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inspection by Sir Samuel Bentham and the Lords of the Admiralty in

1801; and having been fully approved by them; Brunel was authorized

to proceed with the execution of the requisite machinery for the

manufacture of the ship's blocks required for the Royal Navy。  The

whole of this machinery was executed by Henry Maudslay; it occupied

him very fully for nearly six years; so that the manufacture of

blocks by the new process was not begun until September; 1808。



We despair of being able to give any adequate description in words of

the intricate arrangements and mode of action of the block…making

machinery。  Let any one attempt to describe the much more simple and

familiar process by which a shoemaker makes a pair of shoes; and he

will find how inadequate mere words are to describe any mechanical

operation。*

 'footnote。。。

So far as words and drawings can serve to describe the block…making

machinery; it will be found very ably described by Mr。 Farey in his

article under this head in Rees's Cyclopaedia; and by Dr。 Brewster in

the Edinburgh Cyclopaedia。  A very good account will also be found in

Tomlinson's Cyclopaedia of the Useful Arts; Art。  〃Block。〃

 。。。'

Suffice it to say; that the machinery was of the most beautiful

manufacture and finish; and even at this day will bear comparison

with the most perfect machines which can be turned out with all the

improved appliances of modern tools。  The framing was of cast…iron;

while the parts exposed to violent and rapid action were all of the

best hardened steel。  In turning out the various parts; Maudslay found

his slide rest of indispensable value。  Indeed; without this

contrivance; it is doubtful whether machinery of so delicate and

intricate a character could possibly have been executed。  There was

not one; but many machines in the series; each devoted to a special

operation in the formation of a block。  Thus there were various

sawing…machines;the Straight Cross…Cutting Saw; the Circular

Cross…Cutting Saw; the Reciprocating Ripping…saw; and the Circular

Ripping…Saw。  Then there were the Boring Machines; and the Mortising

Machine; of beautiful construction; for cutting the sheave…holes;

furnished with numerous chisels; each making from 110 to 150 strokes

a minute; and cutting at every stroke a chip as thick as pasteboard

with the utmost precision。  In addition to these were the Corner…Saw

for cutting off the corners of the block; the Shaping Machine for

accurately forming the outside surfaces; the Scoring Engine for

cutting the groove round the longest diameter of the block for the

reception of the rope; and various other machines for drilling;

riveting; and finishing the blocks; besides those for making the

sheaves。



The total number of machines employed in the various operations of

making a ship's block by the new method was forty…four; and after

being regularly employed in Portsmouth Dockyard for upwards of fifty

years; they are still as perfect in their action as on the day they

were erected。  They constitute one of the most ingenious and complete

collections of tools ever invented for making articles in wood; being

capable of performing most of the practical operations of carpentry

with the utmost accuracy and finish。  The machines are worked by a

steam…engine of 32…horse power; which is also used for various other

dockyard purposes。  Under the new system of block…making it was found

that the articles were better made; supplied with much greater

rapidity; and executed at a greatly reduced cost。  Only ten men; with

the new machinery; could perform the work which before had required a

hundred and ten men to execute; and not fewer than 160;000 blocks of

various kinds and sizes could be turned out in a year; worth not less

than 541;000L。*

 'footnote。。。

The remuneration paid to Mr。 Brunel for his share in the invention

was only one year's savings; which; however; were estimated by Sir

Samuel Bentham at 17;663l。; besides which a grant of 5000L。 was

afterwards made to Brunel when labouring under pecuniary

difficulties。  But the ANNUAL saving to the nation by the adoption of

the block…making machinery was probably more than the entire sum paid

to the engineer。  Brunel afterwards invented other wood…working

machinery; but none to compare in merit and excellence with the

above; For further particulars of his career; see BEAMISH'S Memoirs

of Sir Marc Isambard Brunel; C。E。  London。  1862。  。。。'



The satisfactory execution of the block…machinery brought Maudslay a

large accession of fame and business; and the premises in Margaret

Street proving much too limited for his requirements; he again

resolved to shift his quarters。  He found a piece of ground suitable

for his purpose in Westminster Road; Lambeth。  Little more than a

century since it formed part of a Marsh; the name of which is still

retained in the adjoining street; its principal productions being

bulrushes and willows; which were haunted in certain seasons by snipe

and waterfowl。  An enterprising riding…master had erected some

premises on a part of the marsh; which he used for a riding…school;

but the speculation not answering; they were sold; and Henry Maudslay

became the proprietor。  Hither he removed his machinery from Margaret

Street in 1810; adding fresh plant from time to time as it was

required; and with the aid of his late excellent partner he built up

the far…famed establishment of Maudslay; Field; and Co。  There he went

on improving his old tools and inventing new ones; as the necessity

for them arose; until the original slide…lathes used for making the

block…machinery became thrown into the shade by the comparatively

gigantic machine…tools of the modern school。  Yet the original lathes

are still to be found in the collection of the firm in Westminster

Road; and continue to do their daily quota of work with the same

precision as they did when turned out of the hands of their inventor

and maker some sixty years ago。



It is unnecessary that we should describe in any great detail the

further career of Henry Maudslay。  The rest of his life was full of

useful and profitable work to others as well as to himself。  His

business embraced the making of flour and saw mills; mint machinery;

and steam…engines of all kinds。  Before he left Margaret Street; in

1807; he took out a patent for improvements in the steam…engine; by

which he much simplified its parts; and secured greater directness of

action。  His new engine was called the Pyramidal; because of its form;

and was the first move towards what are now called Direct…acting

Engines; in which the lateral movement of the piston is communicated

by connecting…rods to the rotatory movement of the crank…shaft。  Mr。

Nasmyth says of it; that 〃on account of its great simplicity and

GET…AT…ABILITY of parts; its compactness and self…contained

steadiness; this engine has been the parent of a vast progeny; all

more or less marked by the distinguishing features of the original

design; which is still in as high favour as ever。〃  Mr。 Maudslay also

directed his attention in like manner to the improvement of the

marine engine; which he made so simple and effective as to become in

a great measure the type of its class; and it has held its ground

almost unchanged for nearly thirty years。  The 'Regent;' which was the

first steamboat that plied between London and Margate; was fitted

with engines by Maudslay in 1816; and it proved the forerunner of a

vast number of marine engines; the manufacture of which soon became

one of the most important branches of mechanical engineering。



Another of Mr。 Maudslay's inventions was his machine for punching

boiler…plates; by which the production of ironwork of many kinds was

greatly facilitated。  This improvement originated in the contract

which he held for some years for supplying the Royal Navy with iron

plates for ships' tanks。  The operations of shearing and punching had

before been very imperfectly done by hand; with great expenditure of

labour。  To improve the style of the work and lessen the labour;

Maudslay invented the machine now in general use; by which the holes

punched in the iron plate are exactly equidistant; and the subsequent

operation of riveting is greatly facilitated。  One of the results of

the improved method was the great saving which was at once effected

in the cost of preparing the plates to receive the rivets; the price

of which was reduced from seven shillings per tank to ninepence。  He

continued to devote himself to the last to the improvement of the

lathe;in his opinion the master…machine; the life and soul of

engine…turning; of which the planing; screw…cutting; and other

machines in common use; are but modifications。  In one of the early

lathes which he contrived and made; the mandrill was nine inches in

diameter; it was driven by wheel…gearing like a crane motion; and

adapted to different speeds。  Some of his friends; on first looking 

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