heroes of the telegraph-第32章
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he battery at the telegraph station。
Jenkin's position at Edinburgh led to a partnership in cable work with Sir William Thomson； for whom he always had a love and admiration。 Jenkin's clear； practical； and business…like abilities were doubtless an advantage to Sir William； relieving him of routine； and sparing his great abilities for higher work。 In 1870 the siphon recorder； for tracing a cablegram in ink； instead of merely flashing it by the moving ray of the mirror galvanometer； was introduced on long cables； and became a source of profit to Jenkin and Varley as well as to Sir William； its inventor。
In 1873 Thomson and Jenkin were engineers for the Western and Brazilian cable。 It was manufactured by Messrs。 Hooper & Co。； of Millwall； and the wire was coated with india…rubber； then a new insulator。 The Hooper left Plymouth in June； and after touching at Madeira； where Sir William was up 'sounding with his special toy' （the pianoforte wire） 'at half… past three in the morning；' they reached Pernambuco by the beginning of August； and laid a cable to Para。
During the next two years the Brazilian system was connected to the West Indies and the River Plate； but Jenkin was not present on the expeditions。 While engaged in this work； the ill…fated La Plata； bound with cable from Messrs。 Siemens Brothers to Monte Video； perished in a cyclone off Cape Ushant； with the loss of nearly all her crew。 The Mackay…Bennett Atlantic cables were also laid under their charge。
As a professor Jenkin's appearance was against him； but he was a clear； fluent speaker； and a successful teacher。 Of medium height； and very plain； his manner was youthful； and alert； but unimposing。 nevertheless； his class was always in good order； for his eye instantly lighted on any unruly member； and his reproof was keen。
His experimental work was not strikingly original。 At Birkenhead he made some accurate measurements of the electrical properties of materials used in submarine cables。 Sir William Thomson says he was the first to apply the absolute methods of measurement introduced by Gauss and Weber。 He also investigated there the laws of electric signals in submarine cables。 As Secretary to the British Association Committee on Electrical Standards he played a leading part in providing electricians with practical standards of measurement。 His Cantor lectures on submarine cables； and his treatise on ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM； published in 1873； were notable works at the time； and contained the latest development of their subjects。 He was associated with Sir William Thomson in an ingenious 'curb…key' for sending signals automatically through a long cable； but although tried； it was not adopted。 His most important invention was Telpherage； a means of transporting goods and passengers to a distance by electric panniers supported on a wire or conductor； which supplied them with electricity。 It was first patented in 1882； and Jenkin spent his last years on this work； expecting great results from it； but ere the first public line was opened for traffic at Glynde； in Sussex； he was dead。
In mechanical engineering his graphical methods of calculating strains in bridges； and determining the efficiency of mechanism； are of much value。 The latter； which is based on Reulaux's prior work； procured him the honour of the Keith Gold Medal from the Royal Society of Edinburgh。 Another successful work of his was the founding of the Sanitary Protection Association； for the supervision of houses with regard to health。
In his leisure hours Jenkin wrote papers on a wide variety of subjects。 To the question； 'Is one man's gain another man's loss？' he answered 'Not in every case。' He attacked Darwin's theory of development； and showed its inadequacy； especially in demanding more time than the physicist could grant for the age of the habitable world。 Darwin himself confessed that some of his arguments were convincing； and Munro； the scholar； complimented him for his paper on Lucretius and the Atomic Theory。' In 1878 he constructed a phonograph from the newspaper reports of this new invention； and lectured on it at a bazaar in Edinburgh； then employed it to study the nature of vowel and consonantal sounds。 An interesting paper on Rhythm in English Verse；' was also published by him in the SATURDAY REVIEW for 1883。
He was clever with his pencil； and could seize a likeness with astonishing rapidity。 He has been known while on a cable expedition to stop a peasant woman in a shop for a few minutes and sketch her on the spot。 His artistic side also shows itself in a paper on 'Artist and Critic；' in which he defines the difference between the mechanical and fine arts。 'In mechanical arts；' he says； 'the craftsman uses his skill to produce something useful； but （except in the rare case when he is at liberty to choose what he shall produce） his sole merit lies in skill。 In the fine arts the student uses skill to produce something beautiful。 He is free to choose what that something shall be； and the layman claims that he may and must judge the artist chiefly by the value in beauty of the thing done。 Artistic skill contributes to beauty； or it would not be skill； but beauty is the result of many elements； and the nobler the art the lower is the rank which skill takes among them。'
A clear and matter…of…fact thinker； Jenkin was an equally clear and graphic writer。 He read the best literature； preferring； among other things； the story of David； the ODYSSEY； the ARCADIA； the saga of Burnt Njal； and the GRAND CYRUS。 Aeschylus； Sophocles； Shakespeare； Ariosto； Boccaccio； Scott； Dumas； Dickens； Thackeray； and George Eliot； were some of his favourite authors。 He once began a review of George Eliot's biography； but left it unfinished。 Latterly he had ceased to admire her work as much as before。 He was a rapid； fluent talker； with excited utterance at times。 Some of his sayings were shrewd and sharp； but he was sometimes aggressive。 'People admire what is pretty in an ugly thing；' he used to say 'not the ugly thing。' A lady once said to him she would never be happy again。 'What does that signify？' cried Jenkin ； 'we are not here to be happy； but to be good。' On a friend remarking that Salvini's acting in OTHELLO made him want to pray； Jenkin answered； 'That is prayer。'
Though admired and liked by his intimates； Jenkin was never popular with associates。 His manner was hard； rasping； and unsympathetic。 'Whatever virtues he possessed；' says Mr。 Stevenson； 'he could never count on being civil。' He showed so much courtesy to his wife； however； that a Styrian peasant who observed it spread a report in the village that Mrs。 Jenkin； a great lady； had married beneath her。 At the Saville Club； in London； he was known as the 'man who dines here and goes up to Scotland。' Jenkin was conscious of this churlishness； and latterly improved。 'All my life；' he wrote；'I have talked a good deal； with the almost unfailing result of making people sick of the sound of my tongue。 It appeared to me that I had various things to say； and I had no malevolent feelings； but； nevertheless； the result was that expressed above。 Well； lately some change has happened。 If I talk to a person one day they must have me the next。 Faces light up when they see me。 〃Ah！ I say； come here。〃 〃 Come and dine with me。〃 It's the most preposterous thing I ever experienced。 It is curiously pleasant。'
Jenkin was a good father； joining in his children's play as well as directing their studies。 The boys used to wait outside his office for him at the close of business hours； and a story is told of little Frewen； the second son； entering in to him one day； while he was at work； and holding out a toy crane he was making； with the request； 'Papa you might finiss windin' this for me； I'm so very busy to…day。' He was fond of animals too； and his dog Plate regularly accompanied him to the University。 But； as he used to say； 'It's a cold home where a dog is the only representative of a child。'
In summer his holidays were usually spent in the Highlands； where Jenkin learned to love the Highland character and ways of life。 He was a good shot； rode and swam well； and taught his boys athletic exercises； boatin
