an autobiography-第65部分

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I　had　another　opportunity　of　introducing　my　small　engine　system　into　the　Government　Arsenal　at　Woolwich。　　In　1847　the　attention　of　the　Board　of　Ordnance　was；　directed　to　the　inadequacy　of　the　equipment　of　the　workshops　there。　　The　mechanical　arrangements；　the　machine　tools；　and　other　appliances；　were　found　insufficient　for　the　economical　production　of　the　apparatus　of　modern　warfare。　　The　Board　did　me　the　honour　to　call　upon　me　to　advise　with　them；　and　also　with　the　heads　of　departments　at　the　arsenal。　　Sir　Thomas　Hastings；　then　head　of　the　Ordnance；　requested　me　to　accompany　him　at　the　first　inspection。　I　made　a　careful　survey　of　all　the　workshops；　and　although　the　machinery　was　very　interesting　as　examples　of　the　old　and　primitive　methods　of　producing　war　material；　I　found　that　it　was　better　fitted　for　a　Museum　of　Technical　Antiquity　than　for　practical　use　in　these　days　of　rapid　mechanical　progress。　　Everything　was　certainly　far　behind　the　arrangements　which　I　had　observed　in　foreign　arsenals。　The　immediate　result　of　my　inspection　of　the　workshops　and　the　processes　conducted　within　them　was；　that　I　recommended　the　introduction　of　machine　tools　specially　adapted　to　economise　labour；　as　well　as　to　perfect　the　rapid　production　of　war　material。　In　this　I　was　heartily　supported　by　the　heads　of　the　various　departments。　After　several　conferences　with　them；　as　well　as　with　Sir　Thomas　Hastings；　it　was　arranged　that　a　large　extension　of　the　workshop　space　should　be　provided。　　I　was　so　fortunate　as　to　make　a　happy　suggestion　on　this　head。　　It　was；　that　by　a　very　small　comparative　outlay　nearly　double　the　workshop　area　might　be　providedby　covering　in　with　light　iron　roofs　the　long　wide　roadway　spaces　that　divided　the　parallel　ranges　of　workshops　from　each　other。

This　plan　was　at　once　adopted。　　Messrs。　Fox　and　Henderson；　the　well…known　railway　roofing　contractors；　were　entrusted　with　the　order；　and　in　a　very　short　time　the　arsenal　was　provided　with　a　noble　set　of　light　and　airy　workshops；　giving　ample　accommodation　for　present　requirements；　as　well　as　surplus　space　for　many　years　to　come。　In　order　to　supply　steam　power　to　each　of　these　beautiful　workshops；　and　for　working　the　various　machines　placed　within　them；　I　reverted　to　my　favourite　system　of　small　separate　steam…engines。　　This　was　adopted；　and　the　costly　ranges　of　shafting　that　would　otherwise　have　been　necessary　were　entirely　dispensed　with。

A　series　of　machine　tools　of　the　most　improved　modern　construction；　specially　adapted　for　the　various　classes　of　work　carried　on　in　the　arsenal；　together　with　improved　ranges　of　smiths'　forge　hearths；　blown　by　an　air　blast　supplied　by　fans　of　the　best　construction；　and　a　suitable　supply　of　small　hand　steam　hammers；　completed　the　arrangements；　and　quite　a　new　era　in　the　forge　work　of　the　arsenal　was　begun。　I　showed　the　managers　and　the　workmen　the　docile　powers　of　the　steam　hammer；　in　producing　in　a　few　minutes；　by　the　aid　of　dies；　many　forms　in　wrought…iron　that　had　heretofore　occupied　hours　of　the　most　skilful　smiths；　and　that；　too；　in　much　more　perfect　truth　and　exactitude。　Both　masters　and　men　were　delighted　with　the　result：　　and　as　such　precise　and　often　complex　forms　of　wrought…iron　work　were　frequently　required　by　hundreds　at　a　time　for　the　equipment　of　naval　gun　carriages　and　other　purposes；　it　was　seen　that　the　steam　hammer　must　henceforward　operate　as　a　powerful　auxiliary　in　the　productions　of　the　arsenal。

In　the　introduction　of　all　these　improvements　I　received　the　frank　and　cordial　encouragement　of　the　chief　officers　of　the　Board　of　Ordnance　and　Admiralty。　　My　suggestions　were　zealously　carried　out　by　Colonel　J。　N。　Colquhoun；　then　head　of　the　chief　mechanical　department　of　the　Ordnance　works　at　Woolwich。　　He　was　one　of　the　most　clear…headed　and　intelligent　men　I　have　ever　met　with。　　He　had　in　a　special　degree　that　happy　power　of　inspiring　his　zeal　and　energy　into　all　who　worked　under　his　superintendence；　whether　foremen　or　workmen。　A　wonderfully　sympathetic　effect　is　produced　when　the　directing　head　of　the　establishment　is　possessed　of　the　valuable　faculty　of　cheerful　and　well…directed　energy。　　It　works　like　an　electric　thrill；　and　soon　pervades　the　whole　department。　　I　may　also　mention　General　Dundas；　director　of　the　Royal　Gun…Factory；　and　General　Hardinge；　head　of　the　Royal　Laboratories。*　　＇footnote。。。　The　term　〃Laboratory〃　may　appear　an　odd　word　to　use　in　connection　with　machinery　and　mechanical　operations。　　Yet　its　original　signification　was　quite　appropriate；　inasmuch　as　it　related　to　the　preparation　of　explosive　substances；　such　as　shells；　rockets；　fusees；　cartridges；　and　percussion　caps；　where　chemistry　was　as　much　concerned　as　mechanism　in　producing　the　required　results。　　。。。＇

This　latter　department　included　all　processes　connected　with　explosives。　It　was　superintended　by　Captain　Boxer；　an　officer　of　the　highest　talent　and　energy；　who　brought　everything　under　his　control　to　the　highest　pitch　of　excellence。　　I　must　also　add　a　most　important　person；　my　old　and　much　esteemed　friend　John　Anderson；　then　general　director　of　the　Machinery　of　the　arsenal。　　He　was　an　admirable　mechanic；　a　man　of　clear　practical　good　sense　and　judgment；　and　he　eventually　raised　himself　to　the　highest　position　in　the　public　service。

The　satisfactory　performance　of　the　machinery　which　had　been　supplied　to　the　workshops　of　the　royal　dock　yards　and　arsenals；　led　to　further　demands　for　similar　machinery　for　foreign　Governments。　　Foreign　visitor　were　allowed　freely　to　inspect　all　that　had　been　done　whatever　may　be　said　of　the　wisdom　of　this　proceeding　it　is　certainly　true　that　no　mechanical　improvement　can　long　be　kept　secret　nowadays。　Everything　is　published　and　illustrated　in　our　engineering　journals。　And　if　the　foreigners　had　not　been　allowed　to　obtain　their　new　machines　from　England；　they　were　provided　with　facilities　enough　for　constructing　them　for　themselves。　　At　all　events；　one　result　of　the　improved　working　of　the　new　machines　at　the　Royal　Arsenal　at　Woolwich；　was　the　receipt　of　large　orders　for　our　firm　for　the　supply　of　foreign　Governments。　For　instance；　that　of　Spain　employed　us　liberally；　principally　tor　the　equipment　of　the　royal　dockyards　of　Ferrol　and　Cartagena。　These　orders　came　to　us　through　Messrs。　Zuluatta　Brothers；　who　conducted　their　proceedings　with　us　in　a　prompt　and　business…like　way　for　many　years。　　Through　the　same　firm　we　obtained　orders　to　furnish　machinery　for　the　Spanish　royal　dockyard　at　Havana。

In　1849　we　received　an　extensive　order　from　the　Russian　Government。　This　was　transmitted　to　us　through　the　Imperial　Consulate　in　London。　The　machinery　was　required　for　the　equipment　of　a　very　extensive　rope　factory　at　the　naval　arsenal　of　Nicolaiev；　on　the　Black　Sea　This　order　included　all　the　machinery　requisite　for　the　factory；　from　the　heckling　of　the　hemp　to　the　twisting　of　the　largest　ropes　and　cables　required　in　the　Russian　naval　service。　　The　design　and　organisation　of　this　machinery　in　its　minutest　detail　caused　me　to　made　a　special　study　of　the　art　of　rope…making。　　It　was　a　comparatively　new　subject　to　me；　but　I　found　it　full　of　interest。　　It　was　difficulty；　and　therefore　to　be　overcome。　And　in　this　lies　a　great　deal　of　the　pleasure　of　contriving　and　inventing。

During　the　progress　of　the　work　I　had　the　advantage　of　the　frequent　presence　of　an　able　Russian　officer；　Captain　Putchkraskey；　whose　intelligent　supervision　was　a　source　of　much　satisfaction。　We　had　also　occasional　visits　from　Admiral　Kornileff；　a　man　of　the　highest　order　of　intelligence。　　He　was　not　only　able　to　appreciate　our　exertions　to　execute　the　order　in　first…rate　style；　but　to　enter　into　all　the　special　details　and　contrivances　of　the　work　while　in　progress。　I　had　often　occasion　to　meet　Russian　officers　while　at　the　Bridgewater　Foundry。　　They　were　usually　men　of　much　ability；　selected　by　the　Russian　Government　to　act　as　their　agents　abroad；　in　order　to　keep　them　well　posted　up　in　all　that　had　a　bearing　upon　their　own　interests。　They　certainly　reflected　the　highest　credit　on　their　Government；　as　proving　their　careful　selection　of　the　best　men　to　advance　the　interests　of　Russia。

During　the　visit　of　the　Grand　Duke　Constantine　to　England　about　that　time；　he　resided　for　some　days　with　the　Earl　of　Ellesmere　at　Worsley　Hall；　about　a　mile　and　a　half　from　Bridgewater　Foundry。　We　were　favoured　with　several　visits　from　the　Grand　Duke；　accompanied　by　Baron　Brunnow；　Admiral　Hoyden；　and　several　other　Russian　officials。　They　came　by　Lord　Ellesmere's　beautiful　barge；　which　drew　up　alongside　our　wharf；　where　the　party　landed　and　entered　the　works。　The　Grand　Duke　carefully　inspected　the　whole　place；　and　expressed　himself　as　greatly　pleased　with　the　complete　mastery　which　man　had　obtained　over　obdurate　materials；　through　the　unfailing　agency　of　mechanical　substitutes　for　manual　dexterity　and　muscular　force。

I　was　invited　to　meet　this　distinguished　party　at　Worsley　Hall　on　more　than　one　occasion；　and　was　much　pleased　with　the　frank　and　intelligent　conversation　of　the　Grand　Duke；　in　his　reference　to　what　he　had　seen　in　his　visits　to　our　works。　　It　was　always　a　source　of　high　pleasure　to　me　to　receive　visits　from　Lord　Ellesmere；　as　he　was　generally　accompanied　by