the　most　remarkable　engineers；　we　shall　find　that　they　owed　very　little　to　the　seven　years'　rut　in　which　they　were　trained。　　They　owed　everything　to　innate　industry；　energy；　skill；　and　opportunity。　　Thus；　Brindley　advanced　from　the　position　of　a　millwright　to　that　of　a　canal　engineer；　Smeaton　and　Watt；　from　being　mathematical　instrument　makers；　advanced　to　higher　positions；the　one　to　be　the　inventor　of　the　modern　lighthouse；　the　other　to　be　the　inventor　of　the　condensing　steam…engine。　Some　of　the　most　celebrated　mechanical　and　civil　engineerssuch　as　Rennie；　Cubitt；　and　Fairbairnwere　originally　millwrights。　All　these　men　were　many…handed。　　They　had　many　sides　to　their　intellect。　They　were　resourceful　men。　　They　afford　the　best　illustrations　of　the　result　of　Free　Trade　in　Ability。

The　persistent　aim　at　an　indolent　equality　which　Union　men　aim　at；　is　one　of　the　greatest　hindrances　to　industrial　progress。　When　the　Union　Delegates　called　upon　me　to　insist　that　none　but　men　who　had　served　seven　years'　apprenticeship　should　be　employed　in　the　works；　I　told　them　that　I　preferred　employing　a　man　who　had　acquired　the　requisite　mechanical　skill　in　two　years　rather　than　another　who　was　so　stupid　as　to　require　seven　years'　teaching。　　The　delegates　regarded　this　statement　as　preposterous　and　heretical。　　In　fact；　it　was　utter　high　treason。　　But　in　the　long　run　we　carried　our　point。

It　is　true；　we　had　some　indenture…bound　apprentices。　　These　were　pupils　who　paid　premiums。　　In　certain　cases　we　could　not　very　well　refuse　to　take　them。　　Some　of　them　caused　a　great　deal　of　annoyance　and　disturbance。　　They　were　irregular　in　their　attendance；　consequently　they　could　not　be　depended　upon　for　the　regular　operations　of　the　foundry。　　They　were　careless　in　their　work；　and　set　a　bad　example　to　the　others。　　We　endeavoured　to　check　this　disturbing　element　by　stipulating　that　the　premium　should　be　payable　in　six　months'　portions；　and　that　each　party　should　be　free　to　terminate　the　connection　at　the　end　of　each