men of invention and industry-第31章

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This　had　the　singular　property　of　going　twice　round　for　every

stroke　of　the　engine；　and　might　be　made　to　go　round　much　oftener

without　additional　machinery。　　The　invention　was　patented　in

February；　1782；　five　Years　after　Murdock　had　entered　the　service

of　Boulton　and　Watt。



Murdock　continued　for　many　years　busily　occupied　in

superintending　the　Cornish　steam…engines。　　We　find　him　described

by　his　employers　as　〃flying　from　mine　to　mine；〃　putting　the

engines　to　rights。　　If　anything　went　wrong；　he　was　immediately

sent　for。　　He　was　active；　quick…sighted；　shrewd；　sober；　and

thoroughly　trustworthy。　　Down　to　the　year　1780；　his　wages　were

only　a　pound　a　week；　but　Boulton　made　him　a　present　of　ten

guineas；　to　which　the　owners　of　the　United　Mines　added　another

ten；　in　acknowledgment　of　the　admirable　manner　in　which　he　bad

erected　their　new　engine；　the　chairman　of　the　company　declaring

that　he　was　〃the　most　obliging　and　industrious　workman　he　had

ever　known。〃　　That　he　secured　the　admiration　of　the　Cornish

engineers　may　be　obvious　from　the　fact　of　Mr。　Boaze　having

invited　him　to　join　in　an　engineering　partnership；　but　Murdock

remained　loyal　to　the　Birmingham　firm；　and　in　due　time　he　had　his

reward。



He　continued　to　be　the　〃right　hand　man〃　of　the　concern　in

Cornwall。　　Boulton　wrote　to　Watt；　towards　the　end　of　1782：

〃Murdock　hath　been　indefatigable　ever　since　he　began。　　He　has

scarcely　been　in　bed　or　taken　necessary　food。　　After　slaving

night　and　day　on　Thursday　and　Friday；　a　letter　came　from　Wheal

Virgin　that　he　must　go　instantly　to　set　their　engine　to　work；　or

they　would　let　out　the　fire。　　He　went　and　set　the　engine　to　work；

it　worked　well　for　the　five　or　six　hours　he　remained。　　He　left

it；　and　returned　to　the　Consolidated　Mines　about　eleven　at　night；

and　was　employed　about　the　engines　till　four　this　morning；　and

then　went　to　bed。　　I　found　him　at　ten　this　morning　in　Poldice

Cistern；　seeking　for　pins　and　castors　that　had　jumped　out；　when　I

insisted　on　his　going　home　to　bed。〃



On　one　occasion；　when　an　engine　superintended　by　Murdock　stopped

through　some　accident；　the　water　rose　in　the　mine；　and　the

workmen　were　〃drowned　out。〃　　Upon　this　occurring；　the　miners　went

〃roaring　at　him〃　for　throwing　them　out　of　work；　and　threatened　to

tear　him　to　pieces。　　Nothing　daunted；　he　went　through　the　midst

of　the　men；　repaired　the　invalided　engine；　and　started　it　afresh。



When　he　came　out　of　the　engine…house；　the　miners　cheered　him

vociferously　and　insisted　upon　carrying　him　home　upon　their

shoulders　in　triumph！



Steam　was　now　asserting　its　power　everywhere。　　It　was　pumping

water　from　the　mines　in　Cornwall　and　driving　the　mills　of　the

manufacturers　in　Lancashire。　　Speculative　mechanics　began　to

consider　whether　it　might　not　be　employed　as　a　means　of　land

locomotion。　　The　comprehensive　mind　of　Sir　Isaac　Newton　had　long

before；　in　his　'Explanation　of　the　Newtonian　Philosophy；'　thrown

out　the　idea　of　employing　steam　for　this　purpose；　but　no

practical　experiment　was　made。　　Benjamin　Franklin；　while　agent　in

London　for　the　United　Provinces　of　America；　had　a　correspondence

with　Matthew　Boulton；　of　Birmingham；　and　Dr。　Darwin；　of

Lichfield；　on　the　same　subject。　　Boulton　sent　a　model　of　a

fire…engine　to　London　for　Franklin's　inspection；　but　Franklin　was

too　much　occupied　at　the　time　by　grave　political　questions　to

pursue　the　subject　further。　　Erasmus　Darwin's　speculative　mind

was　inflamed　by　the　idea　of　a　〃fiery　chariot；〃　and　he　urged　his

friend　Boulton　to　prosecute　the　contrivance　of　the　necessary

steam　machinery。＇6＇



Other　minds　were　at　work。　　Watt；　when　only　twenty…three　years

old；　at　the　instigation　of　his　friend　Robison；　made　a　model

locomotive；　provided　with　two　cylinders　of　tin　plate；　but　the

project　was　laid　aside；　and　was　never　again　taken　up　by　the

inventor。　　Yet；　in　his　patent　of　1784；　Watt　included　an

arrangement　by　means　of　which　steam…power　might　be　employed　for

the　purposes　of　locomotion。　　But　no　further　model　of　the

contrivance　was　made。



Meanwhile；　Cugnot；　of　Paris；　had　already　made　a　road　engine

worked　by　steam　power。　　It　was　first　tried　at　the　Arsenal　in

1769；　and；　being　set　in　motion；　it　ran　against　a　stone　wall　in

its　way　and　threw　it　down。　　The　engine　was　afterwards　tried　in

the　streets　of　Paris。　　In　one　of　the　experiments　it　fell　over

with　a　crash；　and　was　thenceforward　locked　up　in　the　Arsenal　to

prevent　its　doing　further　mischief。　　This　first　locomotive　is　now

to　be　seen　at　the　Conservatoire　des　Arts　et　Metiers　at　Paris。



Murdock　had　doubtless　heard　of　Watt's　original　speculations；　and

proceeded；　while　at　Redruth；　during　his　leisure　hours；　to

construct　a　model　locomotive　after　a　design　of　his　own。　　This

model　was　of　small　dimensions；　standing　little　more　than　a　foot

and　a　half　high；　though　it　was　sufficiently　large　to　demonstrate

the　soundness　of　the　principle　on　which　it　was　constructed。　　It

was　supported　on　three　wheels；　and　carried　a　small　copper　boiler；

heated　by　a　spirit　lamp；　with　a　flue　passing　obliquely　through

it。　　The　cylinder；　of　3/4　inch　diameter　and　2…inch　stroke；　was

fixed　in　the　top　of　the　boiler；　the　piston…rod　being　connected

with　the　vibratory　beam　attached　to　the　connecting…rod　which

worked　the　crank　of　the　driving…wheel。　　This　little　engine　worked

by　the　expansive　force　of　steam　only；　which　was　discharged　into

the　atmosphere　after　it　had　done　its　work　of　alternately　raising

and　depressing　the　piston　in　the　cylinder。



Mr。　Murdock's　son；　while　living　at　Handsworth；　informed　the

present　writer　that　this　model　was　invented　and　constructed　in

1781；　but；　after　perusing　the　correspondence　of　Boulton　and　Watt；

we　infer　that　it　was　not　ready　for　trial　until　1784。　　The　first

experiment　was　made　in　Murdock's　own　house　at　Redruth；　when　the

little　engine　successfully　hauled　a　model　waggon　round　the

room；the　single　wheel；　placed　in　front　of　the　engine　and

working　in　a　swivel　frame；　enabling　it　to　run　round　in　a　circle。



Another　experiment　was　made　out　of　doors；　on　which　occasion；

small　though　the　engine　was；　it　fairly　outran　the　speed　of　its

inventor。　　One　night；　after　returning　from　his　duties　at　the　mine

at　Redruth；　Murdock　went　with　his　model　locomotive　to　the　avenue

leading　to　the　church；　about　a　mile　from　the　town。　　The　walk　was

narrow；　straight；　and　level。　　Having　lit　the　lamp；　the　water　soon

boiled；　and　off　started　the　engine　with　the　inventor　after　it。　

Shortly　after　he　heard　distant　shouts　of　terror。　　It　was　too　dark

to　perceive　objects；　but　he　found；　on　following　up　the　machine；

that　the　cries　had　proceeded　from　the　worthy　vicar；　who；　while

going　along　the　walk；　had　met　the　hissing　and　fiery　little

monster；　which　he　declared　he　took　to　be　the　Evil　One　in　propria

persona！



When　Watt　was　informed　of　Murdock's　experiments；　he　feared　that

they　might　interfere　with　his　regular　duties；　and　advised　their

discontinuance。　　Should　Murdock　still　resolve　to　continue　them；

Watt　urged　his　partner　Boulton；　then　in　Cornwall；　that；　rather

than　lose　Murdock's　services；　they　should　advance　him　100L。；　and；

if　he　succeeded　within　a　year　in　making　an　engine　capable　of

drawing　a　post…chaise　carrying　two　passengers　and　the　driver；　at

the　rate　of　four　miles　an　hour；　that　a　locomotive　engine　business

should　be　established；　with　Murdock　as　a　partner。　　The

arrangement；　however；　never　proceeded　any　　further。　　Perhaps　a

different　attraction　withdrew　Murdock　from　his　locomotive

experiments。　　　He　was　then　paying　attention　to　a　young　lady；　the

daughter　of　Captain　Painter；　and　in　l785　he　married　her；　and

brought　her　home　to　his　house　in　Cross　Street；　Redruth。



In　the　following　year；September；　1786Watt　says；　in　a　letter

to　Boulton；　〃I　have　still　the　same　opinion　concerning　the　steam

carriage；　but；　to　prevent　more　fruitless　argument　about　it；　I

have　one　of　some　size　under　hand。　　In　the　meantime；　I　wish

William　could　be　brought　to　do　as　we　do；　to　mind