an autobiography-第42部分

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The　irregularity　and　carelessness　of　the　workmen　naturally　proved　very　annoying　to　the　employers。　　But　it　gave　an　increased　stimulus　to　the　demand　for　self…acting　machine　tools　by　which　the　untrustworthy　efforts　of　hand　labour　might　be　avoided。　　The　machines　never　got　drunk；　their　hands　never　shook　from　excess；　they　were　never　absent　from　work；　they　did　not　strike　for　wages；　they　were　unfailing　in　their　accuracy　and　regularity；　while　producing　the　most　delicate　or　ponderous　portions　of　mechanical　structures。

It　so　happened　that　the　demand　for　machine　tools；　consequent　upon　the　increasing　difficulties　with　the　workmen；　took　place　at　the　time　that　I　began　business　in　Manchester；　and　I　had　my　fair　share　of　the　increased　demand。　　Most　of　my　own　machine　tools　were　self…actingplaning　machines；　slide　lathes；　drilling；　boring；　slotting　machines；　and　so　on。　When　set　up　in　my　workshop　they　distinguished　themselves　by　their　respective　merits　and　efficiency。　　They　were；　in　fact；　their　own　best　advertisements。　　The　consequence　was　that　orders　for　similar　machines　poured　in　upon　me；　and　the　floor　of　my　flat　became　completely　loaded　with　the　work　in　hand。

The　tenant　below　me；　it　will　be　remembered；　was　a　glass…cutter。　He　observed；　with　alarm；　the　bits　of　plaster　from　the　roof　coming　down　among　his　cut　glasses　and　decanters。　　He　thought　that　the　rafters　overhead　were　giving　way；　and　that　the　whole　of　my　machinery　and　engines　would　come　tumbling　down　upon　him　some　day　and　involve　him　in　ruin。　　He　probably　exaggerated　the　danger；　still　there　was　some　cause　for　fear。

When　the　massive　castings　on　my　floor　were　moved　about　from　one　part　to　another；　the　floor　quivered　and　trembled　under　the　pressure。　The　glass…cutter　complained　to　the　landlord；　and　the　landlord　expostulated　with　me。　　I　did　all　that　I　could　to　equalise　the　pressure；　and　prevent　vibration　as　much　as　possible。　　But　at　length；　in　spite　of　all　my　care；　an　accident　occurred　which　compelled　me　to　take　measures　to　remove　my　machinery　to　other　premises。　　As　this　removal　was　followed　by　consequences　of　much　importance　to　myself；　I　must　endeavour　to　state　the　circumstances　under　which　it　occurred。

My　kind　friend；　John　Kennedy；　continued　to　take　the　greatest　interest　in　my　welfare。　　He　called　in　upon　me　occasionally。　　He　admired　the　quality　of　my　work；　and　the　beauty　of　my　self…acting　machinery。　More　than　that；　he　recommended　me　to　his　friends。　　It　was　through　his　influence　that　I　obtained　an　order　for　a　high…pressure　steam…engine　of　twenty　horse…power　to　drive　the　machinery　connected　with　a　distillery　at　Londonderry；　in　Ireland。　　I　was　afraid　at　first　that　I　could　not　undertake　the　job。　　The　size　of　the　engine　was　somewhat　above　the　height　of　my　flat；　and　it　would　probably　occupy　too　much　space　in　my　already　overcrowded　workshop。　　At　the　same　time　I　was　most　anxious　not　to　let　such　an　order　pass　me。　　I　wished　to　please　my　friend　Mr。　Kennedy；　besides；　the　execution　of　the　engine　might　lead　to　further　business。

At　length；　after　consideration；　I　undertook　to　execute　the　order。　Instead　of　constructing　the　engine　perpendicularly；　I　constructed　it　lying　upon　its　side。　　There　was　a　little　extra　difficulty；　but　I　managed　to　complete　it　in　the　best　style。　　It　had　next　to　be　taken　to　pieces　for　the　purpose　of　being　conveyed　to　Londonderry。　　It　was　then　that　the　accident　happened。　　My　men　had　the　misfortune　to　allow　the　end　of　the　engine　beam　to　crash　through　the　floor！　　There　was　a　terrible　scattering　of　lath　and　plaster　and　dust。　　The　glass…cutter　was　in　a　dreadful　state。　　He　rushed　forthwith　to　the　landlord；　and　called　upon　him　to　come　at　once　and　judge　for　himself！

Mr。　Wren　did　come；　and　did　judge　for　himself。　　He　looked　in　at　the　glass　shop；　and　saw　the　damage　that　had　been　done　amongst　the　tumblers　and　decanters。　　There　was　the　hole　in　the　roof；　through　which　the　end　of　the　engine　beam　had　come　and　scattered　the　lath　and　plaster。　The　landlord　then　came　to　me。　　The　whole　flat　was　filled　with　machinery；　including　the　steam…engine　on　its　side；　now　being　taken　to　pieces　for　the　purpose　of　shipment　to　Ireland。　　Mr。　Wren；　in　the　kindest　manner；　begged　me　to　remove　from　the　premises　as　soon　as　I　could；　otherwise　the　whole　building　might　be　brought　to　the　ground　with　the　weight　of　my　machinery。　　〃Besides；〃　he　argued；　〃you　must　have　more　convenient　premises　for　your　rapidly　extending　business。〃　　It　was　quite　true。　　I　must　leave　the　place　and　establish　myself　elsewhere。

The　reader　may　remember　that　while　on　my　journey　on　foot　from　Liverpool　to　Manchester　in　1830；　I　had　rested　myself　for　a　little　on　the　parapet　of　the　bridge　overlooking　the　canal　near　Patricroft；　and　gazed　longingly　upon　a　plot　of　land　situated　along　the　canal　side。　On　the　afternoon　of　the　day　on　which　the　engine　beam　crashed　through　the　glass…cutter's　roof；　I　went　out　again　to　look　at　that　favourite　piece　of　land。　　There　it　was；　unoccupied；　just　as　I　had　seen　it　some　years　before。　　I　went　to　it　and　took　note　of　its　dimensions。　It　consisted　of　about　six　acres。　　It　was　covered　with　turf；　and　as　flat　and　neat　as　a　bowling…green。　　It　was　bounded　on　one　side　by　the　Bridgewater　Canal；　edged　by　a　neat　stone　margin　1050　feet　long；　on　another　side　by　the　Liverpool　and　Manchester　Railway；　while　on　a　third　side　it　was　bounded　by　a　good　road；　accessible　from　all　sides。　The　plot　was　splendidly　situated。　　I　wondered　that　it　had　not　been　secured　before。　It　was　evidently　waiting　for　me！

I　did　not　allow　the　grass　to　grow　beneath　my　feet。　　That　very　night　I　ascertained　that　the　proprietor　of　this　most　beautiful　plot　was　squire　Trafford；　one　of　the　largest　landed　proprietors　in　the　district。　Next　morning　I　proceeded　to　Trafford　Hall　for　the　purpose　of　interviewing　the　Squire。　　He　received　me　most　cordially。　　After　I　had　stated　my　object　in　calling　upon　him；　he　said　he　would　be　exceedingly　pleased　to　have　me　for　one　of　his　tenants。　　He　gave　me　a　letter　of　introduction　to　his　agent；　Mr。　Thomas　Lee；　of　Princes　Street；　Manchester；　with　whom　I　was　to　arrange　as　to　the　terms。　　I　was　offered　a　lease　of　the　six　acre　plot　for　999　years；　at　an　annual　rent　of　1　3/4d　per　square　yard。　　This　proposal　was　most　favourable；　as　I　obtained　the　advantage　of　a　fee…simple　purchase　without　having　to　sink　capital　in　the　land。　All　that　I　had　to　provide　for　was　the　annual　rent。

My　next　step　in　this　important　affair　was　to　submit　the　proposal　to　the　judgment　of　my　excellent　friend　Edward　Lloyd；　the　banker。　　He　advised　me　to　close　the　matter　as　soon　as　possible；　for　he　considered　the　terms　most　favourable。　　He　personally　took　me　to　his　solicitors；　Dennison；　Humphreys；　and　Cunliffe；　and　introduced　me　to　them。　　Mr。　Humphreys　took　the　matter　in　hand。　　We　went　together　to　Mr。Lee；　and　within　a　few　days　the　lease　was　signed　and　I　was　put　into　possession　of　the　land　upon　which　the　Bridgewater　Foundry　was　afterwards　erected。*　　＇footnote。。。　I　called　the　place　the　Bridgewater　Foundry　as　an　appropriate　and　humble　tribute　to　the　memory　of　the　first　great　canal　maker　in　Britain　the　noble　Duke　of　Bridgewater。　　My　ground　was　on　the　first　mile　of　the　Bridgewater　Canal　which　the　Duke　had　constructed　under　the　superintendence　of　Brindley；　so　that　it　might　well　be　considered；　in　an　Engineering　sense；　〃classic　ground。〃　　。。。＇

I　may　mention　briefly　the　advantages　of　the　site。　　The　Bridgewater　Canal；　which　lay　along　one　side　of　the　foundry　communicated　with　every　waterway　and　port　in　England　whilst　the　railway　alongside　enabled　a　communication　to　be　kept　up　by　rail　with　every　part　of　the　country。　The　Worsley　coal…boats　came　alongside　the　wharf；　and　a　cheap　and　abundant　supply　of　fuel　was　thus　insured。　　The　railway　station　was　near　at　hand；　and　afforded　every　opportunity　for　travelling　to　and　from　the　works；　while　I　was　at　the　same　time　placed　within　twenty　minutes　of　Manchester。

Another　important　point　has　to　be　mentioned。　　A　fine　bed　of　brick…clay　lay　below　the　surface　of　the　ground；　which　supplied　the　material　for　bricks。　　Thus　the　entire　works　may　be　truly　said　to　have　〃risen　out　of　the　ground；〃　for　the　whole　of　the　buildings　rested　upon　the　land　from　which　the　clay　below　was　dug　and　burned　into　bricks。　　Then；　below　the　clay　lay　a　bed　of　New　Red　Sandstone　rock；　which　yielded　a　solid　foundation　for　any　superstructure；　however　lofty　or　ponderous。

As　soon　as　the　preliminary　arrangements　for　the　lease　of　the　six　acre　plot　had　been　made；　I　proceeded　to　make　working　drawings　of　a　temporary　timber　workshop；　as　I　was　anxious　to　unload　the　floor　of　my　flat　in　Dale　Street；　and　to　get　as　much　of　my　machinery　as　possible　speedily　removed　to　Patricroft。　　For　the　purpose　of　providing　the　temporary　accommodation；　I　went　to　Liverpool　and　purchased　a　number　of　logs　of　New　Brunswick　pine。　　The　logs　were　cut　up　into　planks；　battens；　and　roof…timbers；　and　were　delivered　in　a　few　days　at　the　canal　wharf　in　front　of　my　plot。　　The　building　of　the　workshops　rapidly　proceeded。　By　the　aid　of　some　handy　active　carpenters；　superintended　by　my　energetic　foreman；　Archy　Torry；　several　convenient　well…lighted　workshops　were　soon　ready　for　the　reception　of　my　machinery。　I　had　a　four　horsepower　engine；　which　I　had　made　at　Edinburgh；　ready　to　be　placed　in　position；　together　with　the　boiler。　This　was　the　first　power