James Nasmyth: Engineer; an autobiography Part 32

His letter was as follows: --"I see the Americans are appreciating your solar observations. A communication I have lately received from the Alleghany Observatory remarks 'that he (Mr. Nasmyth) appears to have been the first to distinctly call attention to the singular individuality of the minute components of the photosphere; and this seems in fairness to ent.i.tle him to the credit of an important discovery, with which his name should remain a.s.sociated.'"

I proceeded to do that which Sir John Herschel had so earnestly recommended, that is, to write out my observations on the Moon.

It was a very serious matter, for I had never written a book before.

It occupied me many years, though I had the kind a.s.sistance of my friend James Carpenter, then of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich.

The volcanoes and craters, and general landscape scenery of the Moon, had to be photographed and engraved, and this caused great labour.

At length the book, ent.i.tled The Moon, considered as a Planet, a World, and a Satellite, appeared in November 1874. It was received with much favour and pa.s.sed into a second edition. A courteous and kind review of the book appeared in the Edinburgh; and the notices in other periodicals were equally favourable. I dedicated the volume to the Duke of Argyll, because I had been so long a.s.sociated with him in geological affairs, and also because of the deep friends.h.i.+p which I entertained for his Grace. I presented the volume to him as well as to many other of my astronomical friends. I might quote their answers at great length, from the Astronomer-Royal downwards. But I will quote two--one from a Royal Academician and another from a Cardinal.

The first was from Philip H. Calderon. He said:

"Let me thank you many times for your kind letter, and for your glorious book. It arrived at twelve to-day, and there has been no painting since. Once having taken it up, attracted by the ill.u.s.trations, I could not put it down again. I forgot everything; and, indeed, I have been up in the Moon. As soon as these few words of thanks are given, I am going up into the Moon again. What a comfort it is to read a scientific work which is quite clear, and what a gift it is to write thus!

"The photographs took my breath away. I could not understand how you did them, and your explanation of how you built the models from your drawings only changed the wonder into admiration. Only an artist could have said what you say about the education of the eye and of the hand.

You may well understand how it went home to me. Ever gratefully yours,

PHILIP H. CALDERON."

I now proceed to the Cardinal. I was present at one of the receptions of the President of the Royal Society at Burlington House, when I was introduced to Cardinal Manning as "The Steam Hammer!" After a cordial reception he suddenly said, "But are you not also the Man in the Moon?"

Yes, your Eminence. I have written a book about the Moon, and I shall be glad if you will accept a copy of it?" "By all means," he said, "and I thank you for the offer very much." I accordingly sent the copy, and received the following answer:

"MY DEAR MR.NASMYTH--When I asked you to send me your book on the Moon, I had no idea of its bulk and value, and I feel ashamed of my importunity, yet more than half delighted at my st.u.r.dy begging.

"I thank you for it very sincerely. My life is one of endless work, leaving me few moments for reading. But such books as yours refresh me like a clover field.

"I hope I may have an opportunity of renewing our conversation.

Believe me always truly yours, HENRY, CARDINAL MANNING."

I may also mention that I received a charming letter from Miss Herschel, the daughter of the late Astronomer.

"Is it possible," she said, "that this beautiful book is destined by you as a gift to my most unworthy self? I do not know, indeed, how sufficiently to thank you, or even to express my delight in being possessed of so exquisite and valuable a work, made so valuable, too, by the most kind inscription on the first page! I fear I shall be very very far from understanding the theories developed in the book, though we have been endeavouring to gather some faint notion of them from the reviews we have seen; but it will be of the greatest interest for us to try and follow them under your guidance, and with the help of these perfectly enchanting photographs, which, I think, one could never be tired of looking at.

"How well I remember the original photographs, and the oil painting which you sent for dear papa's inspection, and which he did so enjoy!

and also the experiment with the gla.s.s globe, in which he was so interested, at your own house. We cannot but think how he would have appreciated your researches, and what pleasure this lovely book would have given him. Indeed, I shall treasure it especially as a remembrance of that visit, which is so completely connected in my thoughts with him, as well as with your cordial kindness, as a precious souvenir, of which let me once more offer you my heartfelt thanks.

I remain, my dear sir, yours very truly and gratefully,

"ISABELLA HERSCHEL."

I cannot refrain from adding the communication I received from my dear old friend William La.s.sell. "I do not know," he said, "how sufficiently to thank you for your most kind letter, and the superb present which almost immediately followed it. My pleasure was greatly enhanced by the consideration of how far this splendid work must add to your fame and gratify the scientific world.

The ill.u.s.trations are magnificent, and I am persuaded that no book has ever been published before which gives so faithful, accurate, and comprehensive a picture of the surface of the Moon. The work must have cost you much time, thought, and labour, and I doubt not you will now receive a gratifying, if not an adequate reward."

After reading the book Mr. La.s.sell again wrote to me. "I am indebted to your beautiful book, "he said, "for a deeper interest in the Moon than I ever felt before.... I see many of your pictures have been taken when the Moon was waning, which tells me of many a s.h.i.+vering exposure you must have had in the early mornings,... I was sorry to find from your letter that you had a severe cold, which made you very unwell. I hope you have ere this perfectly recovered. I suppose maladies of this kind must be expected to take rather severe hold of us now, as we are both past the meridian of life. I am, however, very thankful for the measure of health I enjoy, and the pleasure mechanical pursuits give me. I fully sympathise with you in the contempt (shall I say?) which you feel for the taste of so many people who find their chief pleasure in 'killing something,' and how often their pleasures are fatal! Two distinguished men killed only the other day in hunting. For my part I would rather take to the bicycle and do my seventeen miles within the hour."

He proceeds: "I have no doubt your windmill is very nicely contrived, and has afforded you much pleasure in constructing it.

The only drawback to it is, that in this variable climate it is apt to strike work, and in the midst of a job of polis.h.i.+ng I fear no increase of wages would induce it to complete its task! If water were plentiful, you might make it pump up a quant.i.ty when the wind served, to be used as a motive power when you chose."

This reference alludes to a windmill which I erected on the top of my workshop, to drive the apparatus below. It was the mirror of a reflecting telescope which was in progress. The windmill went on night and day, and polished the speculum while I slept. In the small hours of the morning I keeked through the corner of the window blinds and saw it hard at work. I prefer, however, a small steam-engine, which works much more regularly.

It is time to come to an end of my Recollections. I have endeavoured to give a brief resume of my life and labours. I hope they may prove interesting as well as useful to others. Thanks to a good const.i.tution and a frame invigorated by work, I continue to lead, with my dear wife, a happy life. I still take a deep interest in mechanics, in astronomy, and in art. It is a pleasure to me to run up to London and enjoy the collections at the National Gallery, South Kensington, and the Royal Academy. The Crystal Palace continues to attract a share of my attention, though, since the fire, it has been greatly altered.

I miss, too, many of the dear accustomed faces of the old friends we used to meet there. Still we visit it, and leave to memory the filling up of what is gone. All things change, and we with them.

The following Dial of Life gives a brief summary of my career.

It shows the brevity of life, and indicates the tale that is soon told.

The first part of the semicircle includes the pa.s.sage from infancy to boyhood and manhood. While that period lasts, time seems to pa.s.s very slowly. We long to be men, and doing men's work. What I have called The Tableland of Life is then reached. Ordinary observation shows that between thirty and fifty the full strength of body and mind is reached; and at that period we energise our faculties to the utmost.

[Image] The Dial of Life

Those who are blessed with good health and a sound const.i.tution may prolong the period of energy to sixty or even seventy; but Nature's laws must be obeyed, and the period of decline begins, and goes on with accelerated rapidity. Then comes Old Age; and as we descend the semicircle towards eighty, we find that the remnant of life becomes vague and cloudy. By shading off, as I have done, the portion of the area of the diagram according to the individual age, every one may see how much of life is consumed, and what is left--D.V.. Here is my brief record:

AGE YEAR.

-- 1808. BORN 19TH AUGUST.

9 1817. WENT TO THE HIGH SCHOOL, EDINBURGH.

13 1821. ATTENDED THE SCHOOL OF ARTS.

21 1829. WENT TO LONDON, TO MAUDSLAY'S.

23 1831. RETURNED TO EDINBURGH, TO MAKE MY ENGINEERS' TOOLS.

26 1834. WENT TO MANCHESTER, TO BEGIN BUSINESS.

28 1836. REMOVED TO PATRICROFT, AND BUILT THE BRIDGEWATER FOUNDRY.

31 1839. INVENTED THE STEAM HAMMER.

32 1840. MARRIAGE.

34 1842. FIRST VISIT TO FRANCE AND ITALY.

35 1843. VISIT TO ST. PETERSBURG, STOCKHOLM, DANNEMORA.

37 1845. APPLICATION OF THE STEAM HAMMER TO PILE-DRIVING.

48 1856. RETIRED FROM BUSINESS, TO ENJOY THE REST OF MY LIFE IN THE ACTIVE PURSUIT OF MY MOST FAVOURITE OCCUPATIONS.

I have not in this list referred to my investigations in connection with astronomy. All this will be found referred to in the text.

It only remains for me to say that I append a resume of my inventions, contrivances, and workshop "dodges," to give the reader a summary idea of the Active Life of a working mechanic. And with this I end my tale.

CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF MECHANICAL INVENTIONS AND TECHNICAL CONTRIVANCES.

by James Nasmyth.

1825. A mode of applying Steam Power for the Traction of Ca.n.a.l Barges, without injury to the Ca.n.a.l Banks.

A Ca.n.a.l having been formed to connect Edinburgh with the Forth and Clyde Ca.n.a.l, and so to give a direct waterway communication between Edinburgh and Glasgow, I heard much talk about the desirableness of subst.i.tuting Steam for Horse power as the means of moving the boats and barges along the ca.n.a.l. But, as the action of paddle wheels had been found destructive to the ca.n.a.l banks, no scheme of that nature could be entertained. Although a tyro in such matters, I made an attempt to solve the problem, and accordingly prepared drawings, with a description of my design, for employing Steam power as the tractive agency for trains of ca.n.a.l barges, in such a manner as to obviate all risk of injury to the banks.

[Image]

The scheme consisted in laying a chain along the bottom of the ca.n.a.l, and of pa.s.sing any part of its length between three grooved and notched pulleys or rollers, made to revolve with suitable velocity by means of a small steam-engine placed in a tug-boat, to the stern of which a train of barges was attached.*

[footnote...

Had this simple means of "tugging" vessels through water-ways been employed in our late attempts to ascend the rapids of the Nile, some very important results might have issued from its adoption.

The steam-engine could thus warp its way along the chain, taking it up between the rollers of the bow of the tug-boat, and dropping it into the water at the stern, so as to leave the chain at the service of the next following tug-boat with its attached train of barges. By this simple mode of employing the power of a steam-engine for ca.n.a.l boat traction, all risk of injury to the banks would be avoided, as the chain and not the water of the ca.n.a.l was the fulcrum or resistance which the steam-engine on the tug-boat operated upon in thus warping its way along the chain; and thus effectually, without slip or other waste of power, dragging along the train of barges attached to the stern of the steam-tug. I had arranged for two separate chains, so as to allow trains of barges to be conveyed along the ca.n.a.l in opposite directions, without interfering with each other.

I submitted a complete set of drawings, and a full description of my design in all its details, to the directors of the Ca.n.a.l Company; and I received a complimentary acknowledgment of them in writing. But such was the prejudice that existed, in consequence of the injury to the ca.n.a.l banks resulting from the use of paddle Wheels, that it extended to the use of steam power in any form, as a subst.i.tute for ordinary horse traction; and although I had taken every care to point out the essential difference of my system (as above indicated) by which all such objections were obviated, my design was at length courteously declined, and the old system of horse traction continued.

In 1845 I had the pleasure to see this simple mode of moving vessels along a definite course in most successful action at the ferry across the Hamoaze at Devonport, in which my system of employing the power of a steam-engine on board the ferry boat, to warp its way along a submerged chain lying along the bottom of the channel from side to side of the ferry, was most ably carried out by my late excellent friend, James Rendell, Esq., C.E., and is still, I believe, in daily action, giving every satisfaction.

1826. An Instrument for Measuring the Total and Comparative Expansion of all Solid Bodies.

My kind friend and patron, Professor Leslie, being engaged in some investigations in which it was essential to know the exact comparative total expansion in bulk of metals and other solid bodies, under the same number of degrees of heat, mentioned the subject in the course of conversation. The instrument at that time in use was defective in principle as well as in construction, and the results of its application were untrustworthy. As the Professor had done me the honour to request me to a.s.sist him in his experiments, I had the happiness to suggest an arrangement of apparatus which I thought might obviate the sources of error; and, with his approval, I proceeded to put it in operation.