Nowthecaseisaltogetherdifferent。Theperfectionofmodernmachine-toolsissuchthattheutmostpossibleprecisionissecured，andthemechanicalengineercancalculateonadegreeofexactitudethatdoesnotadmitofadeviationbeyondthethousandthpartofaninch。Whenthepowerfuloscillatingenginesofthe’Warrior’wereputonboardthatship，theparts，consistingofsomefivethousandseparatepieces，werebroughtfromthedifferentworkshopsoftheMessrs。PennandSons，wheretheyhadbeenmadebyworkmenwhoknewnottheplacestheyweretooccupy，andfittedtogetherwithsuchprecisionthatsosoonasthesteamwasraisedandletintothecylinders，theimmensemachinebeganasiftobreatheandmovelikealivingcreature，stretchingitshugearmslikeanew-borngiant，andthen，afterpractisingitsstrengthalittleandprovingitssoundnessinbodyandlimb，itstartedoffwiththepowerofaboveathousandhorsestotryitsstrengthinbreastingthebillowsoftheNorthSea。
Suchareamongthetriumphsofmodernmechanicalengineering，dueinagreatmeasuretotheperfectionofthetoolsbymeansofwhichallworksinmetalarenowfashioned。Thesetoolsarethemselvesamongthemoststrikingresultsofthemechanicalinventionoftheday。
Theyareautomataofthemostperfectkind，renderingtheengineandmachine-makerinagreatmeasureindependentofinferiorworkmen。Forthemachinetoolshavenounsteadyhand，arenotcarelessnorclumsy，donotworkbyruleofthumb，andcannotmakemistakes。Theywillrepeattheiroperationsathousandtimeswithouttiring，orvaryingonehair’sbreadthintheiraction；andwillturnout，withoutcomplaining，anyquantityofwork，alloflikeaccuracyandfinish。
Exercisingastheydosoremarkableaninfluenceonthedevelopmentofmodemindustry，wenowpropose，sofarasthematerialsatourdisposalwilladmit，togiveanaccountoftheirprincipalinventors，beginningwiththeschoolofBramah。
CHAPTERXI。
JOSEPHBRAMAH。”ThegreatInventorisonewhohaswalkedforthupontheindustrialworld，notfromuniversities，butfromhovels；notascladinsilksanddeckedwithhonours，butascladinfustianandgrimedwithsootandoil。”——ISAACTAYLOR，UltimateCivilization。
Theinventivefacultyissostronginsomementhatitmaybesaidtoamounttoapassion，andcannotberestrained。Thesayingthatthepoetisborn，notmade，applieswithequalforcetotheinventor，who，thoughindebtedliketheothertocultureandimprovedopportunities，neverthelessinventsandgoesoninventingmainlytogratifyhisowninstinct。Theinventor，however，isnotacreatorlikethepoet，butchieflyafinder-out。Hispowerconsistsinagreatmeasureinquickperceptionandaccurateobservation，andinseeingandforeseeingtheeffectsofcertainmechanicalcombinations。
Hemustpossessthegiftofinsight，aswellasofmanualdexterity，combinedwiththeindispensablequalitiesofpatienceandperseverance，——forthoughbaffled，asheoftenis，hemustbereadytoriseupagainunconqueredeveninthemomentofdefeat。Thisisthestuffofwhichthegreatestinventorshavebeenmade。Thesubjectofthefollowingmemoirmaynotbeentitledtotakerankasafirst-classinventor，thoughhewasamostprolificone；but，asthefounderofaschoolfromwhichproceededsomeofthemostdistinguishedmechanicsofourtime，heisentitledtoaprominentplaceinthisseriesofmemoirs。
JosephBramahwasbornin1748atthevillageofStainborough，nearBarnsleyinYorkshire，wherehisfatherrentedasmallfarmunderLordStrafford。Josephwastheeldestoffivechildren，andwasearlydestinedtofollowtheplough。Afterreceivingasmallamountofeducationatthevillageschool，hewassettoworkuponthefarm。
Fromanearlyperiodheshowedsignsofconstructiveskill。Whenamereboy，heoccupiedhisleisurehoursinmakingmusicalinstruments，andhesucceededinexecutingsomecreditablepiecesofworkwithveryimperfecttools。Aviolin，whichhemadeoutofasolidblockofwood，waslongpreservedasacuriosity。Hewassofortunateastomakeafriendofthevillageblacksmith，whosesmithyhewasinthepracticeoffrequenting。Thesmithwasaningeniousworkman，and，havingtakenalikingfortheboy，hemadesundrytoolsforhimoutofoldfilesandrazorblades；andwiththesehisfiddleandotherpiecesofworkweremainlyexecuted。
Josephmighthaveremainedaploughmanforlife，butforanaccidentwhichhappenedtohisrightankleattheageof16，whichunfittedhimforfarm-work。Whileconfinedathomedisabledhespenthistimeincarvingandmakingthingsinwood；andthenitoccurredtohimthat，thoughhecouldnotnowbeaploughman，hemightbeamechanic。
Whensufficientlyrecovered，hewasaccordinglyputapprenticetooneAllott，thevillagecarpenter，underwhomhesoonbecameanexpertworkman。Hecouldmakeploughs，window-frames，orfiddles，withequaldexterity。Healsomadevioloncellos，andwassofortunateastoselloneofhismakingforthreeguineas，whichisstillreckonedagoodinstrument。Hedoubtlessfeltwithinhimthepromptingsofambition，suchaseverygoodworkmanfeels，andatalleventsentertainedthedesireofrisinginhistrade。Whenhistimewasout，heaccordinglyresolvedtoseekworkinLondon，whitherhemadethejourneyonfoot。
Hesoonfoundworkatacabinet-maker’s，andremainedwithhimforsometime，afterwhichhesetupbusinessinaverysmallwayonhisownaccount。Anaccidentwhichhappenedtohiminthecourseofhisdailywork，againprovedhishelper，byaffordinghimadegreeofleisurewhichheatonceproceededtoturntosomeusefulaccount。
Partofhisbusinessconsistedinputtingupwater-closets，afteramethodinventedorimprovedbyaMr。Allen；butthearticlewasstillveryimperfect；andBramahhadlongresolvedthatifhecouldonlysecuresomeleisureforthepurpose，hewouldcontrivesomethingthatshouldsupersedeitaltogether。Aseverefallwhichoccurredtohiminthecourseofhisbusiness，andlaidhimup，thoughverymuchagainsthiswill，nowaffordedhimtheleisurewhichhedesired，andheproceededtomakehisproposedinvention。Hetookoutapatentforitin1778，describinghimselfinthespecificationas”ofCrossCourt，CarnabyMarket[GoldenSquare]，Middlesex，CabinetMaker。”HeafterwardsremovedtoashopinDenmarkStreet，St。Giles’s，andwhiletherehemadeafurtherimprovementinhisinventionbytheadditionofawatercock，whichhepatentedin1783。Themeritsofthemachineweregenerallyrecognised，andbeforelongitcameintoextensiveuse，continuingtobeemployed，withbutfewalterations，untilthepresentday。Hiscircumstancesimprovingwiththeincreaseduseofhisinvention，Bramahproceededtoundertakethemanufactureofthepumps，pipes，&c。，requiredforitsconstruction；and，rememberinghisfriendtheYorkshireblacksmith，whohadmadehisfirsttoolsforhimoutoftheoldfilesandrazor-blades，hesentforhimtoLondontotakechargeofhisblacksmith’sdepartment，inwhichheprovedamostusefulassistant。Asusual，thepatentwasattackedbypiratessosoonasitbecameproductive，andBramahwasunderthenecessity，onmorethanoneoccasion，ofdefendinghispropertyintheinvention，inwhichhewascompletelysuccessful。
WenextfindBramahturninghisattentiontotheinventionofalockthatshouldsurpassallothersthenknown。Thelockstheninusewereofaveryimperfectcharacter，easilypickedbydexterousthieves，againstwhomtheyaffordedlittleprotection。Yetlocksareaveryancientinvention，though，asinmanyothercases，theartofmakingthemseemsinagreatmeasuretohavebecomelost，andaccordinglyhadtobefoundoutanew。Thusthetumblerlock——whichconsistsintheuseofmoveableimpedimentsactedonbytheproperkeyonly，ascontradistinguishedfromtheordinarywardlocks，wheretheimpedimentsarefixed——appearstohavebeenwellknowntotheancientEgyptians，therepresentationofsuchalockbeingfoundsculpturedamongthebas-reliefswhichdecoratethegreattempleatKarnak。Thiskindoflockwasrevived，oratleastgreatlyimproved，byaMr。Barronin1774，anditwasshortlyafterthistimethatBramahdirectedhisattentiontothesubject。Aftermuchstudyandmanyexperiments，hecontrivedalockmoresimple，moreserviceable，aswellasmoresecure，thanBarron’s，asisprovedbythefactthatithasstoodthetestofnearlyeightyyears’experience，*
[footnote……
ThelockinventedbyBramahwaspatentedin1784。Mr。BramahhimselffullysetforththespecificmeritsoftheinventioninhisDissertationontheConstructionofLocks。Inasecondpatent，takenoutbyhimin1798，heamendedhisfirstwiththeobjectofpreventingthecounterfeitingofkeys，andsuspendingtheofficeofthelockuntilthekeywasagaininthepossessionoftheowner。Thisheeffectedbyenablingtheownersotoaltertheslidersastorenderthelockinaccessibletosuchkeyifappliedbyanyotherpersonbuthimself，oruntiltheslidershadbeenrearrangedsoastoadmitofitsproperaction。WemaymentioninpassingthatthesecurityofBramah’slocksdependsonthedoctrineofcombinations，ormultiplicationofnumbersintoeachother，whichisknowntoincreaseinthemostrapidproportion。Thus，alockoffiveslidesadmitsof3，000variations，whileoneofeightwillhavenolessthan1，935，360changes；inotherwords，thatnumberofattemptsatmakingakey，oratpickingit，maybemadebeforeitcanbeopened。
andstillholdsitsground。Foralongtime，indeed，Bramah’slockwasregardedasabsolutelyinviolable，anditremainedunpickedforsixty-sevenyearsuntilHobbstheAmericanmastereditin1851。A
noticehadlongbeenexhibitedinBramah’sshop-windowinPiccadilly，offering200L。toanyonewhoshouldsucceedinpickingthepatentlock。Manytried，andallfailed，untilHobbssucceeded，aftersixteendays’manipulationofitwithvariouselaborateinstruments。
Butthedifficultywithwhichthelockwaspickedshowedthat，forallordinarypurposes，itmightbepronouncedimpregnable。
Thenewlocksweremachinesofthemostdelicatekind，theactionofwhichdependedinagreatmeasureupontheprecisionwithwhichthesprings，sliders，levers，barrels，andotherpartswerefinished。Themeritsoftheinventionbeinggenerallyadmitted，therewasaconsiderabledemandforthelocks，andthenecessitythusaroseforinventingaseriesoforiginalmachine-toolstoenablethemtobemanufacturedinsufficientquantitiestomeetthedemand。Itisprobable，indeed，that，butforthecontrivanceofsuchtools，thelockcouldneverhavecomeintogeneraluse，astheskillofhand-workmen，nomatterhowexperienced，couldnothavebeenrelieduponforturningoutthearticlewiththatdegreeofaccuracyandfinishinallthepartswhichwasindispensableforitsproperaction。Inconductingthemanufacturethroughout，BramahwasgreatlyassistedbyHenryMaudslay，hisforeman，towhomhewasinnosmalldegreeindebtedforthecontrivanceofthosetool-machineswhichenabledhimtocarryonthebusinessoflock-makingwithadvantageandprofit。
Bramah’sindefatigablespiritofinventionwasonlystimulatedtofresheffortsbythesuccessofhislock；andinthecourseofafewyearswefindhimenteringuponamoreimportantandoriginallineofactionthanhehadyetventuredon。Hispatentof1785showsthedirectionofhisstudies。Watthadinventedhissteam-engine，whichwascomingintogeneraluse；andthecreationofmotive-powerinvariousotherformsbecameafavouritesubjectofinquirywithinventors。Bramah’sfirstinventionwiththisobjectwashisHydrostaticMachine，foundedonthedoctrineoftheequilibriumofpressureinfluids，asexhibitedinthewellknown’hydrostaticparadox。’Inhispatentof1785，inwhichhenolongerdescribeshimselfasCabinetmaker，but’Enginemaker’ofPiccadilly，heindicatedmanyinventions，thoughnoneofthemcameintopracticaluse，——suchasaHydrostaticalMachineandBoiler，andtheapplicationofthepowerproducedbythemtothedrawingofcarriages，andthepropellingofshipsbyapaddle-wheelfixedinthesternofthevessel，ofwhichdrawingsareannexedtothespecification；butitwasnotuntil1795thathepatentedhisHydrostaticorHydraulicPress。
ThoughtheprincipleonwhichtheHydraulicPressisfoundedhadlongbeenknown，andformedthesubjectofmuchcuriousspeculation，itremainedunproductiveofresultsuntilacomparativelyrecentperiod，whentheideaoccurredofapplyingittomechanicalpurposes。A
machineofthekindwasindeedproposedbyPascal，theeminentphilosopher，in1664，butmorethanacenturyelapsedbeforethedifficultiesinthewayofitsconstructionweresatisfactorilyovercome。Bramah’smachineconsistsofalargeandmassivecylinder，inwhichthereworksanaccurately-fittedsolidpistonorplunger。A
forcing-pumpofverysmallborecommunicateswiththebottomofthecylinder，andbytheactionofthepump-handleorlever，exceedingsmallquantitiesofwaterareforcedinsuccessionbeneaththepistoninthelargecylinder，thusgraduallyraisingitup，andcompressingbodieswhosebulkorvolumeitisintendedtoreduce。Henceitismostcommonlyusedasapacking-press，beingsuperiortoeveryothercontrivanceofthekindthathasyetbeeninvented；andthoughexercisingaprodigiousforce，itissoeasilymanagedthataboycanworkit。Themachinehasbeenemployedonmanyextraordinaryoccasionsinpreferencetoothermethodsofapplyingpower。ThusRobertStephensonusedittohoistthegigantictubesoftheBritanniaBridgeintotheirbed，*
[footnote……
TheweightraisedbyasinglepressattheBritanniaBridgewas1144
tons。