industrial biography-第53章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



that　when　working　as　a　slater　at　Great　Ashby；　he　had　made　flutes　and

clarinets；　and　now　in　his　old　age　he　determined　to　try　his　skill　at

making　an　organin　his　opinion　the　king　of　musical　instruments。　　The

building　of　it　became　his　hobby；　and　his　greatest　delight　was　in

superintending　its　progress。　　It　cost　him　about　two　thousand　pounds　in

labour　alone；　but　he　lived　to　finish　it；　and　we　have　been　informed

that　it　was　pronounced　a　very　excellent　instrument。



Clement　was　a　heavy…browed　man；　without　any　polish　of　manner　or

speech；　for　to　the　last　he　continued　to　use　his　strong　Westmoreland

dialect。　　He　was　not　educated　in　a　literary　sense；　for　he　read　but

little；　and　could　write　with　difficulty。　　He　was　eminently　a　mechanic；

and　had　achieved　his　exquisite　skill　by　observation；　experience；　and

reflection。　　His　head　was　a　complete　repertory　of　inventions；　on　which

he　was　constantly　drawing　for　the　improvement　of　mechanical　practice。

Though　he　had　never　more　than　thirty　workmen　in　his　factory；　they

were　all　of　the　first　class；　and　the　example　which　Clement　set　before

them　of　extreme　carefulness　and　accuracy　in　execution　rendered　his

shop　one　of　the　best　schools　of　its　time　for　the　training　of

thoroughly　accomplished　mechanics。　　Mr。　Clement　died　in　1844；　in　his

sixty…fifth　year；　after　which　his　works　were　carried　on　by　Mr。

Wilkinson；　one　of　his　nephews；　and　his　planing　machine　still

continues　in　useful　work。





CHAPTER　XIV。



FOX　OF　DERBY　…　MURRAY　OF　LEEDS　…　ROBERTS　AND　WHITWORTH　OF　MANCHESTER。



〃Founders　and　senators　of　states　and　cities；　lawgivers；　extirpers　of

tyrants；　fathers　of　the　people；　and　other　eminent　persons　in　civil

government；　were　honoured　but　with　titles　of　Worthies　or　demi…gods；

whereas；　such　as　were　inventors　and　authors　of　new　arts；　endowments；

and　commodities　towards　man's　life；　were　ever　consecrated　amongst　the

gods　themselves。〃BACON；　Advancement　of　Learning。





While　such　were　the　advances　made　in　the　arts　of　tool…making　and

engine…construction　through　the　labours　of　Bramah；　Maudslay；　and

Clement；　there　were　other　mechanics　of　almost　equal　eminence　who

flourished　about　the　same　time　and　subsequently　in　several　of　the

northern　manufacturing　towns。　　Among　these　may　be　mentioned　James　Fox

of　Derby；　Matthew　Murray　and　Peter　Fairbairn　of　Leeds；　Richard

Roberts；　Joseph　Whitworth；　James　Nasmyth；　and　William　Fairbairn　of

Manchester；　to　all　of　whom　the　manufacturing　industry　of　Great

Britain　stands　in　the　highest　degree　indebted。



James　Fox；　the　founder　of　the　Derby　firm　of　mechanical　engineers；　was

originally　a　butler　in　the　service　of　the　Rev。　Thomas　Gisborne；　of

Foxhall　Lodge；　Staffordshire。　　Though　a　situation　of　this　kind　might

not　seem　by　any　means　favourable　for　the　display　of　mechanical

ability；　yet　the　butler's　instinct　for　handicraft　was　so　strong　that

it　could　not　be　repressed；　and　his　master　not　only　encouraged　him　in

the　handling　of　tools　in　his　leisure　hours；　but　had　so　genuine　an

admiration　of　his　skill　as　well　as　his　excellent　qualities　of

character；　that　he　eventually　furnished　him　with　the　means　of

beginning　business　on　his　own　account。



The　growth　and　extension　of　the　cotton；　silk；　and　lace　trades；　in　the

neighbourhood　of　Derby；　furnished　Fox　with　sufficient　opportunities

for　the　exercise　of　his　mechanical　skill；　and　he　soon　found　ample

scope　for　its　employment。　　His　lace　machinery　became　celebrated；　and

he　supplied　it　largely　to　the　neighbouring　town　of　Nottingham；　he

also　obtained　considerable　employment　from　the　great　firms　of

Arkwright　and　Strutt　the　founders　of　the　modem　cotton　manufacture。

Mr。　Fox　also　became　celebrated　for　his　lathes；　which　were　of

excellent　quality；　still　maintaining　their　high　reputation；　and

besides　making　largely　for　the　supply　of　the　home　demand；　he　exported

much　machinery　abroad；　to　France；　Russia；　and　the　Mauritius。



The　present　Messrs。　Fox　of　Derby；　who　continue　to　carry　on　the

business　of　the　firm；　claim　for　their　grandfather；　its　founder；　that

he　made　the　first　planing　machine　in　1814；*

　＇footnote。。。

Engineer；　Oct。　10th；　1862。

　。。。＇

and　they　add　that　the　original　article　continued　in　use　until　quite

recently。　　We　have　been　furnished　by　Samuel　Hall；　formerly　a　workman

at　the　Messrs。　Fox's；　with　the　following　description　of　the

machine：　　　〃　It　was　essentially　the　same　in　principle　as　the　planing

machine　now　in　general　use；　although　differing　in　detail。　　It　had　a

self…acting　ratchet　motion　for　moving　the　slides　of　a　compound　slide

rest；　and　a　self…acting　reversing　tackle；　consisting　of　three　bevel

wheels；　one　a　stud；　one　loose　on　the　driving　shaft；　and　another　on　a

socket；　with　a　pinion　on　the　opposite　end　of　the　driving　shaft

running　on　the　socket。　　The　other　end　was　the　place　for　the　driving

pulley。　　A　clutch　box　was　placed　between　the　two　opposite　wheels；

which　was　made　to　slide　on　a　feather；　so　that　by　means　of　another

shaft　containing　levers　and　a　tumbling　ball；　the　box　on　reversing　was

carried　from　one　bevel　wheel　to　the　opposite　one。〃　　The　same　James　Fox

is　also　said　at　a　very　early　period　to　have　invented　a　screw…cutting

machine；　an　engine　for　accurately　dividing　and　cutting　the　teeth　of

wheels；　and　a　self…acting　lathe。　　But　the　evidence　as　to　the　dates　at

which　these　several　inventions　are　said　to　have　been　made　is　so

conflicting　that　it　is　impossible　to　decide　with　whom　the　merit　of

making　them　really　rests。　　The　same　idea　is　found　floating　at　the　same

time　in　many　minds；　the　like　necessity　pressing　upon　all；　and　the

process　of　invention　takes　place　in　like　manner：　　hence　the

contemporaneousness　of　so　many　inventions；　and　the　disputes　that

arise　respecting　them；　as　described　in　a　previous　chapter。



There　are　still　other　claimants　for　the　merit　of　having　invented　the

planing　machine；　among　whom　may　be　mentioned　more　particularly

Matthew　Murray　of　Leeds；　and　Richard　Roberts　of　Manchester。　　We　are

informed　by　Mr。　March；　the　present　mayor　of　Leeds；　head　of　the

celebrated　tool…manufacturing　firm　of　that　town；　that　when　he　first

went　to　work　at　Matthew　Murray's；　in　1814；　a　planing　machine　of　his

invention　was　used　to　plane　the　circular　part　or　back　of　the　D　valve；

which　he　had　by　that　time　introduced　in　the　steam…engine。　　Mr。　March

says；　〃I　recollect　it　very　distinctly；　and　even　the　sort　of　framing

on　which　it　stood。　　The　machine　was　not　patented；　and　like　many

inventions　in　those　days；　it　was　kept　as　much　a　secret　as　possible；

being　locked　up　in　a　small　room　by　itself；　to　which　the　ordinary

workmen　could　not　obtain　access。　　The　year　in　which　I　remember　it

being　in　use　was；　so　far　as　I　am　aware；　long　before　any

planing…machine　of　a　similar　kind　had　been　invented。〃



Matthew　Murray　was　born　at　Stockton…on…Tees　in　the　year　1763。　　His

parents　were　of　the　working　class；　and　Matthew；　like　the　other

members　of　the　family；　was　brought　up　with　the　ordinary　career　of

labour　before　him。　　When　of　due　age　his　father　apprenticed　him　to　the

trade　of　a　blacksmith；　in　which　he　very　soon　acquired　considerable

expertness。　　He　married　before　his　term　had　expired；　after　which；

trade　being　slack　at　Stockton；　he　found　it　necessary　to　look　for　work

elsewhere。　　Leaving　his　wife　behind　him；　he　set　out　for　Leeds　with　his

bundle　on　his　back；　and　after　a　long　journey　on　foot；　he　reached　that

town　with　not　enough　money　left　in　his　pocket　to　pay　for　a　bed　at　the

Bay　Horse　inn；　where　he　put　up。　　But　telling　the　landlord　that　he

expected　work　at　Marshall's；　and　seeming　to　be　a　respectable　young

man；　the　landlord　trusted　him；　and　he　was　so　fortunate　as　to　obtain

the　job　which　he　sought　at　Mr。　Marshall's；　who　was　then　beginning　the

manufacture　of　flax；　for　which　the　firm　has　since　become　so　famous。



Mr。　Marshall　was　at　that　time　engaged　in　improving　the　method　of

manufacture；*

　＇footnote。。。

We　are　informed　in　Mr。　Longstaffe's　Annals　and　Characteristics　of

Darlington；　that　the　spinning　of　flax　by　machinery　was　first　begun　by

one　John　Kendrew；　an　ingenious　self…taught　mechanic　of　that　town；　who

invented　a　machine　for　the　purpose；　for　which　he　took　out　a　patent　in

1787。　　Mr。　Marshall　went　over　from　Leeds　to　see　his　machine；　and

agreed　to　give　him　so　much　per　spindle　for　the　right　to　use　it。　　But

ceasing　to　pay　the　patent　right；　Kendrew　commenced　an　action　against

him　for　a　sum　of　nine　hundred　pounds　alleged　to　be　due　under　the

agreement。　　The　claim　was　disputed；　and　Kendrew　lost　his　action；　and

it　is　added　in　Longstaffe's　Annals；　that　even　had　he　succeeded；　it

would　have　been　of　no　use；　for　Mr。　Marshall　declared　that　he　had　not

then　the　money　wherewith　to　pay　him。　　It　is　possible　that　Matthew

Murray　may　have　obtained　some　experience　of　flax…machinery　in　working

for　Kendrew；　which　afterwards　proved　of　use　to　him　in　Mr。　Marshall's

establishment。

　。。。＇

and　the　young　blacksmith　was　so　fortunate　or　rather　so　dexterous　as

to　be　able　to　suggest　several　improvements　in　the　machinery　which

secured　the　approval　of　his　employer；　who　made　him　a　present　of　20L。；

and　very　shortly　promoted　him　to　be　the　first　mechanic　in　the

workshop。　　On　this　stroke　of　good　fortune　Murray　took　a　house　at　the

neighbouring　village　of　Beeston；　sent　to　Stockton　for　his　wife；　who

speedily　joined　him；　and　he　now　felt　himself　fairly　started　in　the

world。　　He　remained　with　Mr。　Marshall　for　about　twelve　years；　during

which　he　introduced　numerous　improvements　in　the　machinery　for

spinning　flax；　and　obtained　the　reputation　of　being　a　first…rate

mechanic。　　This　induced　Mr。　James　Fenton　and　Mr。　David　Wood　to　offer

to　join　him　in　the　establishment　of　an　engineering　and　machine…making

factory　at　Leeds；　which　he　agreed　to；　and　operations　were　commenced

at　Holbeck　in　the　year　1795。



As　Mr。　Murray　had　obtained　considerable　practical　knowledge　of　the

steam…engine　while　working　at　Mr。　Marshall's；　he　took　principal

charge　of　the　engine…building　department；　while　his　partner　Wood

directed　the　machine…making。　　In　the　branch　of　engine…building　Mr。

Murray　very　shortly　established　a　high　reputation；　treading　close

upon　the　heels　of　Boulton　and　Wattso　close；　indeed；　that　that　firm

became　very　jealous　of　him；　and　purchased　a　large　piece　of　ground

close　to　his　works　with　the　object　of　preventing　their　extension。*

　＇footnote。。。

The　purchase　of　this　large　piece　of　ground；　known　as　Camp　Field；　had

the　effect　of　〃plugging　up〃　Matthew　Murray　for　a　time；　and　it

remained　disused；　except　for　the　deposit　of　dead　dogs　and　other

rubbish；　for　more　than　half　a　century。　　It　has　only　been　enclosed

during　the　present　year；　and　now　forms　part　of　the　works　of　Messrs。

Smith；　Beacock；　and　Tannet；　the　eminent　tool…makers。

　。。。＇

His　additions　to　the　steam…engine　were　of　great　practical　value；　one

of　which；　the　self…acting　apparatus　attached　to　the　boiler　for　the

purpose　of　regulating　the　intensity　of　fire　under　it；　and

consequently　the　production　of　steam；　is