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¡¡was¡¡¡¨to¡¡substitute¡¡correct¡¡and¡¡effective¡¡operations¡¡of¡¡machinery¡¡for¡¡that¡¡skill¡¡of¡¡the¡¡artist¡¡which¡¡is¡¡acquired¡¡only¡¡by¡¡long¡¡practice¡¡and¡¡experience£»¡¨¡¡in¡¡order¡¡to¡¡make¡¡the¡¡same¡¡parts¡¡of¡¡different¡¡guns¡¡¡¨as¡¡much¡¡like¡¡each¡¡other¡¡as¡¡the¡¡successive¡¡impressions¡¡of¡¡a¡¡copper¡plate¡¡engraving£»¡¨¡¡he¡¡was¡¡laughed¡¡to¡¡scorn¡¡by¡¡the¡¡ordnance¡¡officers¡¡of¡¡France¡¡and¡¡England¡£¡¡¡¨Even¡¡the¡¡Washington¡¡officials£»¡¨¡¡says¡¡Roe£»¡¡¡¨were¡¡sceptical¡¡and¡¡became¡¡uneasy¡¡at¡¡advancing¡¡so¡¡much¡¡money¡¡without¡¡a¡¡single¡¡gun¡¡having¡¡been¡¡completed£»¡¡and¡¡Whitney¡¡went¡¡to¡¡Washington£»¡¡taking¡¡with¡¡him¡¡ten¡¡pieces¡¡of¡¡each¡¡part¡¡of¡¡a¡¡musket¡£¡¡He¡¡exhibited¡¡these¡¡to¡¡the¡¡Secretary¡¡of¡¡War¡¡and¡¡the¡¡army¡¡officers¡¡interested£»¡¡as¡¡a¡¡succession¡¡of¡¡piles¡¡of¡¡different¡¡parts¡£¡¡Selecting¡¡indiscriminately¡¡from¡¡each¡¡of¡¡the¡¡piles£»¡¡he¡¡put¡¡together¡¡ten¡¡muskets£»¡¡an¡¡achievement¡¡which¡¡was¡¡looked¡¡on¡¡with¡¡amazement¡£¡¨**
*¡¡See¡¡the¡¡letter¡¡from¡¡Jefferson¡¡to¡¡John¡¡Jay£»¡¡of¡¡April¡¡30£»¡¡1785£»¡¡cited¡¡in¡¡Roe£»¡¡¡¨English¡¡and¡¡American¡¡Tool¡¡Builders¡¨£»¡¡p¡£¡¡129¡£
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While¡¡Whitney¡¡worked¡¡out¡¡his¡¡plans¡¡at¡¡Whitneyville£»¡¡Simeon¡¡North£»¡¡another¡¡Connecticut¡¡mechanic¡¡and¡¡a¡¡gunmaker¡¡by¡¡trade£»¡¡adopted¡¡the¡¡same¡¡system¡£¡¡North's¡¡first¡¡shop¡¡was¡¡at¡¡Berlin¡£¡¡He¡¡afterwards¡¡moved¡¡to¡¡Middletown¡£¡¡Like¡¡Whitney£»¡¡he¡¡used¡¡methods¡¡far¡¡in¡¡advance¡¡of¡¡the¡¡time¡£¡¡Both¡¡Whitney¡¡and¡¡North¡¡helped¡¡to¡¡establish¡¡the¡¡United¡¡States¡¡Arsenals¡¡at¡¡Springfield£»¡¡Massachusetts£»¡¡and¡¡at¡¡Harper's¡¡Ferry£»¡¡Virginia£»¡¡in¡¡which¡¡their¡¡methods¡¡were¡¡adopted¡£¡¡Both¡¡the¡¡Whitney¡¡and¡¡North¡¡plants¡¡survived¡¡their¡¡founders¡£¡¡Just¡¡before¡¡the¡¡Mexican¡¡War¡¡the¡¡Whitney¡¡plant¡¡began¡¡to¡¡use¡¡steel¡¡for¡¡gun¡¡barrels£»¡¡and¡¡Jefferson¡¡Davis£»¡¡Colonel¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Mississippi¡¡Rifles£»¡¡declared¡¡that¡¡the¡¡new¡¡guns¡¡were¡¡¡¨the¡¡best¡¡rifles¡¡which¡¡had¡¡ever¡¡been¡¡issued¡¡to¡¡any¡¡regiment¡¡in¡¡the¡¡world¡£¡¨¡¡Later£»¡¡when¡¡Davis¡¡became¡¡Secretary¡¡of¡¡War£»¡¡he¡¡issued¡¡to¡¡the¡¡regular¡¡army¡¡the¡¡same¡¡weapon¡£
The¡¡perfection¡¡of¡¡Whitney's¡¡tools¡¡and¡¡machines¡¡made¡¡it¡¡possible¡¡to¡¡employ¡¡workmen¡¡of¡¡little¡¡skill¡¡or¡¡experience¡£¡¡¡¨Indeed¡¡so¡¡easy¡¡did¡¡Mr¡£¡¡Whitney¡¡find¡¡it¡¡to¡¡instruct¡¡new¡¡and¡¡inexperienced¡¡workmen£»¡¡that¡¡he¡¡uniformly¡¡preferred¡¡to¡¡do¡¡so£»¡¡rather¡¡than¡¡to¡¡combat¡¡the¡¡prejudices¡¡of¡¡those¡¡who¡¡had¡¡learned¡¡the¡¡business¡¡under¡¡a¡¡different¡¡system¡£¡¨*¡¡This¡¡reliance¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡machine¡¡for¡¡precision¡¡and¡¡speed¡¡has¡¡been¡¡a¡¡distinguishing¡¡mark¡¡of¡¡American¡¡manufacture¡£¡¡A¡¡man¡¡or¡¡a¡¡woman¡¡of¡¡little¡¡actual¡¡mechanical¡¡skill¡¡may¡¡make¡¡an¡¡excellent¡¡machine¡¡tender£»¡¡learning¡¡to¡¡perform¡¡a¡¡few¡¡simple¡¡motions¡¡with¡¡great¡¡rapidity¡£
*¡¡Denison¡¡Olmstead£»¡¡¡¨Memoir¡¨£»¡¡cited¡¡by¡¡Roe£»¡¡p¡£¡¡159¡£
Whitney¡¡married¡¡in¡¡1817¡¡Miss¡¡Henrietta¡¡Edwards£»¡¡daughter¡¡of¡¡Judge¡¡Pierpont¡¡Edwards£»¡¡of¡¡New¡¡Haven£»¡¡and¡¡granddaughter¡¡of¡¡Jonathan¡¡Edwards¡£¡¡His¡¡business¡¡prospered£»¡¡and¡¡his¡¡high¡¡character£»¡¡agreeable¡¡manners£»¡¡and¡¡sound¡¡judgment¡¡won¡£¡¡for¡¡him¡¡the¡¡highest¡¡regard¡¡of¡¡all¡¡who¡¡knew¡¡him£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡had¡¡a¡¡wide¡¡circle¡¡of¡¡friends¡£¡¡It¡¡is¡¡said¡¡that¡¡he¡¡was¡¡on¡¡intimate¡¡terms¡¡with¡¡every¡¡President¡¡of¡¡the¡¡United¡¡States¡¡from¡¡George¡¡Washington¡¡to¡¡John¡¡Quincy¡¡Adams¡£¡¡But¡¡his¡¡health¡¡had¡¡been¡¡impaired¡¡by¡¡hardships¡¡endured¡¡in¡¡the¡¡South£»¡¡in¡¡the¡¡long¡¡struggle¡¡over¡¡the¡¡cotton¡¡gin£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡died¡¡in¡¡1825£»¡¡at¡¡the¡¡age¡¡of¡¡fifty¡nine¡£¡¡The¡¡business¡¡which¡¡he¡¡founded¡¡remained¡¡in¡¡his¡¡family¡¡for¡¡ninety¡¡years¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡carried¡¡on¡¡after¡¡his¡¡death¡¡by¡¡two¡¡of¡¡his¡¡nephews¡¡and¡¡then¡¡by¡¡his¡¡son£»¡¡until¡¡1888£»¡¡when¡¡it¡¡was¡¡sold¡¡to¡¡the¡¡Winchester¡¡Repeating¡¡Arms¡¡Company¡¡of¡¡New¡¡Haven¡£
Here¡¡then£»¡¡in¡¡these¡¡early¡¡New¡¡England¡¡gunshops£»¡¡was¡¡born¡¡the¡¡American¡¡system¡¡of¡¡interchangeable¡¡manufacture¡£¡¡Its¡¡growth¡¡depended¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡machine¡¡tool£»¡¡that¡¡is£»¡¡the¡¡machine¡¡for¡¡making¡¡machines¡£¡¡Machine¡¡tools£»¡¡of¡¡course£»¡¡did¡¡not¡¡originate¡¡in¡¡America¡£¡¡English¡¡mechanics¡¡were¡¡making¡¡machines¡¡for¡¡cutting¡¡metal¡¡at¡¡least¡¡a¡¡generation¡¡before¡¡Whitney¡£¡¡One¡¡of¡¡the¡¡earliest¡¡of¡¡these¡¡English¡¡pioneers¡¡was¡¡John¡¡Wilkinson£»¡¡inventor¡¡and¡¡maker¡¡of¡¡the¡¡boring¡¡machine¡¡which¡¡enabled¡¡Boulton¡¡and¡¡Watt¡¡in¡¡1776¡¡to¡¡bring¡¡their¡¡steam¡¡engine¡¡to¡¡the¡¡point¡¡of¡¡practicability¡£¡¡Without¡¡this¡¡machine¡¡Watt¡¡found¡¡it¡¡impossible¡¡to¡¡bore¡¡his¡¡cylinders¡¡with¡¡the¡¡necessary¡¡degree¡¡of¡¡accuracy¡£*¡¡From¡¡this¡¡one¡¡fact£»¡¡that¡¡the¡¡success¡¡of¡¡the¡¡steam¡¡engine¡¡depended¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡invention¡¡of¡¡a¡¡new¡¡tool£»¡¡we¡¡may¡¡judge¡¡of¡¡what¡¡a¡¡great¡¡part¡¡the¡¡inventors¡¡of¡¡machine¡¡tools£»¡¡of¡¡whom¡¡thousands¡¡are¡¡unnamed¡¡and¡¡unknown£»¡¡have¡¡played¡¡in¡¡the¡¡industrial¡¡world¡£
*¡¡Roe£»¡¡¡¨English¡¡and¡¡American¡¡Tool¡¡Builders¡¨£»¡¡p¡£¡¡1¡¡et¡¡seq¡£
So¡¡it¡¡was¡¡in¡¡the¡¡shops¡¡of¡¡the¡¡New¡¡England¡¡gunmakers¡¡that¡¡machine¡¡tools¡¡were¡¡first¡¡made¡¡of¡¡such¡¡variety¡¡and¡¡adaptability¡¡that¡¡they¡¡could¡¡be¡¡applied¡¡generally¡¡to¡¡other¡¡branches¡¡of¡¡manufacturing£»¡¡and¡¡so¡¡it¡¡was¡¡that¡¡the¡¡system¡¡of¡¡interchangeable¡¡manufacture¡¡arose¡¡as¡¡a¡¡distinctively¡¡American¡¡development¡£¡¡We¡¡have¡¡already¡¡seen¡¡how¡¡England's¡¡policy¡¡of¡¡keeping¡¡at¡¡home¡¡the¡¡secrets¡¡of¡¡her¡¡machinery¡¡led¡¡to¡¡the¡¡independent¡¡development¡¡of¡¡the¡¡spindles¡¡and¡¡looms¡¡of¡¡New¡¡England¡£¡¡The¡¡same¡¡policy¡¡affected¡¡the¡¡tool¡¡industry¡¡in¡¡America¡¡in¡¡the¡¡same¡¡way¡¡and¡¡bred¡¡in¡¡the¡¡new¡¡country¡¡a¡¡race¡¡of¡¡original¡¡and¡¡resourceful¡¡mechanics¡£
One¡¡of¡¡these¡¡pioneers¡¡was¡¡Thomas¡¡Blanchard£»¡¡born¡¡in¡¡1788¡¡on¡¡a¡¡farm¡¡in¡¡Worcester¡¡County£»¡¡Massachusetts£»¡¡the¡¡home¡¡also¡¡of¡¡Eli¡¡Whitney¡¡and¡¡Elias¡¡Howe¡£¡¡Tom¡¡began¡¡his¡¡mechanical¡¡career¡¡at¡¡the¡¡age¡¡of¡¡thirteen¡¡by¡¡inventing¡¡a¡¡device¡¡to¡¡pare¡¡apples¡£¡¡At¡¡the¡¡age¡¡of¡¡eighteen¡¡he¡¡went¡¡to¡¡work¡¡in¡¡his¡¡brother's¡¡shop£»¡¡where¡¡tacks¡¡were¡¡made¡¡by¡¡hand£»¡¡and¡¡one¡¡day¡¡took¡¡to¡¡his¡¡brother¡¡a¡¡mechanical¡¡device¡¡for¡¡counting¡¡the¡¡tacks¡¡to¡¡go¡¡into¡¡a¡¡single¡¡packet¡£¡¡The¡¡invention¡¡was¡¡adopted¡¡and¡¡was¡¡found¡¡to¡¡save¡¡the¡¡labor¡¡of¡¡one¡¡workman¡£¡¡Tom's¡¡next¡¡achievement¡¡was¡¡a¡¡machine¡¡to¡¡make¡¡tacks£»¡¡on¡¡which¡¡he¡¡spent¡¡six¡¡years¡¡and¡¡the¡¡rights¡¡of¡¡which¡¡he¡¡sold¡¡for¡¡five¡¡thousand¡¡dollars¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡worth¡¡far¡¡more£»¡¡for¡¡it¡¡revolutionized¡¡the¡¡tack¡¡industry£»¡¡but¡¡such¡¡a¡¡sum¡¡was¡¡to¡¡young¡¡Blanchard¡¡a¡¡great¡¡fortune¡£
The¡¡tack¡making¡¡machine¡¡gave¡¡Blanchard¡¡a¡¡reputation£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡was¡¡presently¡¡sought¡¡out¡¡by¡¡a¡¡gun¡¡manufacturer£»¡¡to¡¡see¡¡whether¡¡he¡¡could¡¡improve¡¡the¡¡lathe¡¡for¡¡turning¡¡the¡¡barrels¡¡of¡¡the¡¡guns¡£¡¡Blanchard¡¡could£»¡¡and¡¡did¡£¡¡His¡¡next¡¡problem¡¡was¡¡to¡¡invent¡¡a¡¡lathe¡¡for¡¡turning¡¡the¡¡irregular¡¡wooden¡¡stocks¡£¡¡Here¡¡he¡¡also¡¡succeeded¡¡and¡¡produced¡¡a¡¡lathe¡¡that¡¡would¡¡copy¡¡precisely¡¡and¡¡rapidly¡¡any¡¡pattern¡£¡¡It¡¡is¡¡from¡¡this¡¡invention¡¡that¡¡the¡¡name¡¡of¡¡Blanchard¡¡is¡¡best¡¡known¡£¡¡The¡¡original¡¡machine¡¡is¡¡preserved¡¡in¡¡the¡¡United¡¡States¡¡Armory¡¡at¡¡Springfield£»¡¡to¡¡which¡¡Blanchard¡¡was¡¡attached¡¡for¡¡many¡¡years£»¡¡and¡¡where¡¡scores¡¡of¡¡the¡¡descendants¡¡of¡¡his¡¡copying¡¡lathe¡¡may¡¡be¡¡seen¡¡in¡¡action¡¡today¡£
Turning¡¡gunstocks¡¡was£»¡¡of¡¡course£»¡¡only¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the¡¡many¡¡uses¡¡of¡¡Blanchard's¡¡copying¡¡lathe¡£¡¡Its¡¡chief¡¡use£»¡¡in¡¡fact£»¡¡was¡¡in¡¡the¡¡production¡¡of¡¡wooden¡¡lasts¡¡for¡¡the¡¡shoemakers¡¡of¡¡New¡¡England£»¡¡but¡¡it¡¡was¡¡applied¡¡to¡¡many¡¡branches¡¡of¡¡wood¡¡manufacture£»¡¡and¡¡later¡¡on¡¡the¡¡same¡¡principle¡¡was¡¡applied¡¡to¡¡the¡¡shaping¡¡of¡¡metal¡£
Blanchard¡¡was¡¡a¡¡man¡¡of¡¡many¡¡ideas¡£¡¡He¡¡built¡¡a¡¡steam¡¡vehicle¡¡for¡¡ordinary¡¡roads¡¡and¡¡was¡¡an¡¡early¡¡advocate¡¡of¡¡railroads£»¡¡he¡¡built¡¡steamboats¡¡to¡¡ply¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡Connecticut¡¡and¡¡incidentally¡¡produced¡¡in¡¡connection¡¡with¡¡these¡¡his¡¡most¡¡profitable¡¡invention£»¡¡a¡¡machine¡¡to¡¡bend¡¡ship's¡¡timbers¡¡without¡¡splintering¡¡them¡£¡¡The¡¡later¡¡years¡¡of¡¡his¡¡life¡¡were¡¡spent¡¡in¡¡Boston£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡often¡¡served¡¡as¡¡a¡¡patent¡¡expert¡¡in¡¡the¡¡courts£»¡¡where¡¡his¡¡wide¡¡knowledge£»¡¡hard¡¡common¡¡sense£»¡¡incisive¡¡speech£»¡¡and¡¡homely¡¡wit¡¡made¡¡him¡¡a¡¡welcome¡¡witness¡£
We¡¡now¡¡glance¡¡at¡¡another¡¡New¡¡England¡¡inventor£»¡¡Samuel¡¡Colt£»¡¡the¡¡man¡¡who¡¡carried¡¡Whitney's¡¡conceptions¡¡to¡¡transcendent¡¡heights£»¡¡the¡¡most¡¡dashing¡¡and¡¡adventurous¡¡of¡¡all¡¡the¡¡pioneers¡¡of¡¡the¡¡machine¡¡shop¡¡in¡¡America¡£¡¡If¡¡¡¨the¡¡American¡¡frontier¡¡was
Elizabethan¡¡in¡¡quality£»¡¨¡¡there¡¡was¡¡surely¡¡a¡¡touch¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Elizabethan¡¡spirit¡¡on¡¡the¡¡man¡¡whose¡¡invention¡¡so¡¡greatly¡¡affected¡¡the¡¡character¡¡of¡¡that¡¡frontier¡£¡¡Samuel¡¡Colt¡¡was¡¡born¡¡at¡¡Hartford¡¡in¡¡1814¡¡and¡¡died¡¡there¡¡in¡¡1862¡¡at¡¡the¡¡age¡¡of¡¡forty¡eight£»¡¡leaving¡¡behind¡¡him¡¡a¡¡famous¡¡name¡¡and¡¡a¡¡colossal¡¡industry¡¡of¡¡his¡¡own¡¡creation¡£¡¡His¡¡father¡¡was¡¡a¡¡small¡¡manufacturer¡¡of¡¡silk¡¡and¡¡woolens¡¡at¡¡Hartford£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡boy¡¡entered¡¡the¡¡factory¡¡at¡¡a¡¡very¡¡early¡¡age¡£¡¡At¡¡school¡¡in¡¡Amherst¡¡a¡¡little¡¡later£»¡¡he¡¡fell¡¡under¡¡the¡¡displeasure¡¡of¡¡his¡¡teachers¡£¡¡At¡¡thirteen¡¡he¡¡took¡¡to¡¡sea£»¡¡as¡¡a¡¡boy¡¡before¡¡the¡¡mast£»¡¡on¡¡the¡¡East¡¡India¡¡voyage¡¡to¡¡Calcutta¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡on¡¡this¡¡voyage¡¡that¡¡he¡¡conceived¡¡the¡¡idea¡¡of¡¡the¡¡revolver¡¡and¡¡whittled¡¡out¡¡a¡¡wooden¡¡model¡£¡¡On¡¡his¡¡return¡¡he¡¡went¡¡into¡¡his¡¡father's¡¡works¡¡and¡¡gained¡¡a¡¡superficial¡¡knowledge¡¡of¡¡chemistry