men of invention and industry-第27章

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knighted　in　the　same　year；　most　probably　on　the　accession　of

George　II。　to　the　throne。



John；　the　youngest　son　of　the　family；　and　half…brother　of　Thomas；

was　put　an　apprentice　to　a　trade。　　In　1702；　we　find　him　at　Derby；

working　as　a　mechanic　with　one　Mr。　Crotchet。　　This　unfortunate

gentleman　started　a　small　silk…mill　at　Derby；　with　the　object　of

participating　in　the　profits　derived　from　the　manufacture。



〃The　wear　of　silks；〃　says　Hutton；　in　his　'History　of　Derby；'　〃was

the　taste　of　the　ladies；　and　the　British　merchant　was　obliged　to

apply　to　the　Italian　with　ready　money　for　the　article　at　an

exorbitant　price。〃　　Crotchet　did　not　succeed　in　his　undertaking。　

〃Three　engines　were　found　necessary　for　the　process：　　he　had　but

one。　　An　untoward　trade　is　a　dreadful　sink　for　money；　and　an

imprudent　tradesman　is　still　more　dreadfuL。　　We　often　see

instances　where　a　fortune　would　last　a　man　much　longer　if　he

lived　upon　his　capital；　than　if　he　sent　it　into　trade。　　Crotchet

soon　became　insolvent。〃



John　Lombe；　who　had　been　a　mechanic　in　Crotchet's　silk　mill；　lost

his　situation　accordingly。　　But　he　seems　to　have　been　possessed

by　an　intense　desire　to　ascertain　the　Italian　method　of

silk…throwing。　　He　could　not　learn　it　in　England。　　There　was　no

other　method　but　going　to　Italy；　getting　into　a　silk　mill；　and

learning　the　secret　of　the　Italian　art。　　He　was　a　good　mechanic

and　a　clever　draughtsman；　besides　being　intelligent　and　fearless。



But　he　had　not　the　necessary　money　wherewith　to　proceed　to　Italy。



His　half…brother　Thomas；　however；　was　doing　well　in　London；　and

was　willing　to　help　him　with　the　requisite　means。　　Accordingly；

John　set　out　for　Italy；　not　long　after　the　failure　of　Crotchet。



John　Lombe　succeeded　in　getting　employment　in　a　silk　mill　in

Piedmont；　where　the　art　of　silk…throwing　was　kept　a　secret。　　He

was　employed　as　a　mechanic；　and　had　thus　an　opportunity；　in

course　of　time；　of　becoming　familiar　with　the　operation　of　the

engine。　　Hutton　says　that　he　bribed　the　workmen；　but　this　would

have　been　a　dangerous　step；　and　would　probably　have　led　to　his

expulsion；　if　not　to　his　execution。　　Hutton　had　a　great

detestation　of　the　first　silk　factory　at　Derby；　where　he　was

employed　when　a　boy；　and　everything　that　he　says　about　it　must　be

taken　cum　grano　salis。　　When　the　subject　of　renewing　the　patent

was　before　Parliament　in　1731；　Mr。　Perry；　who　supported　the

petition　of　Sir　Thomas　Lombe；　said　that　〃the　art　had　been　kept　so

secret　in　Piedmont；　that　no　other　nation　could　ever　yet　come　at

the　invention；　and　that　Sir　Thomas　and　his　brother　resolved　to

make　an　attempt　for　the　bringing　of　this　invention　into　their　own

country。　　They　knew　that　there　would　be　great　difficulty　and

danger　in　the　undertaking；　because　the　king　of　Sardinia　had　made

it　death　for　any　man　to　discover　this　invention；　or　attempt　to

carry　it　out　of　his　dominions。　　The　petitioner's　brother；

however；　resolved　to　venture　his　person　for　the　benefit　and

advantage　of　his　native　country；　and　Sir　Thomas　was　resolved　to

venture　his　money；　and　to　furnish　his　brother　with　whatever　sums

should　be　necessary　for　executing　so　bold　and　so　generous　a

design。　　His　brother　went　accordingly　over　to　Italy；　and　after　a

long　stay　and　a　great　expense　in　that　country；　he　found　means　to

see　this　engine　so　often；　and　to　pry　into　the　nature　of　it　so

narrowly；　that　he　made　himself　master　of　the　whole　invention　and

of　all　the　different　parts　and　motions　belonging　to　it。〃



John　Lombe　was　absent　from　England　for　several　years。　　While

occupied　with　his　investigations　and　making　his　drawings；　it　is

said　that　it　began　to　be　rumoured　that　the　Englishman　was　prying

into　the　secret　of　the　silk　mill；　and　that　he　had　to　fly　for　his

life。　　However　this　may　be；　he　got　on　board　an　English　ship；　and

returned　to　England　in　safety。　　He　brought　two　Italian　workmen

with　him；　accustomed　to　the　secrets　of　the　silk　trade。　　He

arrived　in　London　in　1716；　when；　after　conferring　with　his

brother；　a　specification　was　prepared　and　a　patent　for　the

organzining　of　raw　silk　was　taken　out　in　1718。　　The　patent　was

granted　for　fourteen　years。



In　the　meantime；　John　Lombe　arranged　with　the　Corporation　of　the

town　of　Derby　for　taking　a　lease　of　the　island　or　swamp　on　the

river　Derwent；　at　a　ground　rental　of　8L。　a　year。　　The　island；

which　was　well　situated　for　water…power；　was　500　feet　long　and　52

feet　wide。　　Arrangements　were　at　once　made　for　erecting　a　silk

mill　thereon；　the　first　large　factory　in　England。　　It　was

constructed　entirely　at　the　expense　of　his　brother　Thomas。　　While

the　building　was　in　progress；　John　Lombe　hired　various　rooms　in

Derby；　and　particularly　the　Town　Hall；　where　he　erected　temporary

engines　turned　by　hand；　and　gave　employment　to　a　large　number　of

poor　people。



At　length；　after　about　three　years'　labour；　the　great　silk　mill

was　completed。　　It　was　founded　upon　huge　piles　of　oak；　from　16　to

20　feet　long；　driven　into　the　swamp　close　to　each　other　by　an

engine　made　for　the　purpose。　　The　building　was　five　stories　high；

contained　eight　large　apartments；　and　had　no　fewer　than　468

windows。　　The　Lombes　must　have　had　great　confidence　in　their

speculation；　as　the　building　and　the　great　engine　for　making　the

organzine　silk；　together　with　the　other　fittings；　cost　them　about

30；000L。



One　effect　of　the　working　of　the　mill　was　greatly　to　reduce　the

price　of　the　thrown…silk；　and　to　bring　it　below　the　cost　of　the

Italian　production。　　The　King　of　Sardinia；　having　heard　of　the

success　of　the　Lombe's　undertaking；　prohibited　the　exportation　of

Piedmontese　raw　silk；　which　interrupted　the　course　of　their

prosperity；　until　means　were　taken　to　find　a　renewed　supply

elsewhere。



And　now　comes　the　tragic　part　of　the　story；　for　which　Mr。　Hutton；

the　author　of　the　'History　of　Derby；'　is　responsible。　　As　he

worked　in　the　silk　mill　when　a　boy；　from　1730　to　1737；　he

doubtless　heard　it　from　the　mill…hands；　and　there　may　be　some

truth　in　it；　though　mixed　with　a　little　romance。　　It　is　this：…

Hutton　says　of　John　Lombe；　that　he　〃had　not　pursued　this

lucrative　commerce　more　than　three　or　four　years　when　the

Italians；　who　felt　the　effects　from　their　want　of　trade；

determined　his　destruction；　and　hoped　that　that　of　his　works

would　follow。　　An　artful　woman　came　over　in　the　character　of　a

friend；　associated　with　the　parties；　and　assisted　in　the

business。　　She　attempted　to　gain　both　the　Italian　workmen；　and

succeeded　with　one。　　By　these　two　slow　poison　was　supposed；　and

perhaps　justly；　to　have　been　administered　to　John　Lombe；　who

lingered　two　or　three　years　in　agony；　and　departed。　　The　Italian

ran　away　to　his　own　country；　and　Madam　was　interrogated；　but

nothing　transpired；　except　what　strengthened　suspicion。〃　　A

strange　story；　if　true。



Of　the　funeral；　Hutton　says：　〃John　Lombe's　was　the　most　superb

ever　known　in　Derby。　　A　man　of　peaceable　deportment；　who　had

brought　a　beneficial　manufactory　into　the　place；　employed　the

poor；　and　at　advanced　wages；　could　not　fail　meeting　with　respect；

and　his　melancholy　end　with　pity。　　Exclusive　of　the　gentlemen　who

attended；　all　the　people　concerned　in　the　works　were　invited。　

The　procession　marched　in　pairs；　and　extended　the　length　of　Full

Street；　the　market…place；　and　Iron…gate；　so　that　when　the　corpse

entered　All　Saints；　at　St。　Mary's　Gate；　the　last　couple　left　the

house　of　the　deceased；　at　the　corner　of　Silk…mill　Lane。〃



Thus　John　Lombe　died　and　was　buried　at　the　early　age　of

twenty…nine；　and　Thomas；　the　capitalist；　continued　the　owner　of

the　Derby　silk　mill。　　Hutton　erroneously　states　that　William

succeeded；　and　that　he　shot　himself。　　The　Lombes　had　no　brother

of　the　name　of　William；　and　this　part　of　Hutton's　story　is　a

romance。



The　affairs　of　the　Derby　silk　mill　went　on　prosperously。　　Enough

thrown　silk　was　manufactured　to　supply　the　trade；　and　the　weaving

of　silk　became　a　thriving　business。　　Indeed；　E