the uncommercial traveller-第77章

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tons　of　iron　plates　about；　as　though　they　were　so　many　leaves　of

trees；　would　be　rent　limb　from　limb　if　they　stood　by　her　for　a

minute　then。　　To　think　that　this　Achilles；　monstrous　compound　of

iron　tank　and　oaken　chest；　can　ever　swim　or　roll！　　To　think　that

any　force　of　wind　and　wave　could　ever　break　her！　　To　think　that

wherever　I　see　a　glowing　red…hot　iron　point　thrust　out　of　her　side

from　within　…　as　I　do　now；　there；　and　there；　and　there！　…　and　two

watching　men　on　a　stage　without；　with　bared　arms　and　sledge…

hammers；　strike　at　it　fiercely；　and　repeat　their　blows　until　it　is

black　and　flat；　I　see　a　rivet　being　driven　home；　of　which　there　are

many　in　every　iron　plate；　and　thousands　upon　thousands　in　the　ship！

To　think　that　the　difficulty　I　experience　in　appreciating　the

ship's　size　when　I　am　on　board；　arises　from　her　being　a　series　of

iron　tanks　and　oaken　chests；　so　that　internally　she　is　ever

finishing　and　ever　beginning；　and　half　of　her　might　be　smashed；　and

yet　the　remaining　half　suffice　and　be　sound。　　Then；　to　go　over　the

side　again　and　down　among　the　ooze　and　wet　to　the　bottom　of　the

dock；　in　the　depths　of　the　subterranean　forest　of　dog…shores　and

stays　that　hold　her　up；　and　to　see　the　immense　mass　bulging　out

against　the　upper　light；　and　tapering　down　towards　me；　is；　with

great　pains　and　much　clambering；　to　arrive　at　an　impossibility　of

realising　that　this　is　a　ship　at　all；　and　to　become　possessed　by

the　fancy　that　it　is　an　enormous　immovable　edifice　set　up　in　an

ancient　amphitheatre　（say；　that　at　Verona）；　and　almost　filling　it！

Yet　what　would　even　these　things　be；　without　the　tributary

workshops　and　the　mechanical　powers　for　piercing　the　iron　plates　…

four　inches　and　a　half　thick　…　for　rivets；　shaping　them　under

hydraulic　pressure　to　the　finest　tapering　turns　of　the　ship's

lines；　and　paring　them　away；　with　knives　shaped　like　the　beaks　of

strong　and　cruel　birds；　to　the　nicest　requirements　of　the　design！

These　machines　of　tremendous　force；　so　easily　directed　by　one

attentive　face　and　presiding　hand；　seem　to　me　to　have　in　them

something　of　the　retiring　character　of　the　Yard。　　'Obedient

monster；　please　to　bite　this　mass　of　iron　through　and　through；　at

equal　distances；　where　these　regular　chalk…marks　are；　all　round。'

Monster　looks　at　its　work；　and　lifting　its　ponderous　head；　replies；

'I　don't　particularly　want　to　do　it；　but　if　it　must　be　done　…　！'

The　solid　metal　wriggles　out；　hot　from　the　monster's　crunching

tooth；　and　it　IS　done。　　'Dutiful　monster；　observe　this　other　mass

of　iron。　　It　is　required　to　be　pared　away；　according　to　this

delicately　lessening　and　arbitrary　line；　which　please　to　look　at。'

Monster　（who　has　been　in　a　reverie）　brings　down　its　blunt　head；

and；　much　in　the　manner　of　Doctor　Johnson；　closely　looks　along　the

line　…　very　closely；　being　somewhat　near…sighted。　　'I　don't

particularly　want　to　do　it；　but　if　it　must　be　done　…　！'　　Monster

takes　another　near…sighted　look；　takes　aim；　and　the　tortured　piece

writhes　off；　and　falls；　a　hot；　tight…twisted　snake；　among　the

ashes。　　The　making　of　the　rivets　is　merely　a　pretty　round　game；

played　by　a　man　and　a　boy；　who　put　red…hot　barley　sugar　in　a　Pope

Joan　board；　and　immediately　rivets　fall　out　of　window；　but　the　tone

of　the　great　machines　is　the　tone　of　the　great　Yard　and　the　great

country：　　'We　don't　particularly　want　to　do　it；　but　if　it　must　be

done　…　！'



How　such　a　prodigious　mass　as　the　Achilles　can　ever　be　held　by　such

comparatively　little　anchors　as　those　intended　for　her　and　lying

near　her　here；　is　a　mystery　of　seamanship　which　I　will　refer　to　the

wise　boy。　　For　my　own　part；　I　should　as　soon　have　thought　of

tethering　an　elephant　to　a　tent…peg；　or　the　larger　hippopotamus　in

the　Zoological　Gardens　to　my　shirt…pin。　　Yonder　in　the　river；

alongside　a　hulk；　lie　two　of　this　ship's　hollow　iron　masts。　　THEY

are　large　enough　for　the　eye；　I　find；　and　so　are　all　her　other

appliances。　　I　wonder　why　only　her　anchors　look　small。



I　have　no　present　time　to　think　about　it；　for　I　am　going　to　see　the

workshops　where　they　make　all　the　oars　used　in　the　British　Navy。　　A

pretty　large　pile　of　building；　I　opine；　and　a　pretty　long　job！　　As

to　the　building；　I　am　soon　disappointed；　because　the　work　is　all

done　in　one　loft。　　And　as　to　a　long　job　…　what　is　this？　　Two　rather

large　mangles　with　a　swarm　of　butterflies　hovering　over　them？　　What

can　there　be　in　the　mangles　that　attracts　butterflies？



Drawing　nearer；　I　discern　that　these　are　not　mangles；　but　intricate

machines；　set　with　knives　and　saws　and　planes；　which　cut　smooth　and

straight　here；　and　slantwise　there；　and　now　cut　such　a　depth；　and

now　miss　cutting　altogether；　according　to　the　predestined

requirements　of　the　pieces　of　wood　that　are　pushed　on　below　them：

each　of　which　pieces　is　to　be　an　oar；　and　is　roughly　adapted　to

that　purpose　before　it　takes　its　final　leave　of　far…off　forests；

and　sails　for　England。　　Likewise　I　discern　that　the　butterflies　are

not　true　butterflies；　but　wooden　shavings；　which；　being　spirted　up

from　the　wood　by　the　violence　of　the　machinery；　and　kept　in　rapid

and　not　equal　movement　by　the　impulse　of　its　rotation　on　the　air；

flutter　and　play；　and　rise　and　fall；　and　conduct　themselves　as　like

butterflies　as　heart　could　wish。　　Suddenly　the　noise　and　motion

cease；　and　the　butterflies　drop　dead。　　An　oar　has　been　made　since　I

came　in；　wanting　the　shaped　handle。　　As　quickly　as　I　can　follow　it

with　my　eye　and　thought；　the　same　oar　is　carried　to　a　turning

lathe。　　A　whirl　and　a　Nick！　　Handle　made。　　Oar　finished。



The　exquisite　beauty　and　efficiency　of　this　machinery　need　no

illustration；　but　happen　to　have　a　pointed　illustration　to…day。　　A

pair　of　oars　of　unusual　size　chance　to　be　wanted　for　a　special

purpose；　and　they　have　to　be　made　by　hand。　　Side　by　side　with　the

subtle　and　facile　machine；　and　side　by　side　with　the　fast…growing

pile　of　oars　on　the　floor；　a　man　shapes　out　these　special　oars　with

an　axe。　　Attended　by　no　butterflies；　and　chipping　and　dinting；　by

comparison　as　leisurely　as　if　he　were　a　labouring　Pagan　getting

them　ready　against　his　decease　at　threescore　and　ten；　to　take　with

him　as　a　present　to　Charon　for　his　boat；　the　man　（aged　about

thirty）　plies　his　task。　　The　machine　would　make　a　regulation　oar

while　the　man　wipes　his　forehead。　　The　man　might　be　buried　in　a

mound　made　of　the　strips　of　thin；　broad；　wooden　ribbon　torn　from

the　wood　whirled　into　oars　as　the　minutes　fall　from　the　clock；

before　he　had　done　a　forenoon's　work　with　his　axe。



Passing　from　this　wonderful　sight　to　the　Ships　again　…　for　my

heart；　as　to　the　Yard；　is　where　the　ships　are　…　I　notice　certain

unfinished　wooden　walls　left　seasoning　on　the　stocks；　pending　the

solution　of　the　merits　of　the　wood　and　iron　question；　and　having　an

air　of　biding　their　time　with　surly　confidence。　　The　names　of　these

worthies　are　set　up　beside　them；　together　with　their　capacity　in

guns　…　a　custom　highly　conducive　to　ease　and　satisfaction　in　social

intercourse；　if　it　could　be　adapted　to　mankind。　　By　a　plank　more

gracefully　pendulous　than　substantial；　I　make　bold　to　go　aboard　a

transport　ship　（iron　screw）　just　sent　in　from　the　contractor's　yard

to　be　inspected　and　passed。　　She　is　a　very　gratifying　experience；

in　the　simplicity　and　humanity　of　her　arrangements　for　troops；　in

her　provision　for　light　and　air　and　cleanliness；　and　in　her　care

for　women　and　children。　　It　occurs　to　me；　as　I　explore　her；　that　I

would　require　a　handsome　sum　of　money　to　go　aboard　her；　at　midnight

by　the　Dockyard　bell；　and　stay　aboard　alone　till　morning；　for

surely　she　must　be　haunted　by　a　crowd　of　ghosts　of　obstinate　old

martinets；　mournfully　flapping　their　cherubic　epaulettes　over　the

changed　times。　　Though　still　we　may　learn　from　the　astounding　ways

and　means　in　our　Yards　now；　more　highly　than　ever　to　respect　the

forefathers　who　got　to　sea；　and　fought　the　sea；　and　held　the　sea；

without　them。　　This　remembrance　putting　me　in