men of invention and industry-第30章

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inventions　of　James　Watt；　and　he　determined　to　try　whether　he

could　not　get　〃a　job〃　at　the　famous　manufactory　at　Soho。　　He

accordingly　left　his　native　place　in　the　year　1777；　in　the

twenty…third　year　of　his　age；　and　migrated　southward。　　He　left

plenty　of　Murdocks　behind　him。　　There　was　a　famous　staff　in　the

family；　originally　owned　by　William　Murdock's　grandfather；　which

bore　the　following　inscription：　　〃This　staff　I　leave　in　pedigree

to　the　oldest　Murdock　after　me；　in　the　parish　of　Auchenleck；

1745。〃　　This　staff　was　lately　held　by　Jean　Murdock；　daughter　of

the　late　William　Murdock；　joiner；　cousin　of　the　subject　of　this

biography。



When　William　arrived　at　Soho　in　1777　he　called　at　the　works　to

ask　for　employment。　　Watt　was　then　in　Cornwall；　looking　after　his

pumping　engines；　but　he　saw　Boulton；　who　was　usually　accessible

to　callers　of　every　rank。　　In　answer　to　Murdock's　enquiry　whether

he　could　have　a　job；　Boulton　replied　that　work　was　very　slack

with　them；　and　that　every　place　was　filled　up。　　During　the　brief

conversation　that　took　place；　the　blate　young　Scotchman；　like

most　country　lads　in　the　presence　of　strangers；　had　some

difficulty　in　knowing　what　to　do　with　his　hands；　and

unconsciously　kept　twirling　his　hat　with　them。　　Boulton's

attention　was　attracted　to　the　twirling　hat；　which　seemed　to　be

of　a　peculiar　make。　　It　was　not　a　felt　hat；　nor　a　cloth　hat；　nor

a　glazed　hat：　but　it　seemed　to　be　painted；　and　composed　of　some

unusual　material。　　〃That　seems　to　be　a　curious　sort　of　hat；〃　said

Boulton；　looking　at　it　more　closely；　〃what　is　it　made　of？〃　

〃Timmer；　sir；〃　said　Murdock；　modestly。　　〃Timmer？　　Do　you　mean　to

say　that　it　is　made　of　wood？〃　　〃'Deed　it　is；　sir。〃　　〃And　pray　how

was　it　made？〃　　〃I　made　it　mysel；　sir；　in　a　bit　laithey　of　my　own

contrivin'。〃　　〃Indeed！〃



Boulton　looked　at　the　young　man　again。　　He　had　risen　a　hundred

degrees　in　his　estimation。　　William　was　a　good…looking

fellowtall；　strong；　and　handsomewith　an　open　intelligent

countenance。　　Besides；　he　had　been　able　to　turn　a　hat　for　himself

with　a　lathe　of　his　own　construction。　　This；　of　itself；　was　a

sufficient　proof　that　he　was　a　mechanic　of　no　mean　skill。　

〃Well！〃　said　Boulton；　at　last；　〃I　will　enquire　at　the　works；　and

see　if　there　is　anything　we　can　set　you　to。　　Call　again；　my　man。〃





〃Thank　you；　sir；〃　said　Murdock；　giving　a　final　twirl　to　his　hat。



Such　was　the　beginning　of　William　Murdock's　connection　with　the

firm　of　Boulton　and　Watt。　　When　he　called　again　he　was　put　upon　a

trial　job；　and　then；　as　he　was　found　satisfactory；　he　was　engaged

for　two　years　at　15s。　a　week　when　at　home；　17s。　when　in　the

country；　and　18s。　when　in　London。　　Boulton's　engagement　of

Murdock　was　amply　justified　by　the　result。　　Beginning　as　an

ordinary　mechanic；　he　applied　himself　diligently　and

conscientiously　to　his　work；　and　gradually　became　trusted。　　More

responsible　duties　were　confided　to　him；　and　he　strove　to　perform

them　to　the　best　of　his　power。　　His　industry；　skilfulness；　and

steady　sobriety；　soon　marked　him　for　promotion；　and　he　rose　from

grade　to　grade　until　he　became　Boulton　and　Watt's　most　trusted

co…worker　and　adviser　in　all　their　mechanical　undertakings　of

importance。



Watt　himself　had　little　confidence　in　Scotchmen　as　mechanics。　　He

told　Sir　Waiter　Scott　that　though　many　of　them　sought　employment

at　his　works；　he　could　never　get　any　of　them　to　become　first…rate

workmen。　　They　might　be　valuable　as　clerks　and　book…keepers；　but

they　had　an　insuperable　aversion　to　toiling　long　at　any　point　of

mechanism；　so　as　to　earn　the　highest　wages　paid　to　the

workmen。＇4＇　　The　reason　no　doubt　was；　that　the　working…people　of

Scotland　were　then　only　in　course　of　education　as　practical

mechanics；　and　now　that　they　have　had　a　century's　discipline　of

work　and　technical　training；　the　result　is　altogether　different；

as　the　engine…shops　and　shipbuilding…yards　of　the　Clyde

abundantly　prove。　　Mechanical　power　and　technical　ability　are　the

result　of　training；　like　many　other　things。



When　Boulton　engaged　Murdock；　as　we　have　said；　Watt　was　absent　in

Cornwall；　looking　after　the　pumping…engines　which　had　been

erected　at　several　of　the　mines　throughout　that　county。　　The

partnership　had　only　been　in　existence　for　three　years；　and　Watt

was　still　struggling　with　the　difficulties　which　he　had　to

surmount　in　getting　the　steam　engine　into　practical　use。　　His

health　was　bad；　and　he　was　oppressed　with　frightful　headaches。　

He　was　not　the　man　to　fight　the　selfishness　of　the　Cornish

adventurers。　　〃A　little　more　of　this　hurrying　and　vexation；〃　he

said；　〃will　knock　me　up　altogether。〃　　Boulton　went　to　his　help

occasionally；　and　gave　him　hope　and　courage。　　And　at　length

William　Murdock；　after　he　had　acquired　sufficient　knowledge　of

the　business；　was　able　to　undertake　the　principal　management　of

the　engines　in　Cornwall。



We　find　that　in　1779；　when　he　was　only　twenty…five　years　old；　he

was　placed　in　this　important　position。　　When　he　went　into

Cornwall；　he　gave　himself　no　rest　until　he　had　conquered　the

defects　of　the　engines；　and　put　them　into　thorough　working　order。



He　devoted　himself　to　his　duties　with　a　zeal　and　ability　that

completely　won　Watt's　heart。　　When　he　had　an　important　job　in

hand；　he　could　scarcely　sleep。　　One　night　at　his　lodgings　at

Redruth；　the　people　were　disturbed　by　a　strange　noise　in　his

room。　　Several　heavy　blows　were　heard　upon　the　floor。　　They

started　from　their　beds；　rushed　to　Murdock's　room；　and　found　him

standing　in　his　shirt；　heaving　at　the　bedpost　in　his　sleep；

shouting　〃Now　she　goes；　lads！　now　she　goes！〃



Murdock　became　a　most　popular　man　with　the　mine　owners。　　He　also

became　friendly　with　the　Cornish　workmen　and　engineers。　　Indeed；

he　fought　his　way　to　their　affections。　　One　day；　some　half…dozen

of　the　mining　captains　came　into　his　engine…room　at　Chacewater；

and　began　to　bully　him。　　This　he　could　not　stand。　　He　stript；

selected　the　biggest；　and　put　himself　into　a　fighting　attitude。　

They　set　to；　and　in　a　few　minutes　Murdock's　powerful　bones　and

muscles　enabled　him　to　achieve　the　victory。　　The　other　men；　who

had　looked　on　fairly；　without　interfering；　seeing　the　temper　and

vigour　of　the　man　they　had　bullied；　made　overtures　of

reconciliation。　　William　was　quite　willing　to　be　friendly。　

Accordingly　they　shook　hands　all　round；　and　parted　the　best　of

friends。　　It　is　also　said　that　Murdock　afterwards　fought　a　duel

with　Captain　Trevethick；　because　of　a　quarrel　between　Watt　and

the　mining　engineer；　in　which　Murdock　conceived　his　master　to

have　been　unfairly　and　harshly　treated。＇5＇



The　uses　of　Watt's　steam…engine　began　to　be　recognised　as

available　for　manufacturing　purposes。　　It　was　then　found

necessary　to　invent　some　method　by　which　continuous　rotary　motion

should　be　secured；　so　as　to　turn　round　the　moving　machinery　of

mills。　　With　this　object　Watt　had　invented　his　original

wheel…engine。　　But　no　steps　were　taken　to　introduce　it　into

practical　use。　　At　length　he　prepared　a　model；　in　which　he　made

use　of　a　crank　connected　with　the　working　beam　of　the　engine；　so

as　to　produce　the　necessary　rotary　motion。



There　was　no　originality　in　this　application。　　The　crank　was　one

of　the　most　common　of　mechanical　appliances。　　It　was　in　daily　use

in　every　spinning　wheel；　and　in　every　turner's　and

knife…grinder's　foot…lathe。　　Watt　did　not　take　out　a　patent　for

the　crank；　not　believing　it　to　be　patentable。　　But　another　person

did　so；　thereby　anticipating　Watt　in　the　application　of　the　crank

for　producing　rotary　motion。　　　He　had　therefore　to　employ　some

other　method；　and　in　the　new　contrivance　he　had　the　valuable　help

of　William　Murdock。　　Watt　devised　five　different　methods　of

securing　rotary　motion　without　using　the　crank；　but　eventually　he

adopted　the　〃Sun…and…planet　motion；〃　the　invention　of　Murdock。　

This　had　the　singular　property　of　going　twice　round　for　every

stroke　of　the　engine；　and　might　be　made