heroes of the telegraph-第23节
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solar hypothesis of Siemens revealed its author in a new light。 Hitherto he had been the ingenious inventor； the enterprising man of business； the successful engineer； but now he took a prominent place in the ranks of pure science and speculative philosophy。 The remarkable breadth of his mind and the abundance of his energies were also illustrated by the active part he played in public matters connected with the progress of science。 His munificent gifts in the cause of education； as much as his achievements in science； had brought him a popular reputation of the best kind； and his public utterances in connection with smoke abatement； the electric light。 Electric railways； and other topics of current interest； had rapidly brought him into a foremost place among English scientific men。 During the last years of his life； Siemens advanced from the shade of mere professional celebrity into the strong light of public fame。
President of the British Association in 1882； and knighted in 1883； Siemens was a member of numerous learned societies both at home and abroad。 In 1854 he became a Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers； and in 1862 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society。 He was twice President of the Society of Telegraph Engineers and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers； besides being a Member of Council of the Institution of Civil Engineers； and a Vice…President of the Royal Institution。 The Society of Arts； as we have already seen； was the first to honour him in the country of his adoption； by awarding him a gold medal for his regenerative condenser in 1850； and in 1883 he became its chairman。 Many honours were conferred upon him in the course of his careerthe Telford prize in 1853； gold medals at the various great Exhibitions； including that of Paris in 1881； and a GRAND PRIX at the earlier Paris Exhibition of 1867 for his regenerative furnace。 In 1874 he received the Royal Albert Medal for his researches on heat； and in 1875 the Bessemer medal of the Iron and Steel Institute。 Moreover； a few days before his death； the Council of the Institution of Civil Engineers awarded him the Howard Quinquennial prize for his improvements in the manufacture of iron and steel。 At the request of his widow； it took the form of a bronze copy of the 'Mourners；' a piece of statuary by J。 G。 Lough； originally exhibited at the Great Exhibition of 1851； in the Crystal Palace。 In 1869 the University of Oxford conferred upon him the high distinction of D。C。L。 （Doctor of Civil Law）； and besides being a member of several foreign societies； he was a Dignitario of the Brazilian Order of the Rose； and Chevalier of the Legion of Honour。
Rich in honours and the appreciation of his contemporaries； in the prime of his working power and influence for good； and at the very climax of his career； Sir William Siemens was called away。 The news of his death came with a shock of surprise； for hardly any one knew he had been ill。 He died on the evening of Monday； November 19； 1883； at nine o'clock。 A fortnight before； while returning from a managers' meeting of the Royal Institution； in company with his friend Sir Frederick Bramwell； he tripped upon the kerbstone of the pavement； after crossing Hamilton Place； Piccadilly； and fell heavily to the ground； with his left arm under him。 Though a good deal shaken by the fall； he attended at his office in Queen Anne's Gate； Westminster； the next and for several following days； but the exertion proved too much for him； and almost for the first time in his busy life he was compelled to lay up。 On his last visit to the office he was engaged most of the time in dictating to his private secretary a large portion of the address which he intended to deliver as Chairman of the Council of the Society of Arts。 This was on Thursday； November 8； and the following Saturday he awoke early in the morning with an acute pain about the heart and a sense of coldness in the lower limbs。 Hot baths and friction removed the pain； from which he did not suffer much afterwards。 A slight congestion of the left lung was also relieved； and Sir William had so far recovered that he could leave his room。 On Saturday； the 17th； he was to have gone for a change of air to his country seat at Sherwood； but on Wednesday； the 14th； he appears to have caught a chill which affected his lungs； for that night he was seized with a shortness of breath and a difficulty in breathing。 Though not actually confined to bed； he never left his room again。 On the last day； and within four hours of his death； we are told； his two medical attendants； after consultation； spoke so hopefully of the future； that no one was prepared for the sudden end which was then so near。 In the evening； while he was sitting in an arm…chair； very quiet and calm； a change suddenly came over his face； and he died like one who falls asleep。 Heart disease of long standing； aggravated by the fall； was the immediate cause； but the opinion has been expressed by one who knew him well； that Siemens 'literally immolated himself on the shrine of labour。' At any rate he did not spare himself； and his intense devotion to his work proved fatal。
Every day was a busy one with Siemens。 His secretary was with him in his residence by nine o'clock nearly every morning； except on Sundays； assisting him in work for one society or another； the correction of proofs； or the dictation of letters giving official or scientific advice； and the preparation of lectures or patent specifications。 Later on； he hurried across the Park 'almost at racing speed；' to his offices at Westminster； where the business of the Landore…Siemens Steel Company and the Electrical Works of Messrs。 Siemens Brothers and Company was transacted。 As chairman of these large undertakings； and principal inventor of the processes and systems carried out by them； he had a hundred things to attend to in connection with them； visitors to see； and inquiries to answer。 In the afternoon and evenings he was generally engaged at council meetings of the learned societies； or directory meetings of the companies in which he was interested。 He was a man who took little or no leisure； and though he never appeared to over…exert himself； few men could have withstood the strain so long。
Siemens was buried on Monday； November 26； in Kensal Green Cemetery。 The interment was preceded by a funeral service held in Westminster Abbey； and attended by representatives of the numerous learned societies of which he had been a conspicuous member； by many leading men in all branches of science； and also by a large body of other friends and admirers； who thus united in doing honour to his memory； and showing their sense of the loss which all classes had sustained by his death。
Siemens was above all things a 'labourer。' Unhasting； unresting labour was the rule of his life； and the only relaxation； not to say recreation； which he seems to have allowed himself was a change of task or the calls of sleep。 This natural activity was partly due to the spur of his genius； and partly to his energetic spirit。 For a man of his temperament science is always holding out new problems to solve and fresh promises of triumph。 All he did only revealed more work to be done； and many a scheme lies buried in his grave。
Though Siemens was a man of varied powers； and occasionally gave himself to pure speculation in matters of science； his mind was essentially practical； and it was rather as an engineer than a discoverer that he was great。 Inventions are associated with his name； not laws or new phenomena。 Standing on the borderland between pure and applied science； his sympathies were yet with the latter； and as the outgoing President of the British Association at Southport； in 1882； he expressed the opinion that 'in the great workshop of nature there are no lines of demarcation to be drawn between the most exalted speculation and common…place practice。' The truth of this is not to be gain…said； but it is the utterance of an engineer who judges the merit of a thing by its utility。 He objected to the pursuit of science apart from its application； and held that the man of science does most for his kind who shows the world how to make use of scientific results。 Such a view was natural on the part of Siemens； who was himself a living representative of the type in question； but it was not the view of such a man as Faraday or Newton； whose pure aim was to discover truth； well knowing that it would be turned to use thereafter。 In Faraday's eyes the new principle was a higher boon than the appliance which was founded upon it。
Tried by his own standard； however； Siemens was a conspicuous benefactor of his fellow…men； and at the time of his decease he had become our leading authority upon applied science。 In electricity he was a pioneer of the new advances； and happily lived to obtain at least a Pisgah view of the great future which evidently lies before that pregnant force。
If we look for the secret of Siemens's remarkable success； we shall assuredly find it in an inventive mind； coupled with a strong commercial instinct； and supported by a physical energy which enabled him to labour long and incessantly。 It is told that when a mechanical problem was b
