industrial biography-第92章

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England〃　are　rapidly　becoming　reconstructed　of　iron。　　In　short；　we　are

in　the　midst　of　what　Mr。　Worsaae　has　characterized　as　the　Age　of

Iron。



At　the　celebration　of　the　opening　of　the　North　Wales　Railway　at

Bangor；　almost　within　sight　of　his　iron　bridge　across　the　Straits　of

Menai；　Robert　Stephenson　said；　〃We　are　daily　producing　from　the

bowels　of　the　earth　a　raw　material；　in　its　crude　state　apparently　of

no　worth；　but　which；　when　converted　into　a　locomotive　engine；　flies

over　bridges　of　the　same　material；　with　a　speed　exceeding　that　of　the

bird；　advancing　wealth　and　comfort　throughout　the　country。　　Such　are

the　powers　of　that　all…civilizing　instrument；　Iron。〃



Iron　indeed　plays　a　highly　important　part　in　modem　civilization。　　Out

of　it　are　formed　alike　the　sword　and　the　ploughshare；　the　cannon　and

the　printing…press；　and　while　civilization　continues　partial　and

half…developed；　as　it　still　is；　our　liberties　and　our　industry　must

necessarily　in　a　great　measure　depend　for　their　protection　upon　the

excellence　of　our　weapons　of　war　as　well　as　on　the　superiority　of　our

instruments　of　peace。　　Hence　the　skill　and　ingenuity　displayed　in　the

invention　of　rifled　guns　and　artillery；　and　iron…sided　ships　and

batteries；　the　fabrication　of　which　would　be　impossible　but　for　the

extraordinary　development　of　the　iron…manufacture；　and　the　marvellous

power　and　precision　of　our　tool…making　machines；　as　described　in

preceding　chapters。



〃Our　strength；　wealth；　and　commerce；〃　said　Mr。　Cobden　in　the　course

of　a　recent　debate　in　the　House　of　Commons；　〃grow　out　of　the　skilled

labour　of　the　men　working　in　metals。　　They　are　at　the　foundation　of

our　manufacturing　greatness；　and　in　case　you　were　attacked；　they

would　at　once　be　available；　with　their　hard　hands　and　skilled　brains；

to　manufacture　your　muskets　and　your　cannon；　your　shot　and　your

shell。　　What　has　given　us　our　Armstrongs；　Whitworths；　and　Fairbairns；

but　the　free　industry　of　this　country？　If　you　can　build　three　times

more　steam…engines　than　any　other　country；　and　have　threefold　the

force　of　mechanics；　to　whom　and　to　what　do　you　owe　that；　but　to　the

men　who　have　trained　them；　and　to　those　principles　of　commerce　out　of

which　the　wealth　of　the　country　has　grown？　We　who　have　some　hand　in

doing　that；　are　not　ignorant　that　we　have　been　and　are　increasing　the

strength　of　the　country　in　proportion　as　we　are　raising　up　skilled

artisans。〃*

　＇footnote。。。

House　of　Commons　Debate；　7th　July；　1862。

　。。。＇



The　reader　who　has　followed　us　up　to　this　point　will　have　observed

that　handicraft　labour　was　the　first　stage　of　the　development　of

human　power；　and　that　machinery　has　been　its　last　and　highest。　　The

uncivilized　man　began　with　a　stone　for　a　hammer；　and　a　splinter　of

flint　for　a　chisel；　each　stage　of　his　progress　being　marked　by　an

improvement　in　his　tools。　　Every　machine　calculated　to　save　labour　or

increase　production　was　a　substantial　addition　to　his　power　over　the

material　resources　of　nature；　enabling　him　to　subjugate　them　more

effectually　to　his　wants　and　uses；　and　every　extension　of　machinery

has　served　to　introduce　new　classes　of　the　population　to　the

enjoyment　of　its　benefits。　　In　early　times　the　products　of　skilled

industry　were　for　the　most　part　luxuries　intended　for　the　few；

whereas　now　the　most　exquisite　tools　and　engines　are　employed　in

producing　articles　of　ordinary　consumption　for　the　great　mass　of　the

community。　　Machines　with　millions　of　fingers　work　for　millions　of

purchasersfor　the　poor　as　well　as　the　rich；　and　while　the　machinery

thus　used　enriches　its　owners；　it　no　less　enriches　the　public　with

its　products。



Much　of　the　progress　to　which　we　have　adverted　has　been　the　result　of

the　skill　and　industry　of　our　own　time。　　〃Indeed；〃　says　Mr。　Fairbairn；

〃the　mechanical　operations　of　the　present　day　could　not　have　been

accomplished　at　any　cost　thirty　years　ago；　and　what　was　then

considered　impossible　is　now　performed　with　an　exactitude　that　never

fails　to　accomplish　the　end　in　view。〃　　For　this　we　are　mainly　indebted

to　the　almost　creative　power　of　modern　machine…tools；　and　the

facilities　which　they　present　for　the　production　and　reproduction　of

other　machines。　　We　also　owe　much　to　the　mechanical　agencies　employed

to　drive　them。　　Early　inventors　yoked　wind　and　water　to　sails　and

wheels；　and　made　them　work　machinery　of　various　kinds；　but　modern

inventors　have　availed　themselves　of　the　far　more　swift　and　powerful；

yet　docile　force　of　steam；　which　has　now　laid　upon　it　the　heaviest

share　of　the　burden　of　toil；　and　indeed　become　the　universal　drudge。

Coal；　water；　and　a　little　oil；　are　all　that　the　steam…engine；　with

its　bowels　of　iron　and　heart　of　fire；　needs　to　enable　it　to　go　on

working　night　and　day；　without　rest　or　sleep。　　Yoked　to　machinery　of

almost　infinite　variety；　the　results　of　vast　ingenuity　and　labour；

the　Steam…engine　pumps　water；　drives　spindles；　thrashes　corn；　prints

books；　hammers　iron；　ploughs　land；　saws　timber；　drives　piles；　impels

ships；　works　railways；　excavates　docks；　and；　in　a　word；　asserts　an

almost　unbounded　supremacy　over　the　materials　which　enter　into　the

daily　use　of　mankind；　for　clothing；　for　labour；　for　defence；　for

household　purposes；　for　locomotion；　for　food；　or　for　instruction。





End