an autobiography-第43章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ive　every　satisfaction。　　Shortly　after；　I　received　a　letter　from　M。　Bouchier；　the　Minister　of　Marine；　inviting　me　to　make　a　personal　visit　to　the　French　naval　arsenals　for　the　purpose　of　conferring　with　the　directing　officials　as　to　the　mechanical　equipments　of　their　respective　workshops。

I　accordingly　proceeded　to　Paris；　and　was　received　most　cordially　by　the　Minister　of　Marine。　　After　conferring　with　him；　I　was　furnished　with　letters　of　introduction　to　the　directing　officers　at　Cherbourg；　Brest；　Rochefort；　Indret；　and　Toulon。　　While　in　Paris　I　visited　some　of　the　principal　manufacturing　establishments；　the　proprietors　of　which　had　done　business　with　our　firm。　　I　also　visited　Arago　at　the　Observatory；　and　saw　his　fine　array　of　astronomical　instruments。　The　magnificent　collections　of　antiquities　at　the　Louvre　and　Hotel　Cluny　occupied　two　days　out　of　the　four　I　spent　in　Paris；　after　which　I　proceeded　on　my　mission。　　Rouen　lay　in　my　way；　and　I　could　not　fail　to　stay　there　and　indulge　my　love　for　Gothic　architecture。　I　visited　the　magnificent　Cathedral　and　the　Church　of　St。　Ouen；　so　exquisite　in　its　beauty；　together　with　the　refined　Gothic　architectural　remains　scattered　about　in　that　interesting　and　picturesque　city。　　I　was　delighted　beyond　measure　with　all　that　I　saw。　With　an　eye　to　business；　however；　I　paid　a　visit　to　the　works　which　had　been　established　by　the　late　Joseph　Locke　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Rouen　for　the　supply　of　locomotives　to　the　Havre；　Rouen；　and　Paris　Railway。　The　works　were　then　under　the　direction　of　Mr。　Buddicom。　I　went　onward　through　Caen　to　Bayeux。　　There　I　rested　for　a　few　hours　for　the　purpose　of　visiting　the　superb　Norman　Cathedral；　and　also　to　inspect　the　celebrated　Bayeux　tapestry。　　I　saw　the　needlework　of　Queen　Matilda　and　her　handmaidens；　which　so　graphically　commemorates　the　history　of　the　Norman　Conquest。　　In　the　evening　I　reached　Cherbourg。　I　was　cordially　received　by　the　directing　officer　of　the　dockyard；　which　is　of　very　large　extent　and　surrounded　by　fortifications。　My　business　was　with　the　smithy　or　atelier　des　forges；　and　the　workshops　or　ateliers　des　machiness。　　There　I　recognised　many　of　the　machine…tools　manufactured　at　the　Bridgewater　Foundry；　doing　excellent　work。

My　next　visit　was　to　Brest；　the　chief　naval　arsenal　of　France。　It　combines　a　dockyard；　arsenal；　and　fortress　of　the　first　class。　Everything　has　been　done　to　make　the　place　impregnable。　　The　harbour　is　situated　on　the　north　side　of　one　of　the　finest　havens　in　the　world；　and　is　almost　land…locked。　　Around　the　harbour　run　quays　of　great　extent；　alongside　of　which　the　largest　ships　can　liefive　artificial　basins　being　excavated　out　of　the　solid　rock。　　The　whole　of　the　harbour　is　defended　by　tier　above　tier　of　batteries。　　Foreigners　are　not　permitted　to　enter　the　dockyard　without　special　permission；　but　as　I　was　armed　with　my　letter　of　introduction　from　the　Minister　of　Marine；　I　was　admitted　and　cordially　received；　as　at　Cherbourg。　　I　went　through　the　Government　foundry　and　steam…factory；　for　which　I　had　supplied　many　of　my　machine　tools。　　I　found　the　establishment　to　be　the　largest　and　most　complete　that　I　had　seen。　　From　Brest　I　went　to　Rochefort；　an　excellent　naval　arsenal；　though　much　smaller　than　those　at　Cherbourg　and　Brest。　　Next　to　Indret　on　the　Loire。　　Here　is　the　large　factory　where　marine　engines　are　made　for　the　royal　steamers。　The　works　were　superintended　by　M。　Rosine；　a　most　able　man。*　　＇footnote。。。　The　only　man　I　ever　met；　to　whom　I　might　compare　Rosine；　was　my　lamented　friend　Francis　Humphries；　engineer　of　the　Great　Western　Steamship　Company。　　Both　were　men　of　the　same　type；　though　Rosine　was　several　octaves…higher　in　the　compass　and　vividness　of　his　intellect。　　。。。＇

I　was　so　much　pleased　with　him　that　I　spent　two　days　in　his　society。　I　have　rarely　met　with　a　more　perfect　union　of　the　sound　practical　mechanic；　of　strong　common…sense；　and　yet　with　a　vivid　imagination；　which　threw　a　light　upon　every　subject　that　he　touched。　It　was　delightful　to　see　the　perfect　manner　in　which　he　had　arranged　all　the　details　of　the　engine　factory　under　his　superintendence；　and　to　observe　the　pride　which　he　took　in　the　accuracy　of　the　work　turned　out　by　his　excellent　machinery。　　It　was　a　treat　to　see　the　magnificent　and　intricate　iron　castings　produced　there。

As　M。　Rosine　spoke　English　fluently；　we　had　discussions　on　a　vast　variety　of　topics；　not　only　relating　to　technical　subjects；　but　on　other　matters　relating　to　art　and　mechanical　drawing。　　He　was　one　of　the　few　men　I　have　met　who　had　in　perfection　the　happy　accomplishment　of　sketching　with　true　artistic　spirit　any　object　that　he　desired　to　bring　before　you。　　His　pencil　far　outstripped　language　in　conveying　distinct　ideas　on　constructive　and　material　objects。　　The　time　that　I　spent　in　the　company　of　this　most　interesting　man　will　ever　remain　vivid　in　my　memory。　　It　grieved　me　greatly　to　hear　of　his　premature　death　about　two　years　after　the　date　of　my　visit。　　He　must　have　been　a　sad　loss　to　his　deeply　attached　friends；　as　well　as　to　the　nation　whom　he　so　faith　fully　served。

On　my　way　to　Toulon　I　passed　through　Bordeaux；　and　by　Avignon　to　Nismes。　　At　the　latter　city　I　was　delighted　with　the　sight　of　the　exquisite　Roman　temple；　the　Maison　Carree。　　It　is　almost　perfect。　But　the　most　interesting　of　the　Roman　remains　at　Nismes　is　the　magnificent　Amphitheatre。　　In　viewing　this　grand　specimen　of　architecture；　as　well　as　the　old　temples；　cathedrals；　and　castles；　I　felt　that　we　moderns　are　comparative　pigmies。　　Our　architecture　wants　breadth；　grandeur；　sublimity。

It　appears　to　me　that　one　of　the　chief　causes　of　the　inferiority　and　defects　of　Modern　Architecture　is；　that　our　designers　are　so　anxious　to　display　their　taste　in　ornamentation。　　They　first　design　the　exterior；　and　then　fit　into　it　the　interior　of　their　building。　The　purpose　of　the　building　is　thus　regarded　as　a　secondary　consideration。　　In　short；　they　utilise　ornament　instead　of　ornamenting　utilitytotal　inversion；　as　it　appears　to　me；　of　the　fundamental　principle　which　ought　to　govern　all　classes　of　architectural　structures。　This　is；　unfortunately；　too　evident　in　most　of　our　public　buildings。　See；　for　instance；　our　new　Law　Courts。

One　thing　I　was　especially　struck　with　at　Nismesthe　ease　with　which　some　thousands　of　people　might　issue；　without　hindrance；　from　the　Amphitheatre。　　The　wedge…shaped　passages　radiate　from　the　centre；　and；　widening　outwards；　would　facilitate　the　egress　of　an　immense　crowd。　　Contrast　this　with　the　difficulty　of　getting　out　of　any　modern　theatre　or　church　in　case　of　alarm　or　fire。　　Another　thing　is　remarkablethe　care　with　which　the　huge　blocks　of　magnesian　limestone*　　＇footnote。。。　I　believe　Dolomite　is　the　proper　geological　term。　This　fine　material　abounds　in　this　part　of　France；　and　has　materially　contributed　to　the　durability　of　the　Roman　mason　work。　　。。。＇　have　been　selected。　　Some　of　the　stone　slabs　are　eighteen　feet　long；　they　roof　over　the　corridors；　yet　they　still　retain　the　marks　of　the　Roman　chisel。　　Every　individual　chip　is　as　crisp　as　on　the　day　on　which　it　was　made；　even　the　delicate　〃scribe〃　marks；　by　which　the　mason　some　1900　years　ago　lined　out　his　work　on　the　blocks　of　stone　he　was　about　to　chip　into　its　required　form；　are　still　perfectly　distinct。

This　wonderfully　durable　stone　is　of　the　same　material　as　that　employed　by　lithographers。　　Though　magnesian；　it　is　of　a　different　quality　from　that　employed　in　building　our　Houses　of　Parliament。　As　this　was　carefully　selected；　the　latter　was　carelessly　unselected。　It　was　quarried　at　random；　in　the　most　ignorant　way；　some　of　it　proved　little　better　than　chalk；　and　though　all　sorts　of　nostrums　have　been　tried；　nothing　will　cure　the　radical　defect。　　This；　however；　is　a　wide　digression　from　my　subject　of　the　admirable　mason　work；　and　the　wonderful　skill　and　forethought　employed　in　erecting　that　superb　arena　and　the　other　Roman　buildings　at　Nismes。

I　proceeded　to　Marseilles；　where　I　had　some　business　to　transact　with　Philip　Taylor　and　Company；　the　engineering　firm。　　They　were　most　kind　and　attentive　to　me　while　there；　and　greatly　added　to　the　enjoyment　of　my　visit　to　that　remarkable　city。　　From　Marseilles　I　proceeded　to　Toulon；　the　last　of　the　marine　dockyards　I　had　to　visit。　　There　was　no　railway　between　the　places　at　that　time；　and　it　was　accordingly　necessary　that　I　should　drive　along　the　usual　road。　　In　the　course　of　my　journey　to　Toulon　I　went　through　the　Pass　of　Col　d'Ollioulles。　It　was　awfully　impressive。　　The　Pass　appeared　to　consist　of　a　mighty　cleft　between　two　mountains；　the　result　of　some　convulsion　of　Nature。　There　was　only　room　for　the　carriage　road　to　pass　between　the　cliffs。　The　ruins　of　a　Saracenic　castle　stood　on　the　heights　to　guard　the　passage。　　It　was　certainly　the　most　romantic　scene　I　had　ever　beheld。

Looking　down　into　the　deep　cleft　below　me；　at　the　bottom　of　which　ran　a　turbulent　stream；　I　saw　the　narrow　road　along　which　our　carriage　was　to　pass。　　And　then　suddenly　I　emerged　in　full　sight　of　the　Mediterranean；　with　the　calm　blue　heavens　resting　over　the　deep　blue　sea。　　There　were　palms；　cactuses；　and　orange　trees；　mixed　with　olive　groves。　　The　fields　were　full　of　tulips　and　narcissuses；　and　the　rocks　by　the　roadside　were　covered　with　boxwood　and　lavender。　　Everything　gave　evidence　of　the　sunny　South。　　I　had　got　a　glimpse　of　the　Mediterranean　a　few　days　before；　but　now　I　saw　it　in　its　glory。

I　arrived　in　due　time　at　Toulon。　　The　town　is　not　very　striking　in　itself。　　It　is　surrounded　by　an　amphitheatre　of　mountains　of　hard　magnesian　limestone。　　These　are　almost　devoid　of　vegetation。　This　it　is　which　gives　so　arid　an　aspect　to　this　part　of　the　coast。　Facing　the　south；　the　sun's　rays；　reflected　from　the　bare　surface　of　the　rocks；　place　one　at　mid…day　as　if　in　the　focus　of　a　great　burning　mirror；　and　send　every　one　in　quest　of　shade。　　This　intense　temperature　has　its　due　effect　upon　the　workers　in　the　dockyard。　　I　found　the　place　far　inferior　to　the　others　which　I　had　visited。　　The　heat　seemed　to　engender　a　sort　of　listlessness　over　the　entire　place。　The　people　seemed　to　be　falling　asleep。　　Though　we　complain　of　cold　in　our　northern　hemisphere；　it　is　a　great　incentive　to　work。　　Even　our　east　wind　is　an　invigorator；　it　braces　us　up；　and　strengthens　our　nerves　and　muscles。

It　is　quite　possible　that　the　workmen　of　the　Toulon　dockyard　might　fire　up　and　work　with　energy　provided　an　occasion　arose　to　call　forth　their　dormant　energy。　　But　without　the　aid　of　an　almost　universal　introduction　of　self…acting　tools　in　this　sleepy　establishment；　to　break；　with　the　busy　hum　of　active　working　machinery；　the　spell　of　indolence　that　seemed　to　pervade　it；　there　appeared　to　me　no　hope　of　anything　like　continuous　and　effective　industry　or　useful　results。　The　docks　looked　like　one　vast　knacker's　yard　of　broken…down　obsolete　ships　and　wretched　old　paraphernaliaunfortunately　a　characteristic　of　other　establishments　nearer　home　than　Toulon。

After　transacting　my　business　with　the　directing　officers　of　this　vast　dockyard　I　returned　to　Marseilles。　　There　I　found　letters　requiring　me　to　proceed　to　Naples；　in　order　to　complete　some　business　arrangements　in　that　city。　　I　was　exceedingly　rejoiced　to　have　an　opportunity　of　visiting　the　south　of　Ita