an autobiography-第44部分

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＇Image＇　　Old　foundry　ladle

To　prevent　these　accidents　I　invented　my　Safety　Foundry　Ladle。　I　applied　a　screw　wheel；　keyed　to　the　trunnion　of　the　ladle；　which　was　acted　on　by　an　endless　screw　attached　to　the　sling　of　the　ladle；　and　by　this　means　one　man　could　move　the　largest　ladle　on　its　axis；　and　pour　out　its　molten　contents　with　the　most　perfect　ease　and　safety。　Not　only　was　all　risk　of　accident　thus　removed；　but　the　perfection　of　the　casting　was　secured　by　the　steady　continuous　flow　of　the　white…hot　metal　into　the　mould。　　The　nervous　anxiety　and　confusion　that　usually　attended　the　pouring　of　the　metal　required　for　the　larger　class　of　castings　was　thus　entirely　avoided。

＇Image＇　　Safety　foundry　ladle

At　the　same　time　I　introduced　another　improvement　in　connection　with　these　foundry　ladles　which；　although　of　minor　importance；　has　in　no　small　degree　contributed　to　the　perfection　of　large　castings。　This　consisted　in　hanging　〃the　skimmer〃　to　the　edge　of　the　ladle；　so　as　to　keep　back　the　scorae　that　invariably　float　on　the　surface　of　the　melted　metal。　　This　was　formerly　done　by　hand；　and　many　accidents　were　the　consequence。　　But　now　the　clear　flow　of　pure　metal　into　the　moulds　was　secured；　while　the　scoriae　were　mechanically　held　back。　All　that　the　attendant　has　to　do　is　to　regulate　the　inclination　of　the　Skimmer　so　as　to　keep　its　lower　edge　sufficiently　under　the　surface　of　the　outflowing　metal。　　The　preceding　illustrations　will　enable　the　reader　to　understand　these　simple　but　important　technical　improvements。

These　inventions　were　made　in　1838。　　I　might　have　patented　them；　but　preferred　to　make　them　over　to　the　public。　　I　sent　drawings　and　descriptions　of　the　Safety　Foundry　Ladle　to　all　the　principal　founders　both　at　home　and　abroad；　and　I　was　soon　after　much　gratified　by　their　cordial　expression　of　its　practical　value。　　The　ladle　is　now　universally　adopted。　　The　Society　of　Arts　of　Scotland；　to　whom　I　sent　drawings　and　descriptions；　did　me　the　honour　to　present　me　with　their　large　silver　medal　in　acknowledgment　of　the　invention。

In　order　to　carry　on　my　business　with　effectiveness　it　was　necessary　that　I　should　have　some　special　personal　assistance。　　I　could　carry　on　the　whole　〃mechanical〃　department　as　regards　organisation；　designing；　and　construction；　but　there　was　the　〃financial〃　business　to　be　attended　to；the　counting…house；　the　correspondence；　and　the　arrangement　of　money　affairs。　　I　wanted　some　help　with　respect　to　these　outer　matters。

When　I　proceeded　to　take　my　plot　of　land　at　Patricroft　some　of　my　friends　thought　it　a　very　bold　stroke；　especially　for　a　young　man　who　had　been　only　about　three　years　in　business。　　Nevertheless；　there　were　others　who　watched　my　progress　with　special　interest；　and　were　willing　to　join　in　my　adventurethough　adventure　it　was　not。　They　were　ready　to　take　a　financial　interest　in　my　affairs。　They　did　me　the　compliment　of　thinking　me　a　good　investment；　by　offering　to　place　their　capital　in　my　concern　as　sleeping　partners。　　But　I　was　already　beyond　the　〃sleeping　partner〃　state　of　affairs。　　Whoever　joined　me　must　work　as　　energetically　as　I　did；　and　must　give　the　faculties　of　his　mind　to　the　prosperity　of　the　concern。　　I　communicated　the　offers　I　had　received　to　my　highly　judicious　friend　Edward　Lloyd。　　He　was　always　willing　to　advise　me；　though　I　took　care　never　to　encroach　upon　his　kindness。　He　concurred　with　my　views；　and　advised　me　to　fight　shy　of　　sleeping　partners。　　I　therefore　continued　to　look　out　for　a　working　partner。　　In　the　end　I　was　fortunate。　　My　friend；　Mr。　Thomas　Jeavons；　of　Liverpool；　having　been　informed　of　my　desire；　made　inquiries；　and　found　the　man　likely　to　suit　me。　　He　furnished　him　with　a　letter　of　introduction　to　me；　which　he　presented　one　day　at　the　works。

The　young　man　became　my　worthy　partner；　Holbrook　Gaskell。　He　had　served　his　time　with　Yates　and　Cox；　iron　merchants；　of　Liverpool。　Having　obtained　considerable　experience　in　the　commercial　details　of　that　business；　and　being　possessed　of　a　moderate　amount　of　capital；　he　was　desirous　of　joining　me；　and　embarking　his　fortune　with　mine。　He　was　to　take　charge　of　the　counting…house　department；　and　conduct　such　portion　of　the　correspondence　as　did　not　require　any　special　technical　knowledge　of　mechanical　engineering。　　The　latter　must　necessarily　remain　in　my　hands；　because　I　found　that　the　〃off…hand〃　sketches　which　I　introduced　in　my　letters　as　explanatory　of　mechanical　designs　and　suggestions　were　much　more　intelligible　than　any　amount　of　written　words。

I　was　much　pleased　with　the　frank　and　friendly　manner　of　Mr。　Gaskell；　and　I　believe　that　the　feeling　between　us　was　mutual。　　With　the　usual　straight　forwardness　that　prevails　in　Lancashire；　the　articles　of　partnership　were　at　once　drawn　up　and　signed；　and　the　firm　of　Nasmyth　and　Gaskell　began。　　We　continued　working　together　with　hearty　zeal　for　a　period　of　sixteen　successive　years；　and　I　believe　Mr。　Gaskell　had　no　reason　to　regret　his　connection　with　the　Bridgewater　Foundry。

The　reason　of　Mr。　Gaskell　leaving　the　concern　was　the　state　of　his　health。　　After　his　long　partnership　with　me；　he　was　attacked　by　a　serious　illness；　when　his　medical　adviser　earnestly　recommended　him　to　retire　from　all　business　affairs。　　This　was　the　cause　of　his　reluctant　retirement。　　In　course　of　time　the　alarming　symptoms　departed；　and　he　recovered　his　former　health。　　He　then　embarked　in　an　extensive　soda　manufactory；　in　conjunction　with　one　of　our　pupils；　whose　taste　for　chemistry　was　more　attractive　to　him　than　engine…making。　A　prosperous　business　was　established；　and　at　the　time　I　write　these　lines　Mr。　Gaskell　continues　a　hale　and　healthy　man；　the　possessor　of　a　large　fortune；　accumulated　by　the　skilful　manner　in　which　he　has　conducted　his　extensive　affairs。


CHAPTER　12。　Free　Trade　in　AbilityThe　StrikeDeath　of　my　Father

I　had　no　difficulty　in　obtaining　abundance　of　skilled　workmen　in　South　Lancashire　and　Cheshire。　　I　was　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Manchester；　which　forms　the　centre　of　a　population　gifted　with　mechanical　instinct。　From　an　early　period　the　finest　sort　of　mechanical　work　has　been　turned　out　in　that　part　of　England。　　Much　of　the　talent　is　inherited。　It　descends　from　father　to　son；　and　develops　itself　from　generation　to　generation。　　I　may　mention　one　curious　circumstance　connected　with　the　pedigree　of　Manchester：　　that　much　of　the　mechanical　excellence　of　its　workmen　descends　from　the　Norman　smiths　and　armourers　introduced　into　the　neighbourhood　at　the　Norman　Conquest　by　Hugo　de　Lupus；　the　chief　armourer　of　William　the　Conqueror；　after　the　battle　of　Hastings；　in　1066。

I　was　first　informed　of　this　circumstance　by　William　Stubbs　of　Warrington；　then　maker　of　the　celebrated　〃Lancashire　files。〃　The　〃P。　S。；〃　or　Peter　Stubbs's　files；　were　so　vastly　superior　to　other　files；　both　in　the　superiority　of　the　steel　and　in　the　perfection　of　the　cutting；　which　long　retained　its　efficiency；　that　every　workman　gloried　in　the　possession　and　use　of　such　durable　tools。　Being　naturally　interested　in　everything　connected　with　tools　and　mechanics；　I　was　exceedingly　anxious　to　visit　the　factory　where　these　admirable　files　were　made。　　I　obtained　an　introduction　to　William　Stubbs；　then　head　of　the　firm；　and　was　received　by　him　with　much　cordiality　when　I　asked　him　if　I　might　be　favoured　with　a　sight　of　his　factory；　he　replied　that　he　had　no　factory；　as　such；　and　that　all　he　had　to　do　in　supplying　his　large　warehouse　was　to　serve　out　the　requisite　quantities　of　pure　cast　steel　as　rods　and　bars　to　the　workmen；　and　that　they；　on　their　part；　forged　the　metal　into　files　of　every　description　at　their　own　cottage　workshops；　principally　situated　in　the　neighbouring　counties　of　Cheshire　and　Lancashire。

This　information　surprised　as　well　as　pleased　me。　　Mr。　Stubbs　proceeded　to　give　me　an　account　of　the　origin　of　this　peculiar　system　of　cottage　manufacture　in　his　neighbourhood。　　It　appears　that　Hugo　de　Lupus；　William　the　Conqueror's　Master　of　Arms；　the　first　Earl　of　Chester；　settled　in　North　Cheshire　shortly　after　the　Conquest。　　He　occupied　Halton　Castle；　and　his　workmen　resided　in　Warrington　and　the　adjacent　villages　of　Appleton；　Widnes；　Prescot；　and　Cuerdley。　There　they　produced　coats　of　steel；　mail　armour；　and　steel　and　iron　weapons；　under　the　direct　superintendence　of　their　chief。

The　manufacture　thus　founded　continued　for　many　centuries。　Although　the　use　of　armour　was　discontinued；　the　workers　in　steel　and　iron　still　continued　famous。　　The　skill　that　had　formerly　been　employed　in　forging　chain　armour　and　war　instruments　was　devoted　to　more　peaceful　purposes。　　The　cottage　workmen　made　the　best　of　files　and　steel　tools　of　other　kinds。　　Their　talents　became　hereditary；　and　the　manufacture　of　wire　in　all　its　forms　is　almost　peculiar　to　Warrington　and　the　neighbourhood。　　Mr。　Stubbs　also　informed　me　that　most　of　the　workmen's　peculiar　names　for　tools　and　implements　were　traceable　to　old　Norman…French　words。　　He　also　stated　that　at　Prescot　a　peculiar　class　of　workmen　has　long　been　established；　celebrated　for　their　great　skill　in　clock　and　watchmaking；　and　that；　in　his　opinion；　they　were　the　direct　descendants　of　a　swarm　of　workmen　from　Hugo　de　Lupus's　original　Norman　hive　of　refined　metal…workers；　d