men of invention and industry-第25章

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transmitting　power　from　one　central　engine　to　other　small　vacuum

engines　attached　to　the　several　machines　which　they　were　employed

to　work。　　〃This　vacuum　method；〃　he　says；　〃of　transmitting　power

dates　from　the　time　of　Papin；　but　it　remained　a　dead　contrivance

for　about　a　century　until　it　received　the　masterly　touch　of

Murdock。〃



〃The　sight　which　I　obtained〃　（Mr。　Nasmyth　proceeds）　〃of　the　vast

series　of　workshops　of　that　celebrated　establishment；　fitted　with

evidences　of　the　presence　and　results　of　such　master　minds　in

design　and　execution；　and　the　special　machine　tools　which　I

believe　were　chiefly　to　be　ascribed　to　the　admirable　inventive

power　and　common…sense　genius　of　William　Murdock；　made　me　feel

that　I　was　indeed　on　classic　ground　in　regard　to　everything

connected　with　the　construction　of　steam…engine　machinery。　　The

interest　was　in　no　small　degree　enhanced　by　coming　every　now　and

then　upon　some　machine　that　had　every　historical　claim　to　be

regarded　as　the　prototype　of　many　of　our　modern　machine　tools。　

All　these　had　William　Murdock's　genius　stamped　upon　them；　by

reason　of　their　common…sense　arrangements；　which　showed　that　he

was　one　of　those　original　thinkers　who　had　the　courage　to　break

away　from　the　trammels　of　traditional　methods；　and　take　short

cuts　to　accomplish　his　objects　by　direct　and　simple　means。〃



We　have　another　recollection　of　William　Murdock；　from　one　who

knew　him　when　a　boy。　　This　is　the　venerable　Charles　Manby；

F。R。S。；　still　honorary　secretary　of　the　Institute　of　Civil

Engineers。　　He　says　（writing　to　us　in　September　1883）；　〃I　see

from　the　public　prints　that　you　have　been　presiding　at　a　meeting

intended　to　do　honour　to　the　memory　of　William　Murdocka　most

worthy　man　and　an　old　friend　of　mine。　　When　he　found　me　working

the　first　slide　valve　ever　introduced　into　an　engine…building

establishment　at　Horsley；　he　patted　me　on　the　head；　and　said　to

my　father；　'Neighbour　Manby；　this　is　not　the　way　to　bring　up　a

good　workman　merely　turning　a　handle；　without　any　shoulder

work。'　　He　evidently　did　not　anticipate　any　great　results　from　my

engineering　education。　　But　we　all　know　what　machine　tools　are

doing　now；and　where　should　we　be　without　them？〃



Watt　withdrew　from　the　firm　in　1800；　on　the　expiry　of　his　patent

for　the　condensing　steam…engine；　but　Boulton　continued　until　the

year　1809；　when　he　died　full　of　years　and　honours。　　Watt　lived　on

until　1819。　　The　last　part　of　his　life　was　the　happiest。　　During

the　time　that　he　was　in　the　throes　of　his　invention；　he　was　very

miserable；　weighed　down　with　dyspepsia　and　sick　headaches。　　But

after　his　patent　had　expired；　he　was　able　to　retire　with　a

moderate　fortune；　and　began　to　enjoy　life。　　Before；　he　had

〃cursed　his　inventions；〃　now　he　could　bless　them。　　He　was　able　to

survey　them；　and　find　out　what　was　right　and　what　was　wrong。　　He

used　his　head　and　his　hands　in　his　private　workshop；　and　found

many　means　of　employing　both　pleasantly。　　Murdock　continued　to　be

his　fast　friend；　and　they　spent　many　agreeable　hours　together。　

They　made　experiments　and　devised　improvements　in　machines。　　Watt

wished　to　make　things　more　simple。　　　He　said　to　Murdock；　〃it　is　a

great　thing　to　know　what　to　do　without。　　We　must　have　a　book　of

blotsthings　to　be　scratched　out。〃　　One　of　the　most　interesting

schemes　of　Watt　towards　the　end　of　his　life　was　the　contrivance

of　a　sculpture…making　machine；　and　he　proceeded　so　far　with　it　as

to　to　able　to　present　copies　of　busts　to　his　friends　as　〃the

productions　of　a　young　artist　just　entering　his　eighty…third

year。〃　　The　machine；　however；　remained　unfinished　at　his　death；

and　the　remarkable　fact　is　that　it　was　Watt's　only　unfinished

work。



The　principle　of　the　machine　was　to　carry　a　guide…point　at　one

side　over　the　bust　or　alto…relievo　to　be　copied；　and　at　the　other

side　to　carry　a　corresponding　cutting…tool　or　drill　over　the

alabaster；　ivory；　jet；　or　plaster　of　Paris　to　be　executed。　　The

machine　worked；　as　it　were；　with　two　hands；　the　one　feeling　the

pattern；　the　other　cutting　the　material　into　the　required　form。　

Many　new　alterations　were　necessary　for　carrying　out　this

ingenious　apparatus；　and　Murdock　was　always　at　hand　to　give　his

old　friend　and　master　his　best　assistance。　　　We　have　seen　many

original　letters　from　Watt　to　Murdock；　asking　for　counsel　and

help。　　In　one　of　these；　written　in　1808；　Watt　says：　〃I　have

revived　an　idea　which；　if　it　answers；　will　supersede　the　frame

and　upright　spindle　of　the　reducing　machine；　but　more　of　this

when　we　meet。　　Meanwhile　it　will　be　proper　to　adhere　to　the

frame；　etc。；　at　present；　until　we　see　how　the　other　alterations

answer。〃　　In　another　he　says：　〃I　have　done　a　Cicero　without　any

plaitsthe　different　segments　meeting　exactly。　　The　fitting　the

drills　into　the　spindle　by　a　taper　of　1　in　6　will　do。　　They　are

perfectly　stiff　and　will　not　unscrew　easily。　　Four　guide…pullies

answer；　but　there　must　be　a　pair　for　the　other　end；　and　to　work

with　a　single　hand；　for　the　returning　part　is　always　cut　upon

some　part　or　other　of　the　frame。〃



These　letters　are　written　sometimes　in　the　morning；　sometimes　at

noon；　sometimes　at　night。　　There　was　a　great　deal　of

correspondence　about　〃pullies；〃　which　did　not　seem　to　answer　at

first。　　〃I　have　made　the　tablets；〃　said　Watt　on　one　occasion；

〃slide　more　easily；　and　can　counterbalance　any　part　of　their

weight　which　may　be　necessary；　but　the　first　thing　to　try　is　the

solidity　of　the　machine；　which　cannot　be　done　till　the　pullies

are　mounted。〃　　Then　again：　〃The　bust…making　must　be　given　up

until　we　get　a　more　solid　frame。　　I　have　worked　two　days　at　one

and　spoiled　it；　principally　from　the　want　of　steadiness。〃　　For

Watt；　it　must　be　remembered；　was　now　a　very　old　man。



He　then　proceeded　to　send　Murdock　the　drawing　of　a　〃parallel

motion　for　the　machine；〃　to　be　executed　by　the　workmen　at　Soho。　

The　truss　braces　and　the　crosses　were　to　be　executed　of　steel；

according　to　the　details　he　enclosed。　　〃I　have　warmed　up；〃　he

concludes；　〃an　old　idea；　and　can　make　a　machine　in　which　the

pentagraph　and　the　leading　screw　will　all　be　contained　in　the

beam；　and　the　pattern　and　piece　to　be　cut　will　remain　at　rest

fixed　upon　a　lath　of　cast　iron　or　stout　steel。〃　　Watt　is　very

particular　in　all　his　details：　〃I　am　sorry；〃　he　says　in　one　note；

〃to　trouble　you　with　so　many　things；　but　the　alterations　on　this

spindle　and　socket　＇he　annexes　a　drawing＇　may　wait　your

convenience。〃　　In　a　further　note；　Watt　says。　　〃The　drawing　for

the　parallel　lathe　is　ready；　but　I　have　been　sadly　puzzled　about

the　application　of　the　leading　screws　to　the　cranes　in　the　other。



I　think；　however；　I　have　now　got　the　better　of　the　difficulties；

and　made　it　more　certain；　as　well　as　more　simple；　than　it　was。　　I

have　done　an　excellent　head　of　John　Hunter　in　hard　white　in

shorter　time　than　usual。　　I　want　to　show　it　you　before　I　repair

it。〃



At　last　Watt　seems　to　have　become　satisfied：　〃The　lathe；〃　he

says；　〃is　very　much　improved；　and　you　seem　to　have　given　the

finishing　blow　to　the　roofed　frame；　which　appears　perfectly

stiff。　　I　had　some　hours'　intense　thinking　upon　the　machine　last

night；　and　have　made　up　my　mind　on　it　at　last。　　The　great

difficulty　was　about　the　application　of　the　band；　but　I　have

settled　it　to　be　much　as　at　present。〃



Watt's　letters　to　Murdock　are　most　particular　in　details；

especially　as　to　screws；　nuts；　and　tubes；　with　strengths　and

dimensions；　always　illustrated　with　pen…and…ink　drawings。　　And

yet　all　this　was　done　merely　for　mechanical　amusement；　and　not

for　any　personal　pecuniary　advantage。　　While　Watt　was　making

experiments　as　to　the　proper　substances　to　be　carved　and　drilled；

he　also　desired　Murdock　to　make　similar　experiments。　　〃The

nitre；〃　he　said　in　one　note；　〃seems　to　do　harm；　the　fluor

composition　seems　the　best　and　hardest。　　Query；　what　would　some

calcined　pipe…clay　do？　　If　you　will　calcine　some　fire…clay　by　a

red　heat　and　pound　it；about　a　pound；and　send　it　to　me；　I

shall　try　to　make　you　a　mould　or　two　in　Henning's　manner　to　cast

this　and　the　sulphur　acid　iron　in。　　I　have　made　a　screwing　tool

for　wood　that　seems　to　answer；　also　one　of　a　one…tenth　diameter

for　marble；　which　does　very　well。〃　　In　another　note；　Watt　says：

〃I　find　my　drill　readily　makes　2400　turns　per　minute；　even　with

the　large　drill　you　sent　last；　if　I　bear　lightly；　a　three…quarter

ferril　would　run　about　3000；　and　by　an　engine　that　might　be

doubled。〃



The　materials　to　be　drilled　into　medallions　also　required　much

consideration。　　〃I　am　much　obliged　to　you；〃　said　Watt；　〃for　the

balls；　etc。；　which　answer　as　well　as　can　be　expected。　　They　make

great　progress　in　cutting　the　crust　（Ridgways）　or　alabaster；　and

also　cut　marble；　but　the　harder　sorts　soon　blunt　them。　　At　any

rate；　marble　does　not　do　for　the　medallions；　as　its　grain

prevents　its　being　cut　smooth；　and　its　semi…transparence　hurts

the　effect。　　I　think　Bristol　lime；　or　shell　lime；　pressed　in　your

manner；　would　have　a　good　effect。　　When　you　are　at　leisure；　I

shall　thank　you　for　a　few　pieces；　and　if　some　of　them　are　made

pink　or　flesh　colour；　they　will　look　well。　　I　used　the　ball　quite

perpendicular；　and　it　cut　well；　as　most　of　the　cutting　is

sideways。　　I　tried　a　fine　whirling　point；　but　it　made　little

progress；　another　with　a　chisel　edge　did　almost　as　well　as　the

balls；　but　did　not　work　so　pleasantly。　　I　find　a　triangular

scraping　point　the　best；　and　I　think　from　some　trials　it　should

be　quite　a　sharp　point。　　The　wheel　runs　easier　than　it　did；　but

has　still　too　much　friction。　　I　wished　to　have　had　an　hour's

consultation　with　you；　but　have　been　prevented　by　sundry　matters

among　others　by　that　plaguey　stove；　which　is　now　in　your　hands。〃



Watt　was　most　grateful　to　Murdock　for　his　unvarying　assistance。　

In　January；　1813；　when　Watt　was　in　his　seventy…seventh　year；　he

wrote　to　Murdock；　asking　him　to　accept　a　present　of　a　lathe　〃I

have　not　heard　from　you；〃　he　says；　〃in　reply　to　my　letter　about

the　lathe；　and；　presuming　you　are　not　otherwise　provided；　I　have

bought　it；　and　request　your　acceptance　of　it。　　At　present；　an

alteration　for　the　better　is　making　in　the　oval　chuck；　and　a　few

additional　chucks；　rest；　etc。；　are　making　to　the　lathe。　　When

these　are　finished；　I　shall　have　it　at　Billinger's　until　you

return；　or　as　you　otherwise　direct。　　I　am　going　on　with　my

drawings　for　a　complete　machine；　and　shall　be　glad　to　see　you

here　to　judge　of　them。〃



The　drawings　were　made；　but　the　machine　was　never　finished。　

〃Invention；〃　said　Watt；　〃goes　on　very　slowly　with　me　now。〃　　Four

years　later；　he　was　still　at　work；　but　death　put　a　stop　to　his

〃diminishing…machine。〃　It　is　a　remarkable　testimony　to　the　skill

and　perseverance　of　a　man　who　had　already　accomplished　so　much；

that　it　is　almost　his　only　unfinished　work。　　Watt　died　in　1819；

in　the　eighty…third　year　of　his　age；　to　the　great　grief　of