an autobiography-第29部分

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y　the　simplest　possible　means。　　The　reputation　which　he　had　acquired　by　his　minting　machinery　enabled　him　to　supply　it　in　its　improved　form　to　the　principal　Governments　of　the　world。

Some　of　the　other　days　of　the　week　were　occupied　by　my　father　in　attending　to　his　own　professional　affairs；　more　particularly　in　connection　with　the　Earl　of　Cassiliswhose　noble　mansion　in　London；　and　whose　castle　at　Colzean；　on　the　coast　of　Ayrshire；　contain　some　of　my　father's　finest　works。　　The　last　day　was　most　enjoyable。　Mr。　Maudslay　invited　my　father；　my　brother　Patrick；　and　myself；　to　accompany　him　in　his　beautiful　small　steam　yacht；　the　Endeavour；　from　Westminster　to　Richmond　Bridge；　and　afterwards　to　dine　with　him　at　the　Star　and　Garter。　　I　must　first；　however；　say　something　of　the　origin　of　the　Endeavour。

Mr。　Maudslay's　son；　Joseph；　inherited　much　of　his　father's　constructive　genius。　　He　had　made　a　beautiful　arrangement　of　William　Murdoch's　original　invention　of　the　vibrating　cylinder　steam…engine；　and　adapted　it　for　the　working　of　paddle…wheel　steamers。　　He　first　tried　the　action　of　the　arrangement　in　a　large　working　model；　and　its　use　was　found　to　be　in　every　respect　satisfactory。　　Mr。　Maudslay　resolved　to　give　his　son's　design　a　full…sized　trial。　　He　had　a　combined　pair　of　vibrating　engines　constructed；　of　upwards　of　20　horse…power；　which　were　placed　in　a　beautiful　small　steam　vessel；　appropriately　named　the　Endeavour。　The　result　was　perfectly　successful。　　The　steamer　became　a　universal　favourite。　　It　was　used　to　convey　passengers　and　pleasure　parties　from　Blackfriars　Bridge　to　Richmond。　　Eventually　it　became　the　pioneer　of　a　vast　progeny　of　vessels　propelled　by　similar　engines；　which　still　crowd　the　Thames。　　All　these　are　the　legitimate　descendants　of　the　bright　and　active　little　Endeavour。

To　return　to　my　trip　to　Richmond。　　We　got　on　board　the　boat　on　the　forenoon　of　May　the　29th。　　It　was　one　of　the　most　beautiful　days　of　the　year。　　The　spring　was　at　its　loveliest。　　The　bright　fresh　green　of　the　trees　was　delightful。　　I　shall　never　forget　the　pleasure　with　which　I　beheld；　for　the　first　time；　the　beautiful　banks　of　the　Thames。　There　was　at　that　time　a　noble　avenue　of　elm　trees　extending　along　the　southern　bank　of　the　river；　from　Westminster　Bridge　to　Lambeth　Palace；　while；　on　the　northern　side；　many　equally　fine　trees　added　picturesque　grace　to　the　then　Houses　of　Parliament；　while　behind　them　were　seen　the　great　roof　of　Westminster　Hall　and　the　noble　towers　of　Westminster　Abbey。　　As　we　sped　along　we　admired　the　ancient　cedars；　which　gave　dignity　to　the　Bishop's　grounds；　on　the　one　side；　and　the　elms；　laburnums；　and　lilacs；　then　in　full　bloom；　which　partially　shaded　the　quaint　old　mansions　of　Cheyne　Row；　on　the　other。　　Alas！　the　march　of　improvement　and　the　inevitable　extension　of　the　metropolis　is　rapidly　destroying　these　vestiges　of　the　olden　time。

The　beautiful　views　that　came　into　sight；　as　we　glided　up　the　river；　kept　my　father　and　my　brother　in　a　state　of　constant　excitement。　There　were　so　many　truly　picturesque　and　paintable　objects。　Patrick's　deft　pencil　was　constantly　at　work；　taking　graphic　notes　of　〃glorious　bits〃　Dilapidated　farm…buildings；　old　windmills；　pollarded　willows；　were　rapidly　noted；　to　be　afterwards　revisited　and　made　immortal　by　his　brush。　　There　were　also　the　fine　mansions　and　cosy　villas；　partially　shrouded　by　glorious　trees；　with　their　bright　velvety　lawns　sloping　down　towards　the　river；　not　forgetting　the　delicate　streams　of　thin　blue　smoke　rising　lazily　through　the　trees　in　the　tranquil　summer　air；　and　reminding　one　of　the　hospitable　preparations　then　in　progress。


We　landed　at　Richmond　Bridge；　and　walked　up　past　the　quaint　old…fashioned　mansions　which　gave　so　distinct　a　character　to　Richmond　at　that　time。　　We　then　passed　on　to　the　celebrated　Richmond　Terrace；　at　the　top　of　the　hill；　from　which　so　glorious　a　view　of　the　windings　of　the　Thames　is　seen；　with　the　luxuriant　happy…looking　landscape　around。　　The　enjoyment　of　this　glorious　day　now　reached　its　climax。　We　dined　in　the　great　dining…room；　from　the　large　windows　of　which　we　observed　a　view　almost　unmatched　in　the　world；　with　the　great　tower　of　Windsor　in　the　distance。　　I　need　not　speak　of　the　entertainment；　which　was　everything　that　the　kindest　and　most　genial　hospitality　could　offer。　　After　a　pleasant　stroll　in　the　Park；　amidst　the　noble　and　venerable　oak　trees；　which　give　such　a　dignity　to　the　place；　and　after　another　visit　to　the　Terrace；　where　we　saw　the　sun　set　in　a　blaze　of　glory　beyond　the　distant　scenery；　we　strolled　down　the　hill　to　the　steamer；　and　descended　the　Thames　in　the　cool　of　the　summer　evening。

I　must　not；　however；　omit　to　mention　the　lodgings　taken　for　me　by　my　father　before　he　left　London。　　It　was　necessary　that　they　should　be　near　Maudslay's　works　for　the　convenience　of　going　and　coming。　We　therefore　looked　about　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Waterloo　Road。　One　of　the　houses　we　visited　was　situated　immediately　behind　the　Surrey　theatre。　　It　seemed　a　very　nice　tidy　house；　and　my　father　seemed　to　have　taken　a　liking　for　it。　　But　when　we　were　introduced　into　the　room　where　I　was　to　sleep；　he　observed　an　ultra…gay　bonnet　lying　on　the　bed；　with　flashy　bright　ribbons　hanging　from　it。　　This　sight　seemed　to　alter　his　ideas；　and　he　did　not　take　the　lodgings；　but　took　another　where　there　was　no　such　bonnet。

I　have　no　doubt　about　what　passed　through　his　mind　at　the　time。　We　were　in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　theatre。　　There　was　evidently　some　gay　young　woman　about　the　house。　　He　thought　the　position　might　be　dangerous　for　his　son。　　I　afterwards　asked　him　why　we　had　not　taken　that　nice　lodging。　　〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃did　not　you　see　that　ultra…gay　bonnet　lying　on　the　bed？　　I　think　that　looks　rather　suspicious！〃　Afterwards　he　added；　〃At　all　events；　James；　you　will　find　that　though　there　are　many　dirty　roads　in　life；　if　you　use　your　judgment　you　may　always　be　able　to　find　a　clean　crossing！〃　And　so　the　good　man　left　me。　After　an　affectionate　parting　he　returned　to　Edinburgh；　and　I　remained　in　London　to　work　out　the　plan　of　my　life。


CHAPTER　8。　　Maudslay's　Private　Assistant

On　the　morning　of　Monday；　the　30th　of　May　1829；　I　commenced　my　regular　attendance　at　Mr。　Maudslay's　workshop。　　My　first　job　was　to　assist　him　in　making　some　modifications　in　the　details　of　a　machine　which　he　had　contrived　some　years　before　for　generating　original　screws。　　I　use　the　word　〃generating〃　as　being　most　appropriate　to　express　the　objects　and　results　of　one　of　Mr。　Maudslay's　most　original　inventions。

It　consisted　in　the　employment　of　a　knife…edged　hardened　steel　instrument；　so　arranged　as　to　be　set　at　any　required　angle；　and　its　edge　caused　to　penetrate　the　surface　of　a　cylindrical　bar　of　soft　steel　or　brass。　　This　bar　being　revolved　under　the　incisive　action　of　the　angularly　placed　knife…edged　instrument；　it　thus　received　a　continuous　spiral　groove　cut　into　its　surface。　　It　was　then　in　the　condition　of　a　rudimentary　screw；　the　pitch；　or　interval　between　the　threads；　being　determined　by　the　greater　or　less　angle　of　obliquity　at　which　the　knife…edged　instrument　was　set　with　respect　to　the　axis　of　the　cylindrical　bars　revolving　under　its　incisive　action。

The　spiral　groove；　thus　generated；　was　deepened　to　the　required　extent　by　a　suitable　and　pointed　hard　steel　tool　firmly　held　in　the　jaws　of　an　adjustable　slide　made　for　the　purpose；　as　part　and　parcel　of　the　bed　of　the　machine。　　In　the　case　of　square…threaded　screws　being　required；　a　square…pointed　tool　was　employed　in　place　of　the　V　or　angle…threaded　tool。　　And　in　order　to　generate　or　produce　right　hand　or　left　hand　screws；　all　that　was　necessary　was　to　set　the　knife…edged　instrument　to　a　right　or　left　hand　inclination　in　respect　to　the　axis　of　the　cylindrical　bar　at　the　outset　of　the　operation。

This　beautiful　and　truly　original　contrivance　became；　in　the　hands　of　its　inventor；　the　parent　of　a　vast　progeny　of　perfect　screws；　whose　descendants；　whether　legitimate　or　not；　are　to　be　found　in　every　workshop　throughout　the　world；　wherever　first…class　machinery　is　constructed。　　The　production　of　perfect　screws　was　one　of　Maudslay's　highest　ambitions　and　his　principal　technical　achievement。　　It　was　a　type　of　his　invaluable　faculty　of　solving　the　most　difficult　problems　by　the　most　direct　and　simple　methods。

It　was　by　the　same　method　that　he　produced　the　Guide　screw。　His　screw…cutting　lathe　was　moved　by　combination　wheels；　and　by　its　means　he　could；　by　the　one　Guide　screw；　obtain　screws　of　every　variety　of　pitch　and　diameter。　　As　an　illustration　of　its　complete　accuracy　I　may　mention　that　by　its　means　a　screw　of　five　feet　in　length　and　two　inches　in　diameter　was　cut　with　fifty　threads　to　the　inch；　the　Nut　to　fit　on　to　it　being　twelve　inches　long；　and　containing　six　hundred　threads！　　This　screw　was　principally　used　for　dividing　scales　for　astronomical　and　other　metrical　purposes　of　the　highest　class。　By　its　means　divisions　were　produced　with　such　minuteness　that　they　could　only　be　made　visual　by　a　microscope。

This　screw　was　sent　for　exhibition　to　the　Society　of　Arts。　　It　is　still　preserved　with　the　utmost　care　at　the　Lambeth　Works　amongst　the　many　admirable　specimens　of　Henry　Maudslay's　inventive　genius　and