ToolsandcivilizationThebeginningsoftoolsDexterityofhandchieflyreliedonOppositiontomanufacturingmachinesGradualprocessofinventionThehumanracethetrueinventorObscureoriginofmanyinventionsInventionsbornbeforetheirtime”Nothingnewunderthesun”
ThepowerofsteamknowntotheancientsPassagefromRogerBaconOldinventionsrevivedPrintingAtmosphericlocomotionTheballoonThereapingmachineTunnelsGunpowderAncientfirearmsThesteamgunTheCongreverocketCoal-gasHydropathyAnaestheticagentsTheDaguerreotypeanticipatedTheelectrictelegraphnotnewForgotteninventorsDisputedinventionsSimultaneousinventionsInventionsmadestepbystepJamesWatt’sdifficultieswithhisworkmenImprovementsinmodernmachine-toolsTheirperfectionTheenginesof”TheWarrior”
CHAPTERXI。
JOSEPHBRAMAH。
TheinventivefacultyJosephBramah’searlylifeHisamateurworkApprenticedtoacarpenterStartsascabinet-makerinLondonTakesoutapatentforhiswater-closetMakespumpsandironworkInventionofhislockInventstoolsrequiredinlock-makingInventshishydrostaticmachineHishydraulicpressTheleatherncollarinventedbyHenryMaudslayBramah’sotherinventionsHisfire-engineHisbeer-pumpImprovementsinthesteam-engineHisimprovementsinmachine-toolsHisnumber-printingmachineHispen-cutterHishydraulicmachineryPractisesascivilengineerAltercationwithWilliamHuntington，”S。S。”
Bramah’scharacteranddeathCHAPTERXII。
HENRYMAUDSLAY。
TheMaudslaysHenryMaudslayEmployedaspowder-boyinWoolwichArsenalAdvancedtotheblacksmiths’shopHisearlydexterityinsmith-workHis”trivet”makingEmployedbyBramahProveshimselfafirst-classworkmanAdvancedtobeforemanoftheworksHisinventionsoftoolsrequiredforlock-makingHisinventionoftheleatherncollarinthehydraulicpressLeavesBramah’sserviceandbeginsbusinessforhimselfHisfirstsmithyinWellsStreetHisfirstjobInventionoftheslide-latheResumeofthehistoryoftheturning-latheImperfectionoftoolsaboutthemiddleoflastcenturyThehand-latheGreatadvantagesofthesliderestFirstextensivelyusedinconstructingBrunel’sBlockMachineryMemoirofBrunelManufactureofships’blocksSirS。Bentham’sspecificationsIntroductionofBruneltoMaudslayTheblock-machinerymade，anditssuccessIncreasedoperationsofthefirmImprovementsinthesteam-engineInventionofthepunching-machineFurtherimprovementsintheslide-latheScrew-cuttingmachineMaudslayadexterousandthoughtfulworkmanHischaracterdescribedbyhispupil，JamesNasmythAnecdotesandtraitsMaudslay’sworksafirst-classschoolforworkmenHismodeofestimatingcharacterHisdeathCHAPTERXIII。
JOSEPHCLEMENT。
SkillincontrivanceamatterofeducationBirthandparentageofJosephClementApprenticedtothetradeofaslaterHisskillinamateurworkMakesaturning-latheGivesupslating，andbecomesamechanicEmployedatKirbyStepheninmakingpower-loomsRemovestoCarlisleGlasgowPeterNicholsonteacheshimdrawingRemovestoAberdeenWorksasamechanicandattendsCollegeLondonEmployedbyAlexanderGallowayEmployedbyBramahAdvancedtobeforemanDraughtsmanatMaudslayandField’sBeginsbusinessonhisownaccountHisskillasamechanicaldraughtsmanInventshisdrawinginstrumentHisdrawing-tableHisimprovementsintheself-actinglatheHisdouble-drivingcentre-chuckandtwo-armeddriverHisflutedtapsanddiesInventionofhisPlaningMachineEmployedtomakeBabbage’sCalculatingMachineResumeofthehistoryofapparatusformakingcalculationsBabbage’sengineproceededwithItsgreatcostInterruptionoftheworkClement’ssteam-whistlesMakesanorganCharacteranddeathCHAPTERXIV。
FOXOFDERBY——MURRAYOFLEEDS——ROBERTSANDWHITWORTHOFMANCHESTER。
ThefirstFoxofDerbyoriginallyabutlerHisgeniusformechanicsBeginsbusinessasamachinistInventsaPlaningMachineMatthewMurray’sPlaningMachineMurray’searlycareerEmployedasablacksmithbyMarshallofLeedsHisimprovementsofflax-machineryImprovementsinsteam-enginesMakesthefirstworkinglocomotiveforMr。BlenkinsopInventstheHecklingMachineHisimprovementsintoolsRichardRobertsofManchesterFirstaquarryman，nextapattern-makerDrawnforthemilitia，andfliesHistravelsHisfirstemploymentatManchesterGoestoLondon，andworksatMaudslay’sRoberts’snumerousinventionsInventsaplaningmachineTheself-actingmuleIronbilliard-tablesImprovementsinthelocomotiveInventstheJacquardpunchingmachineMakesturret-clocksandelectro-magnetsImprovementinscrew-steamshipsMr。Whitworth’simprovementoftheplaningmachineHismethodofsecuringtruesurfacesHisgreatmechanicalskillCHAPTERXV。
JAMESNASMYTH。
TraditionaloriginoftheNaesmythsAlexanderNasmyththepainter，andhisfamilyEarlyyearsofJamesNasmythThestoryofhislifetoldbyhimselfBecomesapupilofHenryMaudslayHowhelivedandworkedinLondonBeginsbusinessatManchesterStoryoftheinventionoftheSteamHammerTheimportantusesoftheHammerinmodemengineeringInventsthesteampile-drivingmachineDesignsanewformofsteam-engineOtherinventionsHowhe”Scotched”astrikeUsesofstrikesRetirementfrombusinessSkillasadraughtsmanCuriousspeculationsonantiquariansubjectsMr。Nasmyth’swonderfuldiscoveriesinAstronomydescribedbySirJohnHerschelCHAPTERXVI。
WILLIAMFAIRBAIRN。
Summaryofprogressinmachine-toolsWilliamFairbairn’searlyyearsHiseducationLifeintheHighlandsBeginsworkatKelsoBridgeAnapprenticeatPercyMainColliery，NorthShieldsDiligentself-cultureVoyagetoLondonAdventuresPreventedobtainingworkbytheMillwrights’UnionTravelsintothecountry，findswork，andreturnstoLondonHisfirstorder，tomakeasausage-choppingmachineWanderschaftMakesnail-machineryforaDublinemployerProceedstoManchester，wherehesettlesandmarriesBeginsbusinessHisfirstjobPartnershipwithMr。LillieEmployedbyMessrs。AdamMurrayandCo。
EmployedbyMessrs。MacConnelandKennedyProgressoftheCottonTradeMemoirofJohnKennedyMr。Fairbairnintroducesgreatimprovementsinthegearing，&c。
ofmillmachineryIncreasingbusinessImprovementsinwater-wheelsExperimentsastothelawoftractionofboatsBeginsbuildingironshipsExperimentsonthestrengthofwroughtironBritanniaandConwayTubularBridgesReportsonironOnboilerexplosionsIronconstructionExtendeduseofironItsimportanceincivilizationOpinionofMr。CobdenImportanceofmodernmachine-toolsConclusionINDUSTRIALBIOGRAPHY。
CHAPTERI。
IRONANDCIVILIZATION。”Ironisnotonlythesoulofeveryothermanufacture，butthemainspringperhapsofcivilizedsociety。”——FRANCISHORNER。”Weretheuseofironlostamongus，weshouldinafewagesbeunavoidablyreducedtothewantsandignoranceoftheancientsavageAmericans；sothathewhofirstmadeknowntheuseofthatcontemptiblemineralmaybetrulystyledthefatherofArtsandtheauthorofPlenty。”——JOHNLOCKE。
WhenCaptainCookandtheearlynavigatorsfirstsailedintotheSouthSeasontheirvoyagesofdiscovery，oneofthethingsthatstruckthemwithmostsurprisewastheaviditywhichthenativesdisplayedforiron。”Nothingwouldgodownwithourvisitors，”saysCook，”butmetal；andironwastheirbelovedarticle。”Anailwouldbuyagood-sizedpig；andononeoccasionthenavigatorboughtsomefourhundredpoundsweightoffishforafewwretchedknivesimprovisedoutofanoldhoop。”Forirontools，”saysCaptainCarteret，”wemighthavepurchasedeverythingupontheFreewillIslandsthatwecouldhavebroughtaway。
Afewpiecesofoldironhooppresentedtooneofthenativesthrewhimintoanecstasylittleshortofdistraction。”AtOtaheitethepeoplewerefoundgenerallywell-behavedandhonest；buttheywerenotproofagainstthefascinationsofiron。CaptainCooksaysthatoneofthem，afterresistingallothertemptations，”wasatlengthensnaredbythecharmsofbasketofnails。”Anotherlurkedaboutforseveraldays，watchingtheopportunitytostealacoal-rake。
Thenavigatorsfoundtheycouldpaytheirwayfromislandtoislandmerelywithscrapsofiron，whichwereasusefulforthepurposeasgoldcoinswouldhavebeeninEurope。Thedrain，however，beingcontinuous，CaptainCookbecamealarmedatfindinghiscurrencyalmostexhausted；andherelateshisjoyonrecoveringanoldanchorwhichtheFrenchCaptainBougainvillehadlostatBolabola，onwhichhefeltasanEnglishbankerwoulddoafterasevererunuponhimforgold，whensuddenlyplacedinpossessionofafreshstoreofbullion。
Theavidityforirondisplayedbythesepoorislanderswillnotbewonderedatwhenweconsiderthatwhoeveramongthemwassofortunateastoobtainpossessionofanoldnail，immediatelybecameamanofgreaterpowerthanhisfellows，andassumedtherankofacapitalist。”AnOtaheitanchief，”saysCook，”whohadgottwonailsinhispossession，receivednosmallemolumentbylettingouttheuseofthemtohisneighboursforthepurposeofboringholeswhentheirownmethodsfailed，orwerethoughttootedious。”
ThenativemethodsreferredtobyCookwereofaveryclumsysort；
theprincipaltoolsoftheOtaheitansbeingofwood，stone，andflint。Theiradzesandaxeswereofstone。Thegougemostcommonlyusedbythemwasmadeoutoftheboneofthehumanforearm。Theirsubstituteforaknifewasashell，orabitofflintorjasper。
Ashark’stooth，fixedtoapieceofwood，servedforanauger；
apieceofcoralforafile；andtheskinofasting-rayforapolisher。Theirsawwasmadeofjaggedfishes’teethfixedontheconvexedgeofapieceofhardwood。Theirweaponswereofasimilarlyrudedescription；theirclubsandaxeswereheadedwithstone，andtheirlancesandarrowsweretippedwithflint。Firewasanotheragencyemployedbythem，usuallyinboat-building。Thus，theNewZealanders，whosetoolswerealsoofstone，wood，orbone，madetheirboatsofthetrunksoftreeshollowedoutbyfire。
Thestoneimplementswerefashioned，CaptainCooksays，byrubbingonestoneuponanotheruntilbroughttotherequiredshape；but，afterall，theywerefoundveryinefficientfortheirpurpose。Theysoonbecamebluntedanduseless；andthelaboriousprocessofmakingnewtoolshadtobebegunagain。Thedelightoftheislandersatbeingputinpossessionofamaterialwhichwascapableoftakingacomparativelysharpedgeandkeepingit，maythereforereadilybeimagined；andhencetheremarkableincidentstowhichwehavereferredintheexperienceoftheearlyvoyagers。Inthemindsofthenatives，ironbecametherepresentativeofpower，efficiency，andwealth；andtheywerereadyalmosttofalldownandworshiptheirnewtools，esteemingtheaxeasadeity，offeringsacrificestothesaw，andholdingtheknifeinespecialveneration。
Intheinfancyofallnationsthesamedifficultiesmusthavebeenexperiencedforwantoftools，beforetheartsofsmeltingandworkinginmetalshadbecomeknown；anditisnotimprobablethatthePhoeniciannavigatorswhofirstfrequentedourcoastsfoundthesameavidityforbronzeandironexistingamongthepoorwoad-stainedBritonswhoflockeddowntotheshoretoseetheirshipsandexchangefoodandskinswiththem，thatCaptainCookdiscoveredmorethantwothousandyearslateramongthenativesofOtaheiteandNewZealand。
For，thetoolsandweaponsfoundinancientburying-placesinallpartsofBritainclearlyshowthattheseislandsalsohavepassedthroughtheepochofstoneandflint。
TherewasrecentlyexhibitedattheCrystalPalaceacollectionofancientEuropeanweaponsandimplementsplacedalongsideasimilarcollectionofarticlesbroughtfromtheSouthSeas；andtheywereinmostrespectssomuchalikethatitwasdifficulttobelievethattheydidnotbelongtothesameraceandperiod，insteadofbeingtheimplementsofracessunderedbyhalftheglobe，andlivingatperiodsmorethantwothousandyearsapart。Nearlyeveryweaponintheonecollectionhaditscounterpartintheother，——themaulsorceltsofstone，thespearheadsofflintorjasper，thearrowheadsofflintorbone，andthesawsofjaggedstone，showinghowhumaningenuity，underlikecircumstances，hadresortedtolikeexpedients。Itwouldalsoappearthattheancienttribesintheseislands，liketheNewZealanders，usedfiretohollowouttheirlargerboats；severalspecimensofthiskindofvesselhavingrecentlybeendugupinthevalleysoftheWithamandtheClyde，someofthelatterfromundertheverystreetsofmodernGlasgow。*
[footnote……”Mr。JohnBuchanan，azealousantiquary，writingin1855，informsusthatinthecourseoftheeightyearsprecedingthatdate，nolessthanseventeencanoeshadbeendugoutofthisestuarinesilt[ofthevalleyoftheClyde]，andthathehadpersonallyinspectedalargenumberofthembeforetheywereexhumed。FiveofthemlayburiedinsiltunderthestreetsofGlasgow，oneinaverticalpositionwiththeprowuppermost，asifithadsunkinastorm……Almosteveryoneoftheseancientboatswasformedoutofasingleoak-stem，hollowedoutbyblunttools，probablystoneaxes，aidedbytheactionoffire；
afewwerecutbeautifullysmooth，evidentlywithmetallictools。
Henceagradationcouldbetracedfromapatternofextremerudenesstooneshowinggreatmechanicalingenuity……Inoneofthecanoesabeautifullypolishedceltoraxeofgreenstonewasfound；inthebottomofanotheraplugofcork，which，asMr。Geikieremarks，’couldonlyhavecomefromthelatitudesofSpain，SouthernFrance，orItaly。’”——SirC。LYELL，AntiquityofMan，48-9。