men of invention and industry-第27节

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fellowtall；　strong；　and　handsomewith　an　open　intelligent

countenance。　　Besides；　he　had　been　able　to　turn　a　hat　for　himself

with　a　lathe　of　his　own　construction。　　This；　of　itself；　was　a

sufficient　proof　that　he　was　a　mechanic　of　no　mean　skill。　

〃Well！〃　said　Boulton；　at　last；　〃I　will　enquire　at　the　works；　and

see　if　there　is　anything　we　can　set　you　to。　　Call　again；　my　man。〃





〃Thank　you；　sir；〃　said　Murdock；　giving　a　final　twirl　to　his　hat。



Such　was　the　beginning　of　William　Murdock's　connection　with　the

firm　of　Boulton　and　Watt。　　When　he　called　again　he　was　put　upon　a

trial　job；　and　then；　as　he　was　found　satisfactory；　he　was　engaged

for　two　years　at　15s。　a　week　when　at　home；　17s。　when　in　the

country；　and　18s。　when　in　London。　　Boulton's　engagement　of

Murdock　was　amply　justified　by　the　result。　　Beginning　as　an

ordinary　mechanic；　he　applied　himself　diligently　and

conscientiously　to　his　work；　and　gradually　became　trusted。　　More

responsible　duties　were　confided　to　him；　and　he　strove　to　perform

them　to　the　best　of　his　power。　　His　industry；　skilfulness；　and

steady　sobriety；　soon　marked　him　for　promotion；　and　he　rose　from

grade　to　grade　until　he　became　Boulton　and　Watt's　most　trusted

co…worker　and　adviser　in　all　their　mechanical　undertakings　of

importance。



Watt　himself　had　little　confidence　in　Scotchmen　as　mechanics。　　He

told　Sir　Waiter　Scott　that　though　many　of　them　sought　employment

at　his　works；　he　could　never　get　any　of　them　to　become　first…rate

workmen。　　They　might　be　valuable　as　clerks　and　book…keepers；　but

they　had　an　insuperable　aversion　to　toiling　long　at　any　point　of

mechanism；　so　as　to　earn　the　highest　wages　paid　to　the

workmen。＇4＇　　The　reason　no　doubt　was；　that　the　working…people　of

Scotland　were　then　only　in　course　of　education　as　practical

mechanics；　and　now　that　they　have　had　a　century's　discipline　of

work　and　technical　training；　the　result　is　altogether　different；

as　the　engine…shops　and　shipbuilding…yards　of　the　Clyde

abundantly　prove。　　Mechanical　power　and　technical　ability　are　the

result　of　training；　like　many　other　things。



When　Boulton　engaged　Murdock；　as　we　have　said；　Watt　was　absent　in

Cornwall；　looking　after　the　pumping…engines　which　had　been

erected　at　several　of　the　mines　throughout　that　county。　　The

partnership　had　only　been　in　existence　for　three　years；　and　Watt

was　still　struggling　with　the　difficulties　which　he　had　to

surmount　in　getting　the　steam　engine　into　practical　use。　　His

health　was　bad；　and　he　was　oppressed　with　frightful　headaches。　

He　was　not　the　man　to　fight　the　selfishness　of　the　Cornish

adventurers。　　〃A　little　more　of　this　hurrying　and　vexation；〃　he

said；　〃will　knock　me　up　altogether。〃　　Boulton　went　to　his　help

occasionally；　and　gave　him　hope　and　courage。　　And　at　length

William　Murdock；　after　he　had　acquired　sufficient　knowledge　of

the　business；　was　able　to　undertake　the　principal　management　of

the　engines　in　Cornwall。



We　find　that　in　1779；　when　he　was　only　twenty…five　years　old；　he

was　placed　in　this　important　position。　　When　he　went　into

Cornwall；　he　gave　himself　no　rest　until　he　had　conquered　the

defects　of　the　engines；　and　put　them　into　thorough　working　order。



He　devoted　himself　to　his　duties　with　a　zeal　and　ability　that

completely　won　Watt's　heart。　　When　he　had　an　important　job　in

hand；　he　could　scarcely　sleep。　　One　night　at　his　lodgings　at

Redruth；　the　people　were　disturbed　by　a　strange　noise　in　his

room。　　Several　heavy　blows　were　heard　upon　the　floor。　　They

started　from　their　beds；　rushed　to　Murdock's　room；　and　found　him

standing　in　his　shirt；　heaving　at　the　bedpost　in　his　sleep；

shouting　〃Now　she　goes；　lads！　now　she　goes！〃



Murdock　became　a　most　popular　man　with　the　mine　owners。　　He　also

became　friendly　with　the　Cornish　workmen　and　engineers。　　Indeed；

he　fought　his　way　to　their　affections。　　One　day；　some　half…dozen

of　the　mining　captains　came　into　his　engine…room　at　Chacewater；

and　began　to　bully　him。　　This　he　could　not　stand。　　He　stript；

selected　the　biggest；　and　put　himself　into　a　fighting　attitude。　

They　set　to；　and　in　a　few　minutes　Murdock's　powerful　bones　and

muscles　enabled　him　to　achieve　the　victory。　　The　other　men；　who

had　looked　on　fairly；　without　interfering；　seeing　the　temper　and

vigour　of　the　man　they　had　bullied；　made　overtures　of

reconciliation。　　William　was　quite　willing　to　be　friendly。　

Accordingly　they　shook　hands　all　round；　and　parted　the　best　of

friends。　　It　is　also　said　that　Murdock　afterwards　fought　a　duel

with　Captain　Trevethick；　because　of　a　quarrel　between　Watt　and

the　mining　engineer；　in　which　Murdock　conceived　his　master　to

have　been　unfairly　and　harshly　treated。＇5＇



The　uses　of　Watt's　steam…engine　began　to　be　recognised　as

available　for　manufacturing　purposes。　　It　was　then　found

necessary　to　invent　some　method　by　which　continuous　rotary　motion

should　be　secured；　so　as　to　turn　round　the　moving　machinery　of

mills。　　With　this　object　Watt　had　invented　his　original

wheel…engine。　　But　no　steps　were　taken　to　introduce　it　into

practical　use。　　At　length　he　prepared　a　model；　in　which　he　made

use　of　a　crank　connected　with　the　working　beam　of　the　engine；　so

as　to　produce　the　necessary　rotary　motion。



There　was　no　originality　in　this　application。　　The　crank　was　one

of　the　most　common　of　mechanical　appliances。　　It　was　in　daily　use

in　every　spinning　wheel；　and　in　every　turner's　and

knife…grinder's　foot…lathe。　　Watt　did　not　take　out　a　patent　for

the　crank；　not　believing　it　to　be　patentable。　　But　another　person

did　so；　thereby　anticipating　Watt　in　the　application　of　the　crank

for　producing　rotary　motion。　　　He　had　therefore　to　employ　some

other　method；　and　in　the　new　contrivance　he　had　the　valuable　help

of　William　Murdock。　　Watt　devised　five　different　methods　of

securing　rotary　motion　without　using　the　crank；　but　eventually　he

adopted　the　〃Sun…and…planet　motion；〃　the　invention　of　Murdock。　

This　had　the　singular　property　of　going　twice　round　for　every

stroke　of　the　engine；　and　might　be　made　to　go　round　much　oftener

without　additional　machinery。　　The　invention　was　patented　in

February；　1782；　five　Years　after　Murdock　had　entered　the　service

of　Boulton　and　Watt。



Murdock　continued　for　many　years　busily　occupied　in

superintending　the　Cornish　steam…engines。　　We　find　him　described

by　his　employers　as　〃flying　from　mine　to　mine；〃　putting　the

engines　to　rights。　　If　anything　went　wrong；　he　was　immediately

sent　for。　　He　was　active；　quick…sighted；　shrewd；　sober；　and

thoroughly　trustworthy。　　Down　to　the　year　1780；　his　wages　were

only　a　pound　a　week；　but　Boulton　made　him　a　present　of　ten

guineas；　to　which　the　owners　of　the　United　Mines　added　another

ten；　in　acknowledgment　of　the　admirable　manner　in　which　he　bad

erected　their　new　engine；　the　chairman　of　the　company　declaring

that　he　was　〃the　most　obliging　and　industrious　workman　he　had

ever　known。〃　　That　he　secured　the　admiration　of　the　Cornish

engineers　may　be　obvious　from　the　fact　of　Mr。　Boaze　having

invited　him　to　join　in　an　engineering　partnership；　but　Murdock

remained　loyal　to　the　Birmingham　firm；　and　in　due　time　he　had　his

reward。



He　continued　to　be　the　〃right　hand　man〃　of　the　concern　in

Cornwall。　　Boulton　wrote　to　Watt；　towards　the　end　of　1782：

〃Murdock　hath　been　indefatigable　ever　since　he　began。　　He　has

scarcely　been　in　bed　or　taken　necessary　food。　　After　slaving

night　and　day　on　Thursday　and　Friday；　a　letter　came　from　Wheal

Virgin　that　he　must　go　instantly　to　set　their　engine　to　work；　or

they　would　let　out　the　fire。　　He　went　and　set　the　engine　to　work；

it　worked　well　for　the　five　or　six　hours　he　remained。　　He　left

it；　and　returned　to　the　Consolidated　Mines　about　eleven　at　night；

and　was　employed　about　the　engines　till　four　this　morning；　and

then　went　to　bed。　　I　found　him　at　ten　this　morning　in　Poldice

Cistern；　seeking　for　pins　and　castors　that　had　jumped　out；　when　I

insisted　on　his　going　home　to　bed。〃



On　one　occasion；　when　an　engine　superintended　by　Murdock　stopped

through　some　accident；　the　water　rose　in　the　mine；　and　the

workmen　were　〃drowned　out。〃　　Upon　this　occurring；　the　miners　went

〃roaring　at　him〃　for　throwing　them　out　of　work；　and　threatened　to

tear　him　to　pieces。　　Nothing　daunted；　he　went　through　the　midst

of　the　men；　repaired　the　invalided　engine；　and　started　it　afresh。



When　he　came　out　of　the　engine…house；　the　miners　cheered　him

vociferously　and　insisted　upon　carrying　him　home　upon　their

shoulders　in　triumph！



Steam　was　now　asserting　its　power　everywhere。　　It　was　pumping

water　from　the　mines　in　Cornwall　and　driving　the　mills　of　the

manufacturers　in　Lancashire。　　Speculative　mechanics　began　to

consider　whether　it　might　not　be　employed　as　a　means　of　land

locomotion。　　The　comprehensive　mind　of　Sir　Isaac　Newton　had　long

before；　in　his　'Explanation　of　the　Newtonian　Philosophy；'　thrown

out　the　idea　of　employing　steam　for　this　purpose；　but　no

practical　experime