an autobiography-第53章

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　peculiarity　of　the　situation；　and　when　the　pipes　were　lapped　with　felt；　or　enclosed　in　wooden　troughs　filled　with　sawdust；　the　loss　of　heat　by　radiation　was　reduced　to　a　minimum。　　The　loss　of　power　was　certainly　much　less　than　in　the　friction　of　a　long　and　perhaps　tortuous　line　of　shafting。　　With　steam　of　50　lbs。　to　the　inch；　a　pipe　of　one…inch　bore　will　convey　sufficient　steam　to　give　forth　five　horse…power　at　a　distance　of　two　or　three　hundred　feet　from　the　boiler。*　　＇footnote。。。　In　the　case　of　rambling　premises；　such　as　iron　shipbuilding　yards；　the　conveyance　of　steam　by　well…protected　pipes　put　underground　for　the　purpose　of　driving　engines　to　work　punching　and　plate…shearing　machines　（which　have　to　be　near　at　hand　when　the　work　is　required）；　has　very　great　practical　advantages。　　。。。＇

I　adopted　the　same　practice　in　working　the　refined　and　complex　machines　used　in　printing　coloured　patterns　on　calico。　　A　great　variety　of　colours　has　to　be　transferred　by　a　combination　of　rollerseach　carrying　its　proper　colour；　these　are　printed　on　the　calico　with　the　utmost　exactness；　and　result　in　the　complete　pattern。　　My　system　of　having　a　separate　engine　to　give　motion　to　these　colour…printing　machines　was　found　to　be　of　great　service；　and　its　value　was　recognised　by　its　speedy　and　almost　universal　adoption。　Every　connection　with　the　main　shaft；　with　its　gearing　and　belts　and　pulleysby　which　colour…printing　had　before　been　accomplishedwas　entirely　done　away　with；　because　each　machine　had　its　own　special　engine。　　The　former　practice　had　led　to　much　waste；　and　the　printing　was　often　confused　and　badly　done。　The　power　was　conveyed　from　a　great　central　steam…engine；　the　printing　machines　were　ranged　by　the　side　of　a　long　gallery；　and　by　means　of　a　〃clutch〃　each　machine　was　started　at　once　into　action。

The　result　of　this　was　a　considerable　shock　to　the　machine；　and　an　interference　with　the　relative　adjustments　of　the　six　or　eight　colour　rollers；　which　were　often　jerked　out　of　their　exact　relative　adjustment。　　Then　the　machines　had　to　be　stopped　and　the　rollers　readjusted；　and　sometimes　many　yards　of　calico　had　been　spoiled　before　this　could　be　done。

These　difficulties　were　now　entirely　removed。　　When　all　was　adjusted；　the　attendant　of　the　print…machine　had　only　to　open　gradually　the　steam　admission　valve　of　his　engine；　and　allow　it　to　work　the　machine　gently　at　its　first　off…go；　and　when　all　was　seen　to　be　acting　in　perfect　concert；　to　open　the　valve　further　and　allow　the　machine　to　go　at　full　speed。　　The　same　practice　was　adopted　in　slowing　off　the　machine；　so　as　to　allow　the　attendant　to　scrutinise　the　pattern　and　the　position　of　the　work；　or　in　stopping　the　machine　altogether。　　So　satisfactory　were　the　results　of　the　application　of　this　mode　of　driving　calico　printing　machines；　that　it　was　adopted　for　the　like　processes　as　applied　to　other　textile　fabrics；　and　it　is　now；　I　believe；　universally　applied　at　home　as　well　as　abroad。　　I　may　also　add　that　the　waste　steam；　as　it　issued　from　the　engine　after　performing　its　mechanical　duty　there；　was　utilised　in　a　most　effective　manner　by　heating　a　series　of　steam…tight　cylinders；　over　which　the　printed　cloth　travelled　as　it　issued　from　the　printing　machine；　when　it　was　speedily　and　effectively　dried。　　In　these　various　improvements　in　calico　printing　I　was　most　ably　seconded　by　Mr。　Joseph　Lese；　of　Manchester；　whose　practical　acquaintance　with　all　that　related　to　that　department　of　industry　rendered　him　of　the　greatest　service。　　There　was　no　〃Invention；〃　so　to　speak；　in　this　almost　obvious　application　of　the　steam…engine　to　calico…printing。　　It　required　merely　the　faculty　of　observation；　and　the　application　of　means　to　ends。　　The　main　feature　of　the　system；　it　will　be　observed；　was　in　enabling　the　superintendent　of　each　machine　to　have　perfect　control　over　it；to　set　it　in　motion　and　to　regulate　its　speed　without　the　slightest　jerk　or　shock　to　its　intricate　mechanism。　　In　this　sense　the　arrangement　was　of　great　commercial　value。

I　had　another　opportunity　of　introducing　my　small　engine　system　into　the　Government　Arsenal　at　Woolwich。　　In　1847　the　attention　of　the　Board　of　Ordnance　was；　directed　to　the　inadequacy　of　the　equipment　of　the　workshops　there。　　The　mechanical　arrangements；　the　machine　tools；　and　other　appliances；　were　found　insufficient　for　the　economical　production　of　the　apparatus　of　modern　warfare。　　The　Board　did　me　the　honour　to　call　upon　me　to　advise　with　them；　and　also　with　the　heads　of　departments　at　the　arsenal。　　Sir　Thomas　Hastings；　then　head　of　the　Ordnance；　requested　me　to　accompany　him　at　the　first　inspection。　I　made　a　careful　survey　of　all　the　workshops；　and　although　the　machinery　was　very　interesting　as　examples　of　the　old　and　primitive　methods　of　producing　war　material；　I　found　that　it　was　better　fitted　for　a　Museum　of　Technical　Antiquity　than　for　practical　use　in　these　days　of　rapid　mechanical　progress。　　Everything　was　certainly　far　behind　the　arrangements　which　I　had　observed　in　foreign　arsenals。　The　immediate　result　of　my　inspection　of　the　workshops　and　the　processes　conducted　within　them　was；　that　I　recommended　the　introduction　of　machine　tools　specially　adapted　to　economise　labour；　as　well　as　to　perfect　the　rapid　production　of　war　material。　In　this　I　was　heartily　supported　by　the　heads　of　the　various　departments。　After　several　conferences　with　them；　as　well　as　with　Sir　Thomas　Hastings；　it　was　arranged　that　a　large　extension　of　the　workshop　space　should　be　provided。　　I　was　so　fortunate　as　to　make　a　happy　suggestion　on　this　head。　　It　was；　that　by　a　very　small　comparative　outlay　nearly　double　the　workshop　area　might　be　providedby　covering　in　with　light　iron　roofs　the　long　wide　roadway　spaces　that　divided　the　parallel　ranges　of　workshops　from　each　other。

This　plan　was　at　once　adopted。　　Messrs。　Fox　and　Henderson；　the　well…known　railway　roofing　contractors；　were　entrusted　with　the　order；　and　in　a　very　short　time　the　arsenal　was　provided　with　a　noble　set　of　light　and　airy　workshops；　giving　ample　accommodation　for　present　requirements；　as　well　as　surplus　space　for　many　years　to　come。　In　order　to　supply　steam　power　to　each　of　these　beautiful　workshops；　and　for　working　the　various　machines　placed　within　them；　I　reverted　to　my　favourite　system　of　small　separate　steam…engines。　　This　was　adopted；　and　the　costly　ranges　of　shafting　that　would　otherwise　have　been　necessary　were　entirely　dispensed　with。

A　series　of　machine　tools　of　the　most　improved　modern　construction；　specially　adapted　for　the　various　classes　of　work　carried　on　in　the　arsenal；　together　with　improved　ranges　of　smiths'　forge　hearths；　blown　by　an　air　blast　supplied　by　fans　of　the　best　construction；　and　a　suitable　supply　of　small　hand　steam　hammers；　completed　the　arrangements；　and　quite　a　new　era　in　the　forge　work　of　the　arsenal　was　begun。　I　showed　the　managers　and　the　workmen　the　docile　powers　of　the　steam　hammer；　in　producing　in　a　few　minutes；　by　the　aid　of　dies；　many　forms　in　wrought…iron　that　had　heretofore　occupied　hours　of　the　most　skilful　smiths；　and　that；　too；　in　much　more　perfect　truth　and　exactitude。　Both　masters　and　men　were　delighted　with　the　result：　　and　as　such　precise　and　often　complex　forms　of　wrought…iron　work　were　frequently　required　by　hundreds　at　a　time　for　the　equipment　of　naval　gun　carriages　and　other　purposes；　it　was　seen　that　the　steam　hammer　must　henceforward　operate　as　a　powerful　auxiliary　in　the　productions　of　the　arsenal。

In　the　introduction　of　all　these　improvements　I　received　the　frank　and　cordial　encouragement　of　the　chief　officers　of　the　Board　of　Ordnance　and　Admiralty。　　My　suggestions　were　zealously　carried　out　by　Colonel　J。　N。　Colquhoun；　then　head　of　the　chief　mechanical　department　of　the　Ordnance　works　at　Woolwich。　　He　was　one　of　the　most　clear…headed　and　intelligent　men　I　have　ever　met　with。　　He　had　in　a　special　degree　that　happy　power　of　inspiring　his　zeal　and　energy　into　all　who　worked　under　his　superintendence；　whether　foremen　or　workmen。　A　wonderfully　sympathetic　effect　is　produced　when　the　directing　head　of　the　establishment　is　possessed　of　the　valuable　faculty　of　cheerful　and　well…directed　energy。　　It　works　like　an　electric　thrill；　and　soon　pervades　the　whole　department。　　I　may　also　mention　General　Dundas；　director　of　the　Royal　Gun…Factory；　and　General　Hardinge；　head　of　the　Royal　Laboratories。*　　＇footnote。。。　The　term　〃Laboratory〃　may　appear　an　odd　word　to　use　in　connection　with　machinery　and　mechanical　operations。　　Yet　its　original　signification　was　quite　appropriate；　inasmuch　as　it　related　to　the　preparation　of　explosive　substances；　such　as　shells；　rockets；　fusees；　cartridges；　and　percussion　caps；　where　chemistry　was　as　much　concerned　as　mechanism　in　producing　the　required　results。　　。。。＇

This　latter　department　included　all　processes　connected　with　explosives。　It　was　superintended　by　Captain　Boxer；　an　officer　of　the　highest　talent　and　energy；　who　brought　everything　under　his　control　to　the　highest　pitch　of　excellence。　　I　must　also　add　a　most　important　person；　my　old　and　much　esteemed　friend　John　Anderson；　then　general　director　of　the　Machinery　of　the　arsenal。　　He　was　an　admirable　mechanic；　a　man　of　clear　practical　good　sense　and　judgment；　and　he　eventually　raised　himself　to　the　highest　position　in　the　public　service。

The　satisfactory　performance　of　the　machinery　which　had　been　supplied　to　the　workshops　of　the　royal　dock　yards　and　arsenals；　led　to　further　demands　for　similar　machinery　for　foreign　Governments。　　Foreign　visitor　were　allowed　freely　to　inspect　all　that　had　been　done　whatever　may　be　said　of　the　wisdom　of　this　proceeding　it　is　certainly　true　that　no　mechanical　improvement　can　long　be　kept　secret　nowadays。　Everything　is　published　and　illustrated　in　our　engineering　journals。　And　if　the　foreigners　had　not　been　allowed　to　obtain　their　new　machines　from　England；　they　were　provided　with　facilities　enough　for　constructing　them　for　themselves。　　At　all　events；　one　result　of　the　improved　working　of　the　new　machines　at　the　Royal　Arsenal　at　Woolwich；　was　the　receipt　of　large　orders　for　our　firm　for　the　supply　of　foreign　Governments。　For　instance；　that　of　Spain　employed　us　liberally；　principally　tor　the　equipment　of　the　royal　dockyards　of　Ferrol　and　Cartagena。　These　orders　came　to　us　through　Messrs。　Zuluatta　Brothers；　who　conducted　their　proceedings　with　us　in　a　prompt　and　business…like　way　for　many　years。　　Through　the　same　firm　we　obtained　orders　to　furnish　machinery　for　the　Spanish　royal　dockyard　at　Havana。

In　1849　we　received　an　extensive　order　from　the　Russian　Government。　This　was　transmitted　to　us　through　the　Imperial　Consulate　in　London。　The　machinery　was　required　for　the　equipment　of　a　very　extensive　rope　factory　at　the　naval　arsenal　of　Nicolaiev；　on　the　Black　Sea　This　order　included　all　the　machinery　requisite　for　the　factory；　from　the　heckling　of　the　hemp　to　the　twisting　of　the　largest　ropes　and　cables　required　in　the　Russian　naval　service。　　The　design　and　organisation　of　this　machinery　in　its　minutest　detail　caused　me　to　made　a　special　study　of　the　art　of　rope…making。　　It　was　a　comparatively　new　subject　to　me；　but　I　found　it　full　of　interest。　　It　was　difficulty；　and　therefore　to　be　overcome。　And　in　this　lies　a　great　deal　of　the　pleasure　of　contriving　and　inventing。