steamships——thoseforthePeninsularandOrientalCompanybeingsplendidmodelsofsymmetryandworksofart。Someofthefinewoodenpaddle-steamersbuiltinBristolfortheRoyalMailCompanyweresentroundtotheClydefortheirmachinery。Icontrivedtoboardalltheseshipsfromtimetotime，soastobecomewellacquaintedwiththeirrespectivemeritsandpeculiarities。
Asanillustrationofhowcontrivances，excellentinprinciple，butdefectiveinconstruction，maybediscarded，butagaintakenupundermorefavourablecircumstances，ImaymentionthatIsawaHall’spatentsurface-condensorthrowntoonesidefromoneofthesesteamers，theprincipaldifficultybeinginkeepingittight。Andyet，inthecourseofaveryfewyears，bythesimplestpossiblecontrivance——insertinganindiarubberringroundeachendofthetubeSpencer’spatent——surfacecondensationinmarineenginescameintovogue；andthereisprobablynoocean-goingsteamerafloatwithoutit，furnishedwitheveryvarietyofsuitablepackings。
Aftersometime，theMessrs。Thomsondeterminedtobuildtheirownvessels，andanexperiencednavaldraughtsmanwasengaged，towhomIwas“toldoff“wheneverheneededassistance。Inthecourseoftime，moreandmoreoftheshipworkcameinmyway。
Indeed，Iseemedtoobtainthepreference。Fortunatelyforusboth，mysuperiorobtainedanappointmentofasimilarkindontheTyne，atsuperiorpay，andIwaspromotedtohisplace。TheThomsonshadnowaveryfineshipbuilding-yard，infullworkingorder，withseverallargesteamersonthestocks。Iwasplacedinthedrawing-officeasheaddraughtsman。AtthesametimeI
hadnoriseofwages；butstillwentonenjoyingmytwentyshillingsaweek。Iwas，however，gaininginformationandexperience，andknewthatbetterpaywouldfollowinduecourseoftime。AndwithoutsolicitationIwaseventuallyofferedanengagementforatermofyears，atanincreasedandincreasingsalary，withthreemonths’noticeoneitherside。