”Abouttheyears1827and1828,thesubjectofsteam-carriagesforcommonroadsoccupiedmuchoftheattentionofthepublic。Manytriedtosolvetheproblem。Imadeaworkingmodelofanenginewhichperformedsowellthatsomefriendsdeterminedtogivemethemeansofmakingoneonalargerscale。ThisIdid;andIshallneverforgetthepleasureandthedownrighthardworkIhadinproducing,intheautumnof1828,atanoutlayof60L。,acompletesteam-carriage,thatranmanyamilewitheightpersonsonit。Afterkeepingitinactiontwomonths,tothesatisfactionofallwhowereinterestedinit,myfriendsallowedmetodisposeofit,andIsolditagreatbargain,afterwhichtheenginewasusedindrivingasmallfactory。ImaymentionthatinthatengineIemployedthewastesteamtocauseanincreaseddraughtbyitsdischargeupthechimney。ThisimportantuseofthewastesteamhadbeenintroducedbyGeorgeStephensonsomeyearsbefore,thoughentirelyunknowntome。”TheearnestdesirewhichIcherishedofgettingforwardintherealbusinessoflifeinducedmetoturnmyattentiontoobtainingemploymentinsomeofthegreatengineeringestablishmentsoftheday,attheheadofwhich,inmyfancyaswellasinreality,stoodthatofHenryMaudslay,ofLondon。Itwasthesummitofmyambitiontogetworkinthatestablishment;butasmyfatherhadnotthemeansofpayingapremium,IdeterminedtotrywhatIcoulddotowardsattainingmyobjectbysubmittingtoMr。Maudslayactualspecimensofmycapabilityasayoungworkmananddraughtsman。TothisendIsettoworkandmadeasmallsteam-engine,everypartofwhichwastheresultofmyownhandiwork,includingthecastingandtheforgingoftheseveralparts。ThisIturnedoutinsuchastyleasIshouldevennowbeproudof。Mysampledrawingswere,Imaysay,highlyrespectable。ArmedwithsuchmeansofobtainingthegoodopinionofthegreatHenryMaudslay,onthel9thofMay,1829,IsailedforLondoninaLeithsmack,andafteraneightdays’voyagesawthemetropolisforthefirsttime。ImadeboldtocallonMr。Maudslay,andtoldhimmysimpletale。Hedesiredmetobringmymodelsforhimtolookat。Ididso,andwhenhecametomeIcouldseebytheexpressionofhischeerful,well-rememberedcountenance,thatIhadattainedmyobject。Hethenandthereappointedmetobehisownprivateworkman,toassisthiminhislittleparadiseofaworkshop,furnishedwiththemodelsofimprovedmachineryandengineeringtoolsofwhichhehasbeenthegreatoriginator。Heleftmetoarrangeastowageswithhischiefcashier,Mr。RobertYoung,andonthefirstSaturdayeveningIaccordinglywenttothecounting-housetoenquireofhimaboutmypay。Heaskedmewhatwouldsatisfyme。KnowingthevalueofthesituationIhadobtained,andhavingaverymodestnotionofmyworthinesstooccupyit,Isaid,thatifhewouldnotconsiderl0s。aweektoomuch,IthoughtIcoulddoverywellwiththat。IsupposeheconcludedthatIhadsomemeansofmyowntoliveonbesidesthel0s。aweekwhichIasked。HelittleknewthatIhaddeterminednottocostmyfatheranotherfarthingwhenIleft-hometobegintheworldonmyownaccount。Myproposalwasatonceaccededto。AndwelldoIremembertheprideanddelightIfeltwhenIcarriedtomythreeshillingsaweeklodgingthatnightmyfirstwages。Ampletheywereinmyidea;forIknewhowlittleIcouldliveon,andwaspersuadedthatbystricteconomyIcouldeasilycontrivetomakethemoneysupportme。Tohelpmeinthisobject,Icontrivedasmallcookingapparatus,whichIforthwithgotmadebyatinsmithinLambeth,atacostof6s。,andbyitsaidImanagedtokeeptheeatinganddrinkingpartofmyprivateaccountwithin3s。6d。perweek,or4s。attheoutside。Ihadthreemeatdinnersaweek,andgenerallyfourriceandmilkdinners,allofwhichwerecookedbymylittleapparatus,whichIsetinactionafterbreakfast。Theoilcostnotquiteahalfpennyperday。Themeatdinnersconsistedofastewoffromahalftothreequartersofalb。oflegofbeef,themeatcosting31/2d。perlb。,which,withslicedpotatoesandalittleonion,andasmuchwaterasjustcoveredall,withasprinkleofsaltandblackpepper,bythetimeIreturnedtodinnerathalf-pastsixfurnishedarepastineveryrespectasgoodasmyappetite。ForbreakfastIhadcoffeeandadueproportionofquarternloaf。AfterthefirstyearofmyemploymentunderMr。Maudslay,mywageswereraisedto15s。aweek,andIthen,butnottillthen,indulgedintheluxuryofbuttertomybread。Iamthemoreparticularinallthis,toshowyouthatIwasathriftyhousekeeper,althoughonlyalodgerina3s。room。Ihavetheoldapparatusbymeyet,andIshallhaveanotherdinneroutofitereIamayearolder,outofregardtodaysthatwerefulloftherealromanceoflife。”OnthedeathofHenryMaudslayin1831,Ipassedovertotheserviceofhisworthypartner,Mr。JoshuaField,andactedashisdraughtsman,muchtomyadvantage,untiltheendofthatyear,whenI
returnedtoEdinburgh,toconstructasmallstockofengineeringtoolsforthepurposeofenablingmetostartinbusinessonmyownaccount。Thisoccupiedmeuntilthespringofl833,andduringtheintervalIwasaccustomedtotakeinjobstoexecuteinmylittleworkshopinEdinburgh,soastoobtainthemeansofcompletingmystockoftools。*
[footnote……
MostofthetoolswithwhichhebeganbusinessinManchesterweremadebyhisownhandsinhisfather’slittleworkshopatEdinburgh,Hewasononeoccasion”hardup”forbrasswithwhichtomakeawheelforhisplaningmachine。Therewasarowofold-fashionedbrasscandlesticksstandinginbrightarrayonthekitchenmantelpiecewhichhegreatlycovetedforthepurpose。Hisfatherwasreluctanttogivethemup;”for,”saidhe,”IhavehadmanyacrackwithBurnswhenthesecandlestickswereonthetable。Buthismotheratlengthyielded;whenthecandlestickswereatoncerecast,andmadeintothewheeloftheplaningmachine,whichisstillatworkinManchester。
InJune,1834,IwenttoManchester,andtookaflatofanoldmillinDaleStreet,whereIbeganbusiness。Intwoyearsmystockhadsoincreasedastooverloadtheflooroftheoldbuildingtosuchanextentthatthelandlord,Mr。Wrenn,becamealarmed,especiallyasthetenantbelowme——aglass-cutter——hadavisitfromtheendofa20-horseenginebeamonemorningamonghiscuttumblers。Tosettheiranxietyatrest,IwentoutthateveningtoPatricroftandtookalookataratherchoicebitoflandboundedononesidebythecanal,andontheotherbytheLiverpoolandManchesterRailway。BytheendoftheweekIhadsecuredaleaseofthesitefor999years;
bytheendofthemonthmywoodshedswereerected;theringofthehammeronthesmith’sanvilwassoonheardallovertheplace;andtheBridgewaterFoundrywasfairlyunderway。ThereItoiledrightheartilyuntilDecember31st,1856,whenIretiredtoenjoyinactiveleisuretherewardofalaboriouslife,duringwhich,withtheblessingofGod,IenjoyedmuchtruehappinessthroughtheheartylovewhichIalwayshadformyprofession;andItrustImaybeallowedtosay,withoutunduevanity,thatIhaveleftbehindmesomeusefulresultsofmylaboursinthoseinventionswithwhichmynameisidentified,whichhavehadnosmallshareintheaccomplishmentofsomeofthegreatestmechanicalworksofourage。”IfMr。Nasmythhadaccomplishednothingmorethantheinventionofhissteam-hammer,itwouldhavebeenenoughtofoundareputation。ProfessorTomlinsondescribesitas”oneofthemostperfectofartificialmachinesandnoblesttriumphsofmindovermatterthatmodernEnglishengineershaveyetdeveloped。”*
[footnote……
CyclopaediaofUsefulArts,ii。739。
Thehand-hammerhasalwaysbeenanimportanttool,and,intheformofthestonecelt,itwasperhapsthefirstinvented。Whenthehammerofironsupersededthatofstone,itwasfoundpracticableinthehandsofa”cunning”workmantoexecutebyitsmeansmetalworkofgreatbeautyandevendelicacy。Butsincetheinventionofcast-iron,andthemanufactureofwrought-ironinlargemasses,theartofhammer-workinghasalmostbecomelost;andgreatartists,suchasMatsysofAntwerpandRukersofNurembergwere,*
[footnote……
Matsys’beautifulwrought-ironwellcover,stillstandinginfrontofthecathedralatAntwerp,andRukers’ssteelorironchairexhibitedatSouthKensingtonin1862,areexamplesofthebeautifulhammerworkturnedoutbytheartisansofthemiddleages。TherailingsofthetombsofHenryVII。andQueenEleanorinWestminsterAbbey,thehingesandironworkofLincolnCathedral,ofSt。George’sChapelatWindsor,andofsomeoftheOxfordcolleges,affordequallystrikingillustrationsoftheskillofourEnglishblacksmithsseveralcenturiesago。
nolongerthinkitworththeirwhiletoexpendtimeandskillinworkingonsohumbleamaterialaswrought-iron。Itisevidentfromthemarksofcareandelaboratedesignwhichmanyoftheseearlyworksexhibit,thattheworkman’sheartwasinhiswork,andthathisobjectwasnotmerelytogetitoutofhand,buttoexecuteitinfirst-rateartisticstyle。
Whentheuseofironextendedandlargerironworkcametobeforged,forcannon,tools,andmachinery,theordinaryhand-hammerwasfoundinsufficient,andthehelveorforge-hammerwasinvented。Thiswasusuallydrivenbyawater-wheel,orbyoxenorhorses。Thetilt-hammerwasanotherforminwhichitwasused,thesmallerkindsbeingworkedbythefoot。AmongWatt’svariousinventions,wasatilt-hammerofconsiderablepower,whichheatfirstworkedbymeansofawater-wheel,andafterwardsbyasteamengineregulatedbyafly-wheel。Hisfirsthammerofthiskindwas120lbs。inweight;itwasraisedeightinchesbeforemakingeachblow。Wattafterwardsmadeatilt-hammerforMr。WilkinsonofBradleyForge,of71/2cwt。,anditmade300blowsaminute。Otherimprovementsweremadeinthehammerfromtimetotime,butnomaterialalterationwasmadeinthepowerbywhichitwasworkeduntilMr。Nasmythtookitinhand,andapplyingtoittheforceofsteam,atonceprovidedtheworkerinironwiththemostformidableofmachine-tools。Thisimportantinventionoriginatedasfollows:
Intheearlypartof1837,thedirectorsoftheGreatWesternSteam-ShipCompanysentMr。FrancisHumphries,theirengineer,toconsultMr。Nasmythastosomeengineeringtoolsofunusualsizeandpower,whichwererequiredfortheconstructionoftheenginesofthe”GreatBritain”steamship。Theyhaddeterminedtoconstructthoseenginesontheverticaltrunk-engineprinciple,inaccordancewithMr。Humphries’designs;andverycompleteworkswereerectedbythemattheirBristoldockyardfortheexecutionoftherequisitemachinery,themostimportantofthetoolsbeingsuppliedbyNasmythandGaskell。Theengineswereinhand,whenadifficultyarosewithrespecttotheenormouspaddle-shaftofthevessel,whichwasofsuchasizeofforgingashadneverbeforebeenexecuted。Mr。Humphriesappliedtothelargestengineeringfirmsthroughoutthecountryfortendersofthepriceatwhichtheywouldexecutethispartofthework,buttohissurpriseanddismayhefoundthatnotoneofthefirmsheappliedtowouldundertakesolargeaforging。InthisdilemmahewrotetoMr。Nasmythonthe24thNovember,1838,informinghimofthisunlooked-fordifficulty。”Ifind,”saidhe,”thereisnotaforge-hammerinEnglandorScotlandpowerfulenoughtoforgethepaddle-shaftoftheenginesforthe’GreatBritain!’WhatamItodo?
DoyouthinkImightdaretousecast-iron?”
ThisletterimmediatelysetMr。Nasmytha-thinking。Howwasitthatexistinghammerswereincapableofforgingawrought-ironshaftofthirtyinchesdiameter?Simplybecauseoftheirwantofcompass,orrangeandfall,aswellaspowerofblow。Afewmoments’rapidthoughtsatisfiedhimthatitwasbyrigidlyadheringtotheoldtraditionalformofhand-hammer——ofwhichthetilt,thoughdrivenbysteam,wasbutamodification——thatthedifficultyhadarisen。
Wheneventhelargesthammerwastilteduptoitsfullheight,itsrangewassosmall,thatwhenapieceofworkofconsiderablesizewasplacedontheanvil,thehammerbecame”gagged,”and,onsuchanoccasion,wheretheforgingrequiredthemostpowerfulblow,itreceivednexttonoblowatall,——theclearspaceforfallbeingalmostentirelyoccupiedbytheworkontheanvil。
Theobviousremedywastoinventsomemethod,bywhichablockofironshouldbeliftedtoasufficientheightabovetheobjectonwhichitwasdesiredtostrikeablow,andlettheblockfalldownuponthework,——guidingitinitsdescentbysuchsimplemeansasshouldgivetherequiredprecisioninthepercussiveactionofthefallingmass。Followingoutthisidea,Mr。Nasmythatoncesketchedonpaperhissteam-hammer,havingitclearlybeforehiminhismind’seyeafewminutesafterreceivingMr。Humphries’letternarratinghisunlooked-fordifficulty。Thehammer,asthussketched,consistedof,firstananvilonwhichtorestthework;second,ablockofironconstitutingthehammerorblow-givingpart;third,aninvertedsteam-cylindertowhosepiston-rodtheblockwasattached。Allthatwasthenrequiredtoproducebysuchmeansamosteffectivehammer,wassimplytoadmitsteaminthecylindersoastoactontheundersideofthepiston,andsoraisetheblockattachedtothepiston-rod,andbyasimplecontrivancetoletthesteamescapeandsopermittheblockrapidlytodescendbyitsowngravityupontheworkthenontheanvil。Such,inafewwords,istherationaleofthesteam-hammer。
Bythesameday’spost,Mr。NasmythwrotetoMr。Humphries,inclosingasketchoftheinventionbywhichheproposedtoforgethe”GreatBritain”paddle-shaft。Mr。HumphriesshowedittoMr。Brunel,theengineer-inchiefofthecompany,toMr。Guppy,themanagingdirector,andtoothersinterestedintheundertaking,byallofwhomitwasheartilyapproved。Mr。Nasmythgavepermissiontocommunicatehisplanstosuchforgeproprietorsasmightfeeldisposedtoerectsuchahammertoexecutetheproposedwork,——theonlyconditionwhichhemadebeing,thatintheeventofhishammerbeingadopted,hewastobeallowedtosupplyitaccordingtohisowndesign。
Thepaddle-shaftofthe”GreatBritain”was,however,neverforged。
Aboutthattime,thesubstitutionoftheScrewforthePaddle-wheelasameansofpropulsionofsteam-vesselswasattractingmuchattention;andtheperformancesofthe”Archimedes”weresosuccessfulastoinduceMr。BruneltorecommendhisDirectorstoadoptthenewpower。Theyyieldedtohisentreaty。ThegreatengineswhichMr。Humphrieshaddesignedwereaccordinglysetaside;andhewasrequiredtoproducefreshdesignsofenginessuitedforscrewpropulsion。TheresultwasfataltoMr。Humphries。Thelabour,theanxiety,andperhapsthedisappointment,provedtoomuchforhim,andabrain-fevercarriedhimoff;sothatneitherhisgreatpaddle-shaftnorMr。Nasmyth’ssteam-hammertoforgeitwasanylongerneeded。