AconsiderablebranchofbusinesscarriedonbythefirmofSharp,Roberts,andCo。wasthemanufactureofironbilliard-tables,whichwereconstructedwithalmostperfecttruthbymeansofMr。Roberts’splaning-machine,andbecamealargearticleofexport。Butamuchmoreimportantandremunerativedepartmentwasthemanufactureoflocomotives,whichwasbegunbythefirmshortlyaftertheopeningoftheLiverpoolandManchesterRailwayhadmarkedthisasoneofthechiefbranchesoffuturemechanicalengineering。Mr。Robertsadroitlyseizedtheopportunitypresentedbythisnewfieldofinventionandenterprise,anddevotedhimselfforatimetothecarefulstudyofthelocomotiveanditspowers。Asearlyastheyear1829wefindhimpresentingtotheManchesterMechanics’Instituteamachineexhibitingthenatureoffrictionuponrailroads,insolutionoftheproblemthenunderdiscussioninthescientificjournals。Inthefollowingyearhepatentedanarrangementforcommunicatingpowertobothdriving-wheelsofthelocomotive,atalltimesintheexactproportionsrequiredwhenturningtotherightorleft,——anarrangementwhichhassincebeenadoptedinmanyroadlocomotivesandagriculturalengines。Inthesamepatentwillbefoundembodiedhisinventionofthesteam-brake,whichwasalsoafavouriteideaofGeorgeStephenson,sinceelaboratedbyMr。MacConnelloftheLondonandNorth-WesternRailway。In1834,Sharp,Roberts,andCo。beganthemanufactureoflocomotivesonalargescale;andthecompactnessoftheirengines,theexcellenceoftheirworkmanship,andthenumerousoriginalimprovementsintroducedinthem,speedilysecuredfortheenginesoftheAtlasfirmahighreputationandaverylargedemand。
AmongMr。Roberts’simprovementsmaybementionedhismethodofmanufacturingthecrankaxle,ofweldingtherimandtyresofthewheels,andhisarrangementandformofthewrought-ironframingandaxle-guards。Hissystemoftempletsandgauges,bymeansofwhicheverypartofanengineortendercorrespondedwiththatofeveryotherengineortenderofthesameclass,wasasgreatanimprovementasMaudslay’ssystemofuniformityofpartsinotherdescriptionsofmachinery。
Inconnectionwiththesubjectofrailways,wemayalludeinpassingtoMr。Roberts’sinventionoftheJacquardpunchingmachine——aself-actingtoolofgreatpower,usedforpunchinganyrequirednumberofholes,ofanypitchandtoanypattern,withmathematicalaccuracy,inbridgeorboilerplates。Theoriginofthisinventionwassomewhatsimilartothatoftheself-actingmule。ThecontractorsfortheConwayTubularBridgewhileunderconstruction,in1848,weregreatlyhamperedbycombinationsamongsttheworkmen,andtheydespairedofbeingabletofinishthegirderswithinthetimespecifiedinthecontract。Thepunchingoftheironplatesbyhandwasatediousandexpensiveaswellasaninaccurateprocess;andtheworkwasproceedingsoslowlythatthecontractorsfounditabsolutelynecessarytoadoptsomenewmethodofpunchingiftheyweretofinishtheworkintime。IntheiremergencytheyappealedtoMr。Roberts,andendeavouredtopersuadehimtotakethematterup。
Heatlengthconsentedtodoso,andevolvedthemachineinquestionduringhisevening’sleisure——forthemostpartwhilequietlysippinghistea。Themachinewasproduced,thecontractorswereenabledtoproceedwiththepunchingoftheplatesindependentoftherefractorymen,andtheworkwasexecutedwithadespatch,accuracy,andexcellencethatwouldnototherwisehavebeenpossible。OnlyafewyearssinceMr。RobertsaddedausefulcompaniontotheJacquardpunchingmachine,inhiscombinedself-actingmachineforshearingironandpunchingbothwebsofangleorTironsimultaneouslytoanyrequiredpitch;thoughthismachine,likeotherswhichhaveproceededfromhisfertilebrain,isaheadevenofthisfast-manufacturingage,andhasnotyetcomeintogeneraluse,butiscertaintodosobeforemanyyearshaveelapsed。
Theseinventionsweresurelyenoughforonemantohaveaccomplished;
butwehavenotyetdone。Themereenumerationofhisotherinventionswouldoccupyseveralpages。Weshallmerelyalludetoafewofthem。OnewashisTurretClock,forwhichheobtainedthemedalattheGreatExhibitionof1851。AnotherwashisPrizeElectro-Magnetof1845。Whenthissubjectwasfirstmentionedtohim,hesaidhedidnotknowanythingofthetheoryorpracticeofelectro-magnetism,buthewouldtryandfindout。Theresultofhistryingwasthathewontheprizeforthemostpowerfulelectro-magnet:oneisplacedinthemuseumatPeelPark,Manchester,andanotherwiththeScottishSocietyofArts,Edinburgh。In1846heperfectedanAmericaninventionformakingcigarsbymachinery;
enablingaboy,workingoneofhiscigar-engines,tomakeasmanyas5000inaday。In1852hepatentedimprovementsintheconstruction,propelling,andequipmentofsteamships,whichhave,webelieve,beenadoptedtoacertainextentbytheAdmiralty;andafewyearslater,in1855,wefindhimpresentingtheSecretaryofWarwithplansofelongatedrifleprojectilestobeusedinsmooth-boreordnancewithaviewtoutilizetheold-patterngun。Hishead,likemanyinventorsofthetime,beingfullofthemechanicsofwar,hewentsofarastowaituponLouisNapoleon,andlaidbeforehimaplanbywhichSebastopolwastobeblowndown。Inshort,uponwhateversubjectheturnedhismind,helefttheimpressofhisinventivefaculty。Ifitwasimperfect,heimprovedit;ifincapableofimprovement,andimpracticable,heinventedsomethingentirelynew,supersedingitaltogether。Butwithallhisinventivegenius,intheexerciseofwhichMr。Robertshassolargelyaddedtotheproductivepowerofthecountry,weregrettosaythatheisnotgiftedwiththecommercialfaculty。Hehashelpedothersintheirdifficulties,butforgottenhimself。Manyhaveprofitedbyhisinventions,withoutevenacknowledgingtheobligationswhichtheyowedtohim。Theyhaveusedhisbrainsandcopiedhistools,andthe”suckedorange”isallbutforgotten。Theremayhavebeenawantofworldlywisdomonhispart,butitislamentabletothinkthatoneofthemostprolificandusefulinventorsofhistimeshouldinhisoldagebelefttofightwithpoverty。
Mr。Whitworthisanotherofthefirst-classtool-makersofManchesterwhohasturnedtoexcellentaccounthistrainingintheworkshopsofMaudslayandClement。HehascarriedfullyoutthesystemofuniformityinScrewThreadswhichtheyinitiated;andhehasstillfurtherimprovedthemechanismoftheplaningmachine,enablingittoworkbothbackwardsandforwardsbymeansofascrewandrollermotion。His”JimCrowMachine,”socalledfromitspeculiarmotioninreversingitselfandworkingbothways,isanextremelybeautifultool,adaptedalikeforhorizontal,vertical,orangularmotions。TheminuteaccuracyofMr。Whitworth’smachinesisnottheleastoftheirmerits;andnothingwillsatisfyhimshortofperfecttruth。AtthemeetingoftheInstituteofMechanicalEngineersatGlasgowin1856
hereadapaperontheessentialimportanceofpossessingatrueplaneasastandardofreferenceinmechanicalconstructions,andhedescribedelaboratelythetruemethodofsecuringit,——namely,byscraping,insteadofbytheordinaryprocessofgrinding。Atthesamemeetingheexhibitedamachineofhisinventionbywhichhestatedthatadifferenceofthemillionthpartofaninchinlengthcouldatoncebedetected。Healsothereurgedhisfavouriteideaofuniformity,andpropergradationsofsizeofparts,inallthevariousbranchesofthemechanicalarts,asachiefmeanstowardseconomyofproduction——aprinciple,asheshowed,capableofveryextensiveapplication。Toshowtheprogressoftoolsandmachineryinhisowntime,Mr。Whitworthcitedthefactthatthirtyyearssincethecostoflabourformakingasurfaceofcast-irontrue——oneofthemostimportantoperationsinmechanics——bychippingandfilingbythehand,was12s。asquarefoot;whereasitisnowdonebytheplaningmachineatacostforlabouroflessthanapenny。Theninmachinery,piecesof74reedprinting-cottonclothof29yardseachcouldnotbeproducedatlesscostthan30s。6d。perpiece;whereasthesamedescriptionisnowsoldfor3s。9d。Mr。Whitworthhasbeenamongthemosteffectiveworkersinthisfieldofimprovement,histoolstakingthefirstplaceinpointofspeed,accuracy,andfinishofwork,inwhichrespectstheychallengecompetitionwiththeworld。Mr。
Whitworthhasoflateyearsbeenapplyinghimselfwithhisaccustomedardourtothedevelopmentofthepowersofrifledgunsandprojectiles,——abranchofmechanicalscienceinwhichheconfessedlyholdsaforemostplace,andinperfectingwhichheisstilloccupied。
CHAPTERXV。
JAMESNASMYTH。”ByHammerandHandAllArtsdothstand。”
Hammermen’sMotto。
ThefounderOftheScotchfamilyofNaesmythissaidtohavederivedhisnamefromthefollowingcircumstance。InthecourseofthefeudswhichragedforsometimebetweentheScotchkingsandtheirpowerfulsubjectstheEarlsofDouglas,arencontretookplaceonedayontheoutskirtsofaBordervillage,whentheking’sadherentswereworsted。Oneofthemtookrefugeinthevillagesmithy,where,hastilydisguisinghimself,anddonningaspareleathernapron,hepretendedtobeengagedinassistingthesmithwithhiswork,whenapartyoftheDouglasfollowersrushedin。Theyglancedatthepretendedworkmanattheanvil,andobservedhimdeliverablowuponitsounskilfullythatthehammer-shaftbrokeinhishand。OnthisoneoftheDouglasmenrushedathim,callingout,”Ye’renaesmyth!”
Theassailedmanseizedhissword,whichlayconvenientlyathand,anddefendedhimselfsovigorouslythatheshortlykilledhisassailant,whilethesmithbrainedanotherwithhishammer;and,apartyoftheking’smenhavingcometotheirhelp,therestwerespeedilyoverpowered。Theroyalforcesthenrallied,andtheirtemporarydefeatwasconvertedintoavictory。Thekingbestowedagrantoflandonhisfollower”NaeSmyth,”whoassumedforhisarmsaswordbetweentwohammerswithbrokenshafts,andthemotto”NonartesedMarte,”asiftodisclaimtheartoftheSmith,inwhichhehadfailed,andtoemphasizethesuperiorityofthewarrior。SuchissaidtobethetraditionaloriginofthefamilyofNaesmythofPossoinPeeblesshire,whocontinuetobearthesamenameandarms。
Itisremarkablethattheinventorofthesteam-hammershouldhavesoeffectuallycontradictedthenamehebearsandreversedthemottoofhisfamily;forsofarfrombeing”NaeSmyth,”hemaynotinappropriatelybedesignatedtheveryVulcanofthenineteenthcentury。Hishammerisatoolofimmensepowerandpliancy,butforwhichwemusthavestoppedshortinmanyofthosegiganticengineeringworkswhichareamongthemarvelsoftheagewelivein。
Itpossessessomuchprecisionanddelicacythatitwillchiptheendofaneggrestinginaglassontheanvilwithoutbreakingit,whileitdeliversablowoftentonswithsuchaforceastobefeltshakingtheparish。ItisthereforewithahighdegreeofappropriatenessthatMr。Nasmythhasdiscardedthefecklesshammerwiththebrokenshaft,andassumedforhisemblemhisownmagnificentsteam-hammer,atthesametimereversingthefamilymotto,whichhehasconvertedinto”NonMartesedArte。”
JamesNasmythbelongstoafamilywhosegeniusinarthaslongbeenrecognised。Hisfather,AlexanderNasmythofEdinburgh,wasalandscape-painterofgreateminence,whoseworksaresometimesconfoundedwiththoseofhissonPatrick,calledtheEnglishHobbema,thoughhisownmeritsarepeculiaranddistinctive。TheelderNasmythwasalsoanadmirableportraitpainter,ashisheadofBurns——thebesteverpaintedofthepoet——bearsamplewitness。Hisdaughters,theMissesNasmyth,werehighlyskilledpaintersoflandscape,andtheirworksarewellknownandmuchprized。James,theyoungestofthefamily,inheritsthesameloveofart,thoughhisnameismoreextensivelyknownasaworkerandinventoriniron。HewasbornatEdinburgh,onthe19thofAugust,1808;andhisattentionwasearlydirectedtomechanicsbythecircumstanceofthisbeingoneofhisfather’shobbies。Besidesbeinganexcellentpainter,Mr。Nasmythhadagoodgeneralknowledgeofarchitectureandcivilengineering,andcouldworkatthelatheandhandletoolswiththedexterityofamechanic。Heemployednearlythewholeofhissparetimeinalittleworkshopwhichadjoinedhisstudio,whereheencouragedhisyoungestsontoworkwithhiminallsortsofmaterials。AmonghisvisitorsatthestudiowereProfessorLeslie,PatrickMillerofDalswinton,andothermenofdistinction。HeassistedMr。Millerinhisearlyexperimentswithpaddle-boats,whicheventuallyledtotheinventionofthesteamboat。Itwasagreatadvantagefortheboytobetrainedbyafatherwhosolovedexcellenceinallitsforms,andcouldministertohisloveofmechanicsbyhisowninstructionandpractice。Jamesusedtodrinkinwithpleasureandprofittheconversationwhichpassedbetweenhisfatherandhisvisitorsonscientificandmechanicalsubjects;andashebecameolder,theresolvegrewstrongerinhimeverydaythathewouldbeamechanicalengineer,andnothingelse。Ataproperage,hewassenttotheHighSchool,thenasnowcelebratedfortheexcellenceofitsinstruction,andtherehelaidthefoundationsofasoundandliberaleducation。
Buthehashimselftoldthesimplestoryofhisearlylifeinsuchgraphictermsthatwefeelwecannotdobetterthanquotehisownwords:-*
[footnote……
OriginallypreparedforJohnHick,Esq。,C。E。,ofBolton,andembodiedbyhiminhislectureson”SelfHelp,”deliveredbeforetheHolyTrinityWorkingMen’sAssociationofthattown,onthe18thand20thMarch,1862;theaccounthavingbeenkindlycorrectedbyMr。
Nasmythforthepresentpublication。”Ihadthegoodluck,”hesays,”tohaveforaschoolcompanionthesonofanironfounder。EverysparehourthatIcouldcommandwasdevotedtovisitstohisfather’sironfoundry,whereIdelightedtowatchthevariousprocessesofmoulding,iron-melting,casting,forging,pattern-making,andothersmithandmetalwork;andalthoughIwasonlyabouttwelveyearsoldatthetime,Iusedtolendahand,inwhichheartyzealdidagooddealtomakeupforwantofstrength。
IlookbacktotheSaturdayafternoonsspentintheworkshopsofthatsmallfoundry,asanimportantpartofmyeducation。Ididnottrusttoreadingaboutsuchandsuchthings;Isawandhandledthem;andalltheideasinconnectionwiththembecamepermanentinmymind。I
alsoobtainedthere——whatwasofmuchvaluetomeinafterlife——
aconsiderableacquaintancewiththenatureandcharactersofworkmen。BythetimeIwasfifteen,Icouldworkandturnoutreallyrespectablejobsinwood,brass,iron,andsteel:indeed,intheworkingofthelatterinestimablematerial,Ihadataveryearlyageelevenortwelveacquiredconsiderableproficiency。Asthatwasthepre-lucifermatchperiod,thepossessionofasteelandtinderboxwasquiteapatentofnobilityamongboys。SoIusedtoforgeoldfilesinto’steels’inmyfather’slittleworkshop,andhardenthemandproducesuchfirst-rate,neatlittlearticlesinthatline,thatIbecamequitefamousamongstmyschoolcompanions;andmanyataskhaveIhadexcusedmebybribingthemonitor,whosegrimsenseofdutynevercouldwithstandtheglimpseofasteel。”MyfirstessayatmakingasteamenginewaswhenIwasfifteen。I
thenmadearealworking;steam-engine,13/4diametercylinder,and8in。stroke,whichnotonlycouldact,butreallydidsomeusefulwork;forImadeitgrindtheoilcolourswhichmyfatherrequiredforhispainting。Steamenginemodels,nowsocommon,wereexceedinglyscarceinthosedays,andverydifficulttobehad;andasthedemandforthemarose,Ifounditbothdelightfulandprofitabletomakethem;aswellassectionalmodelsofsteamengines,whichIintroducedforthepurposeofexhibitingthemovementsofalltheparts,bothexteriorandinterior。WiththeresultsofthesaleofsuchmodelsIwasenabledtopaythepriceofticketsofadmissiontothelecturesonnaturalphilosophyandchemistrydeliveredintheUniversityofEdinburgh。Aboutthesametime1826IwassohappyastobeemployedbyProfessorLeslieinmakingmodelsandportionsofapparatusrequiredbyhimforhislecturesandphilosophicalinvestigations,andIhadalsotheinestimablegoodfortunetosecurehisfriendship。Hisadmirablyclearmannerofcommunicatingaknowledgeofthefundamentalprinciplesofmechanicalsciencerenderedmyintercoursewithhimoftheutmostimportancetomyself。Ahearty,cheerful,earnestdesiretotoilinhisservice,causedhimtotakepleasureininstructingmebyoccasionalexplanationsofwhatmightotherwisehaveremainedobscure。