an autobiography-第45部分

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om　Hugo　de　Lupus's　original　Norman　hive　of　refined　metal…workers；　dating　from　the　time　of　the　Conquest。　　To　return　to　my　narrative。　　In　the　midst　of　such　a　habitually　industrious　population；　it　will　be　obvious　that　there　was　no　difficulty　in　finding　a　sufficient　supply　of　able　workmen。　　It　was　for　the　most　part　the　most　steady；　respectable；　and　well…conducted　classes　of　mechanics　who　sought　my　employmentnot　only　for　the　good　wages　they　received；　but　for　the　sake　of　their　own　health　and　that　of　their　families；　for　it　will　be　remembered　that　the　foundry　and　the　workmen's　dwellings　were　surrounded　by　the　fresh；　free；　open　country。　In　the　course　of　a　few　years　the　locality　became　a　thriving　colony　of　skilled　mechanics。　　In　order　to　add　to　the　accommodation　of　the　increasing　numbers；　an　additional　portion　of　land；　amounting　to　eight　acres；　was　leased　from　Squire　Trafford　on　the　same　terms　as　before。　On　this　land　suitable　houses　and　cottages　for　the　foremen　and　workmen　were　erected。　　At　the　same　time　substantial　brick　workshops　were　built　in　accordance　with　my　original　general　plan；　to　meet　the　requirements　of　our　rapidly　expanding　business；　until　at　length　a　large　and　commodious　factory　was　erected；　as　shown　in　the　annexed　engraving。

＇Image＇　　Bridgewater　Foundry　Patricroft。　　　　　　　　　　From　a　painting　by　Alexander　Nasmyth。

The　village　of　Worsley；　the　headquarters　of　the　Bridgewater　Canal；　supplied　us　with　a　valuable　set　of　workmen。　　They　were；　in　the　first　place；　labourers；　but；　like　all　Lancashire　men；　they　were　naturally　possessed　of　a　quick　aptitude　for　mechanical　occupations　connected　with　machinery。　　Our　chief　employment　of　these　so…called　labourers　was　in　transporting　heavy　castings　and　parts　of　machinery　from　one　place　to　another。　　To　do　this　properly　required　great　care　and　judgment；　in　order　that　the　parts　might　not　be　disturbed；　and　that　the　mechanics　might　proceed　towards　their　completion　without　any　unnecessary　delay。　None　but　those　who　have　had　practical　acquaintance　with　the　importance　of　having　skilful　labourers　to　perform　these　apparently　humble；　but　in　reality　very　important　functions；　can　form　an　adequate　idea　of　the　value　of　such　services。

All　the　requisite　qualities　we　required　were　found　in　the　Worsley　labourers。　　They　had　been　accustomed　to　the　heaviest　class　of　work　in　connection　with　the　Bridgewater　Canal。　　They　had　been　thoroughly　trained　in　the　handling　of　all　manner　of　ponderous　objects。　They　performed　their　work　with　energy　and　willingness。　　It　was　quite　a　treat　to　me　to　look　on　and　observe　their　rapid　and　skilful　operations　in　lifting　and　transporting　ponderous　portions　of　machinery；　in　which　a　vast　amount　of　costly　work　had　been　embodied。　　After　the　machines　or　engines　had　been　finished；　it　was　the　business　of　the　same　workmen　to　remove　them　from　the　workshops　to　the　railway…siding　alongside　the　foundry；　or　to　the　boats　at　the　canal　wharf。　　In　all　these　matters　the　Worsley　men　could　be　thoroughly　depended　upon。

Where　they　showed　the　possession；　in　any　special　degree；　of　a　true　mechanical　faculty；　I　was　enabled　to　select　from　the　working　labourers　the　most　effective　men　to　take　charge　of　the　largest　and　most　powerful　machine　toolssuch　as　planing　machines；　lathes；　and　boring　machines。　The　ease　and　rapidity　with　which　they　caught　up　all　the　technical　arts　and　manipulations　connected　with　the　effective　working　of　these　machines　was　extraordinary。　　The　results　were　entirely　satisfactory　to　myself；　as　well　as　to　the　men　themselves；　by　the　substantial　rise　in　their　wages　which　followed　their　advancement　to　higher　grades　of　labour。　　Thus　I　had　no　difficulty　in　manning　my　machine　tools　by　drawing　my　recruits　from　this　zealous　and　energetic　class　of　Worsley　labourers。　　　It　is　by　this　〃selection　of　the　fittest〃　that　the　true　source　of　the　prosperity　of　every　large　manufacturing　establishment　depends。　　I　believe　that　Free　Trade　in　Ability　has　a　much　closer　relation　to　national　prosperity　than　even　Free　Trade　in　Commodities。

But　here　I　came　into　collision　with　another　class　of　workmenthose　who　are　of　opinion　that　employers　should　select　for　promotion；　not　those　who　are　the　fittest　and　most　skilful；　but　those　who　have　served　a　seven　years'　apprenticeship　and　are　members　of　a　Trades'　Union。　It　seemed　to　me　that　this　interference　with　the　free　selection　and　promotion　of　the　fittest　was　at　variance　with　free　choice　of　the　best　men；　and　that　it　was　calculated；　if　carried　out；　to　strike　at　the　root　of　the　chief　source　of　our　prosperity。　　If　every　workman　of　the　same　class　went　in　the　same　rut；　and　were　paid　the　same　uniform　rate　of　wages；　irrespective　of　his　natural　or　acquired　ability；　such　a　system　would　destroy　the　emulative　spirit　which　forms　the　chief　basis　of　manipulative　efficiency　and　practical　skill；　and　on　which；　in　my　opinion；　the　prosperity　of　our　manufacturing　establishments　mainly　depends。　　But　before　I　proceed　to　refer　to　the　strike　of　Unionists；　which　for　a　time　threatened　to　destroy；　or　at　all　events　to　impede　the　spirit　of　enterprise　and　the　free　choice　of　skilful　workmen；　in　which　I　desired　to　conduct　the　Bridgewater　Foundry；　I　desire　to　say　a　few　words　about　those　excellent　helpers；　the　foremen　engineers；　who　zealously　helped　me　in　my　undertaking　from　beginning　to　end。

I　must　place　my　most　worthy；　zealous；　and　faithful　Archy　Torry　at　the　top　of　the　list。　　He　rose　from　being　my　only　workman　when　I　first　started　in　Manchester；　to　be　my　chief　general　foreman。　　The　energy　and　devotion　which　he　brought　to　bear　upon　my　interests　set　a　high　example　to　all　in　my　employment。　　Although　he　was　in　some　respects　deficient　in　his　knowledge　of　the　higher　principles　of　engineering　and　mechanical　construction；　I　was　always　ready　to　supply　that　defect。　　His　hearty　zeal　and　cheerful　temper；　and　his　energetic　movement　when　among　the　men；　had　a　sympathetic　influence　upon　all　about　him。　　His　voice　had　the　same　sort　of　influence　upon　them　as　the　drum　and　fife　on　a　soldier's　march：　　it　quickened　their　movements。　　We　were　often　called　in　by　our　neighbour　manufacturers　to　repair　a　breakdown　of　their　engines。　That　was　always　a　sad　disaster；　as　all　hands　were　idle　until　the　repair　was　effected。　　Archy　was　in　his　glory　on　such　occasions。　　By　his　ready　zeal　and　energy　he　soon　got　over　the　difficulty；　repaired　the　engines；　and　set　the　people　to　work　again。　He　became　quite　famous　in　these　cases　of　extreme　urgency。　　He　never　spared　himself；　and　his　example　had　an　excellent　effect　upon　every　workman　under　him。

Another　of　my　favourite　workshop　lieutenants　was　James　Hutton。　He　had　been　leading　foreman　to　my　worthy　friend　George　Douglass；　of　Old　Broughton；　Edinburgh。　　He　was　fully　ten　years　my　senior；　and　when　working　at　Douglass's　I　looked　up　to　him　as　a　man　of　authority。　　I　had　obtained　from　him　many　a　valuable　wrinkle　in　mechanical　and　technical　construction。　　After　I　left　Edinburgh　he　had　emigrated　to　the　United　States　for　the　purpose　of　bettering　his　condition。　　But　he　promised　me　that　if　disappointed　in　his　hopes　of　settling　there；　he　should　be　glad　to　come　into　my　service　if　I　was　ever　in　a　position　to　give　him　employment。　　Shortly　after　my　removal　to　Patricroft；　and　when　everything　had　been　got　into　full　working　order；　I　received　a　letter　from　him　in　which　he　said　that　he　was　anxious　to　return　to　England；　and　asking　if　there　was　any　vacancy　in　our　establishment　that　he　might　be　employed　to　fill　up。　　It　so　happened　that　the　foremanship　of　turners　was　then　vacant。　　I　informed　Hutton　of　the　post；　and　on　his　return　to　England　he　was　duly　enrolled　in　our　staff。

The　situation　was　a　very　important　one；　and　Hutton　filled　it　admirably。　He　was　a　sound　practical　man；　and　thoroughly　knew　every　department　of　engineering　mechanism。　　As　I　had　provided　small　separate　rooms　or　offices　for　every　department　of　the　establishment　for　the　use　of　the　foremen；　where　they　kept　their　memoranda　and　special　tools；　I　had　often　the　pleasure　of　conferring　with　Hutton　as　to　some　point　of　interest；　or　when　I　wished　to　pass　my　ideas　and　designs　through　the　ordeal　of　his　judgment；　in　order　that　I　might　find　out　any　lurking　defect　in　some　proposed　mechanical　arrangement。　　Before　he　gave　an　opinion；　Hutton　always　took　a　pinch　of　snuff　to　stimulate　his　intellect；　or　rather　to　give　him　a　little　time　for　consideration。　　He　would　turn　the　subject　over　in　his　mind。　　But　I　knew　that　I　could　trust　his　keenness　of　insight。　　He　would　give　his　verdict　carefully；　shrewdly；　and　truthfully。　Hutton　remained　a　faithful　and　valued　servant　in　the　concern　for　nearly　thirty　years；　and　died　at　a　ripe　old　age。　　Notwithstanding　his　mechanical　intelligence；　Hutton　was　of　too　cautious　a　temperament　to　have　acted　as　a　general　foreman　or　manager；　otherwise　he　would　have　been　elevated　to　that　position。　　A　man　may　be　admirable　in　details；　but　be　wanting　in　width；　breadth；　and　largeness　of　temperament　and　intellect。　　The　man　who　possesses　the　latter　gifts　becomes　great　in　organisation；　he　soon　ceases　to　be　a　〃hand；〃　and　becomes　a　〃head；〃　and　such　men　generally　rise　from　the　employed　to　be　the　employer。

Another　of　my　excellent　assistants　was　John　Clerk。　　He　had　been　for　a　long　time　in　the　service　of　Fairbairn　and　Lillie；　but　having　had　a　serious　difference　with　one　of　the　foremen；　he