an autobiography-第47章

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when　the　driving　began。

I　may　again　revert　to　my　interview　with　the　Lords　of　the　Admiralty　on　the　occasion　of　my　first　meeting　them　at　Devonport。　　I　was　residing　at　the　hotel　where　they　usually　took　up　their　quarters　while　making　their　annual　visitation　of　the　dockyard。　　I　was　honoured　with　an　invitation　to　confer　with　Sir　George　Cockburn；　Mr。　Sidney　Herbert；　and　Captain　Brandreth　on　a　subject　of　considerable　importance；　namely；　the　proving　of　chain　cables　and　anchors　required　for　the　Royal　Navy。　　The　question　was　mooted　as　to　whether　or　not　some　permanent　injury　was　done　to　both　by　the　test　strains　to　which　they　were　submitted　before　being　put　on　board　ship。　　This　was　a　subject　of　vital　importance。　　The　members　of　the　Board　requested　me　to　act　as　one　of　a　committee　to　inquire　into　the　subject。　　I　felt　much　gratified　by　the　invitation　and　gladly　accepted　it。

On　discussing　the　subject　with　these　gentlemen　that　evening；　I　found　that　Sir　George　Cockburn　entertained　an　ingenious　theory　in　support　of　his　apprehensions　as　the　effect　of　〃over…proof〃　straining　of　cables　and　anchors。　　It　was　that　they　were　originally　in　the　condition　of　a　strong　man　who　had　to　lift　some　heavy　weight；　requiring　him　to　exert　his　muscular　strength　to　the　utmost；　and；　although　he　might　perform　the　feat；　it　was　at　the　cost　of　a　permanent　injury；　and　that　he　might　never　be　able　to　lift　the　same　weight　again。　　This；　however　true　it　might　be　with　regard　to　flesh　and　bone　structures；　was　scarcely　true　with　respect　to　mechanical　agencies。　　I　proposed　a　simple　experiment　with　chain　cables；　which；　it　occurred　to　me；　would　show　quite　a　different　resultnamely；　that　the　capability　of　resisting　the　severest　proof…strain　would　rise　rather　than　fall　at　each　successive　proof　of　the　same　chain　cable。

To　test　the　correctness　of　my　supposition；　we　had　a　first…class　chain　cable　put　into　the　proof　machine；and　subjected　it　to　such　a　strain　as　to　break　it　again　and　again；　until　at　last　it　was　divided　almost　into　single　links。　　As　I　expected；　the　proof　or　breaking　strain　kept　rising　and　rising　as　each　successive　remaining　portion　of　the　cable　was　torn　asunder；　thus　showing　that　no　injury　to　the　natural　tenacity　of　the　chain　had　resulted　from　the　increased　proofs　to　which　it　had　been　subjected；　and　that　the　last　broken　links　had　been　much　more　resisting　than　the　first。　　The　same　class　of　demonstrative　experiments　was　made　with　anchors；　and　other　wrought…iron　work　used　in　the　service。　The　Admiralty　officers　were　much　gratified　with　the　result；　as　removing　a　groundless　but　very　natural　apprehension；　heightened；　no　doubt；　by　the　suggestions　that　had　been　made　to　the　Admiralty；　that　their　standard　proof　strain　was　not　only　too　high　in　itself；　but　produced　permanent　damage　to　what　at　the　outset　was　of　the　toughest　iron。　My　system　of　continued　proof…straining　was；　in　fact；　another　exemplification　of　the　〃Survival　of　the　Fittest〃！

A　very　interesting　truth　came　out　in　the　course　of　our　experiments。　It　was　that　the　chief　cause　of　failure　in　the　links　of　chain　cables　arose；　not　so　much　from　their　want　of　tenacity；　or　from　the　quality　of　the　iron；　but　from　some　defective　welding　in　the　making　of　the　links。　To　get　at　this　truth；　many　excellent　cables　as　received　from　the　contractors；　as　well　as　veteran　ones　that　had　held　great　ships　riding　at　anchor　in　terrible　gales；　were　pulled　asunder　link　by　link　by　an　intentional　destructive　strain　by　the　proving　machine。　An　exact　account　was　taken　of　the　nature　of　the　fracture　of　each。　The　result　was　that　in　eight　cases　out　of　ten；　the　fracture　was　found　to　result　from　a　defectively　welded　part　of　the　chain…link。　The　practically　trained　eye　could　see　the　scoria　which　indicates　the　defective　welding。　　Though　long　unseen；　it　was　betrayed　at　once　when　the　link　was　torn　open　by　the　proof　strain。

My　services　on　this　committee　proved　a　source　of　great　enjoyment　to　me。　I　had　frequent　occasion　to　visit　the　dockyards　and　workshops；　accompanied　by　Captain　Brandreth；　surveyor…general　of　the　Admiralty　landworks；Mr。　Thomas　Lloyd；　engineer…in…chief　of　the　Admiralty；　and　Mr。　Jeremiah　Owen；　chief　of　the　metal　material　required　in　the　equipment　of　the　navy　I　was　requested　to　suggest　any　improvement　in　the　workshops　that　I　thought　would　add　to　the　efficiency　of　the　department；　and　I　trust　that　my　recommendations　proved　of　practical　good　to　the　service。　　At　the　same　time；　I　have　reason　to　know　that　many　of　the　recommendations　of　the　committee；　though　cordially　acknowledged　by　the　higher　powers；　were　by　a　sort　of　passive　resistance　practically　shelved。

I　was　much　amused；　when　I　first　went　to　Devonport　dockyard；　to　notice　the　punctilious　observance　of　forms　and　ceremonies　with　respect　to　the　various　positions　of　officialsfrom　the　admiral…superintendent　down　the　official　grades　of　dignity；　to　the　foremen　of　departments；　and　so　on。　　I　did　not　care　for　all　this　panjandrum　of　punctiliousness；　but　was；　I　hope；　civil　and　chatty　with　everybody。　　I　had　a　good　word　for　the　man　as　well　as　for　the　foreman。　　I　received　some　kind　and　good…natured　hints　as　to　the　relative　official　superiority　that　prevailed　in　the　departments；　and　made　out　a　scale　or　list　of　the　various　strata　accordingly。　　This　gamut　of　eminence　was　of　use　to　me　in　my　dealings　with　dockyard　officials。　　I　was　enabled　to　mind　my　p's　and　q's　in　communicating　with　them。

The　first　Sunday　that　I　spent　at　Devonport　I　went　to　the　dockyard　churchthe　church　appointed　for　officials　and　men　employed　by　the　Government。　　The　seats　were　appointed　in　the　order　of　rank；　employments；　and　rate　of　pay。　　The　rows　of　seats　were　all　marked　with　the　class　of　employers　that　were　expected　to　sit　in　them。　　Labourers　were　near　the　door。　　The　others　were　in　successive　rows　forward；　until　the　pew　of　the　〃Admiral　Superintendent；〃　next　the　Altar　rails；　was　reached。　　I　took　my　seat　among　the　〃artificers；〃　being　of　that　order。　On　coming　out　of　church　the　master…attendant；　next　in　dignity　to　the　admiral…superintendent；　came　up　to　me　to　say　how　distressed　he　was　to　see　me　〃among　the　artificers；〃　and　begged　me　in　future　to　use　his　seat。　　No　doubt　this　was　kindly　intended；　and　I　thanked　him　for　his　courtesy。　　Nevertheless　I　kept　to　my　class　of　artificers。　I　did　not　like　the　〃breest　o'　the　laft'〃*　　＇footnote。。。　The　breest　o'　the　laft　is　the　seat　of　dignity。　The　best　places　in　　churches　are　occupied　by　〃superior〃　people。　In　Scotland　the　chief　men　the　Provosts；　Bailies；　and　Councillorshave　a　seat　appropriated　to　them　in　the　front　part　of　the　gallery；　generally　opposite　the　minister。　That　is　〃the　breest　o'　the　laft。〃　The　same　principle　pervades　society　generally。　　。。。＇　principle。　　No　doubt　the　love　of　distinction；　within　reasonable　limits；　is　a　great　social　prime　mover；　but　at　Devonport；　with　the　splitting　up　into　ranks；　even　amongst　workmen；　I　found　it　simply　amusing；　especially　when　introduced　into　a　church。

I　afterwards　met　with　several　veterans　in　the　service　of　the　Admiralty；　who　are　well　served　by　such　experienced　and　well…selected　men。　It　is　the　schemers　and　the　satellites　who　haunt　the　contractors　that　are　the　vermin　of　dockyards。　　I　gave　them　all　a　very　wide　berth。　But　worst　of　all　are　the　men　who　get　their　employment　through　parliamentary　influence。　　They　are　a　detestable　set。　　They　always　have　some　〃grievance〃　to　pester　people　about。　　I　hope　things　are　better　now。

I　may　add；　with　respect　to　the　steam　hammer　pile…driving　machines；　that　I　received　an　order　for　two　of　them　from　Mohammed　Ali；　the　Pasha　of　Egypt。　　These　were　required　for　driving　the　piles　in　that　great　work　the　barrage　of　the　Nile　near　Cairo。　　The　good　services　of　these　machines　so　pleased　the　Pasha　that　he　requested　us　to　receive　three　selected　Arab　men　into　our　works。　　He　asked　that　they　should　have　the　opportunity　of　observing　the　machinery　processes　and　the　system　of　management　of　an　English　engineering　factory。　　The　object　of　the　Pasha　was　that　the　men　should　return　to　Egypt　and　there　establish　an　engine　manufactory；　so　as　to　render　him　in　a　measure　independent　of　foreign　help。　　For　British　workmen；　when　imported　into　Egypt；　had　a　great　tendency　to　degenerate　when　removed　from　the　wholesome　stimulus　to　exertion　in　competition　with　their　fellows。

My　firm　had　no　objection　to　the　introduction　of　the　Arab　workmen。　Accordingly；　one　day　we　received　a　visit　from　an　excellent　Egyptian　officer；　Edim　Bey；　accompanied　by　his　secretary　Rushdi　Effendi；　who　spoke　English　fluently。　　He　thus　made　our　interview　with　the　Bey　easy　and　agreeable。　　He　conveyed　to　us；　in　the　most　courteous　manner；　the　wishes　of　the　Pasha；　and　the　three　workmen　were　at　once　received。　Every　opportunity　was　given　them　to　observe　and　understand　the　works　going　forward。　　They　were　intelligent…looking　young　men；　about　twenty…five　years　of　age。　　One　of　them　was　especially　bright　looking；　quick　in　the　expression　of　his　eyes；　and　active　in　his　manner；　His　name　was　Affiffi　Lalli；　the　names　of　the　others　I　forget。

These　young　men　were　placed　under　charge　of　the　foremen　of　the　departments　that　each　fancied　to　be　most　to　his　taste。　　Affiffi　was　placed　in　the　fitting　department；　in　which　skilful　manipulation　was　required。　　He　exhibited　remarkable　aptitude；　and　was　soon　able　to　hold　his　own　alongside　of　our　best　workmen。　　Another　was　set　to　the　turning　department；　and　did　fairly　well。　　The　third　was　placed　in　the　foundry；　where　he　soon　became　efficient　in　moulding　and　casting　brass　and　iron　work。　　He　lent　a　hand　all　round；　and　picked　up　a　real　practical　knowledge　of　the　various　work　in　his　department。　　During　their　sojourn　in　our　works　they　became　friendly　with　their　colleagues；　and　in　fact　became　quite　favourites　with　the　men；　who　were　always　willing　to　help　them。　　But　Affiffi　Lalli　was　regarded　as　the　genius　of　the　trio。　He　showed　a　marked　and　intelligent　aptitude　for　acquiring　technical　skill　in　all　the　branches　of　our　business。

After　remaining　with　us　for　about　four　years　they　were　ready　to　return　to　Cairo；　and　show　what　they　had　learned　in　practical　and　technical　mechanical　knowledge　during　their　stay　in　England。　　The　three　Arab　workmen　were　placed　in　their　suitable　departments　in　the　Pasha's　work　shops。　　But　such　was　the　natural　energy　of　Affiffi；　that　when　he　was　set　to　work　beside　the　slow；　dilatory；　and　stupid　native　workmen；　he　became　greatly　irritated。　　The　contrast　between　the　active　energetic　movements　which　he　had　seen　at　the　Bridgewater　Foundry　and　the　ineffective；　blundering；　and　untechnical　work　of　his　fellows　was　such　that　he　could　not　stand　it　any　longer。　　So　one　fine　day　he　disappeared　from　the　works；　took　refuge　on　board　a　British　steamer；　and　at　the　risk　of　his　neck　made　his　way　back　to　the　Bridgewater　Foundry！

As　we　were　reluctant　to　take　back　a　man　who　had　escaped　from　the　Pasha's　employmentexcellent　workman　though　he　waswe　declined　to　employ　him。　　But　I　gave　Affiffi　a　note　of　introduction　to　Boulton　and　Watt　of　Soho；　Birmingham；　and　there　he　was　employed。　　He　afterwards　passed　into　other　firms；　and　having　employed　his　skill　in　making　some　needle　machinery　at　Redditch；　he　settled　down　there。　　He　married　a　Warwickshire　lass；　and　had　a　familyhalf　Arab；　half　English　and　has　now　a　thriving　foundry　and　engineer　workshop　of　his　own。　This　little　narrative　shows　that　the　Arab　has　still　much　of　the　won