第 60 节
作者:铲除不公      更新:2021-03-08 19:38      字数:9322
  skill had grown; and; by way of cultivating it; he determined; with
  the aid of his friend the village blacksmith; to make a
  turning…lathe。  The two set to work; and the result was the production
  of an article in every way superior to that made by Clement's father;
  which was accordingly displaced to make room for the new machine。  It
  was found to work very satisfactorily; and by its means Joseph
  proceeded to turn fifes; flutes; clarinets; and hautboys; for to his
  other accomplishments he joined that of music; and could play upon
  the instruments that he made。  One of his most ambitious efforts was
  the making of a pair of Northumberland bagpipes; which he finished to
  his satisfaction; and performed upon to the great delight of the
  villagers。  To assist his father in his entomological studies; he even
  contrived; with the aid of the descriptions given in the books
  borrowed from his cousin the watchmaker; to make for him a
  microscope; from which he proceeded to make a reflecting telescope;
  which proved a very good instrument。  At this early period (1804) he
  also seems to have directed his attention to screw…makinga branch
  of mechanics in which he afterwards became famous; and he proceeded
  to make a pair of very satisfactory die…stocks; though it is said
  that he had not before seen or even heard of such a contrivance for
  making screws。
  So clever a workman was not likely to remain long a village slater。
  Although the ingenious pieces of work which he turned out by his
  lathe did not bring him in much money; he liked the occupation so
  much better than slating that he was gradually giving up that trade。
  His father urged him to stick to slating as 〃a safe thing;〃 but his
  own mind was in favour of following his instinct to be a mechanic;
  and at length he determined to leave his village and seek work in a
  new line。  He succeeded in finding employment in a small factory at
  Kirby Stephen; a town some thirteen miles from Great Ashby; where he
  worked at making power…looms。  From an old statement of account
  against his employer which we have seen; in his own handwriting;
  dated the 6th September; 1805; it appears that his earnings at such
  work as 〃fitting the first set of iron loames;〃 〃fitting up
  shittles;〃 and 〃making moddles;〃 were 3s。 6d。 a day; and he must;
  during the same time; have lived with his employer; who charged him
  as a set…off 〃14 weaks bord at 8s。 per weak。〃  He afterwards seems to
  have worked at piece…work in partnership with one Andrew Gamble
  supplying the materials as well as the workmanship for the looms and
  shuttles。  His employer; Mr。 George Dickinson; also seems to have
  bought his reflecting telescope from him for the sum of 12l。
  From Kirby Stephen Clement removed to Carlisle; where he was employed
  by Forster and Sons during the next two years at the same description
  of work; and he conducted himself; according; to their certificate on
  his leaving their employment to proceed to Glasgow in 1807; 〃with
  great sobriety and industry; entirely to their satisfaction。〃  While
  working at Glasgow as a turner; he took lessons in drawing from Peter
  Nicholson; the well…known writer on carpentrya highly ingenious
  man。  Nicholson happened to call at the shop at which Clement worked
  in order to make a drawing of a power…loom; and Clement's expressions
  of admiration at his expertness were so enthusiastic; that Nicholson;
  pleased with the youth's praise; asked if he could be of service to
  him in any way。  Emboldened by the offer; Clement requested; as the
  greatest favour he could confer upon him; to have the loan of the
  drawing he had just made; in order that he might copy it。  The request
  was at once complied with; and Clement; though very poor at the time;
  and scarcely able to buy candle for the long winter evenings; sat up
  late every night until he had finished it。  Though the first drawing
  he had ever made; he handed it back to Nicholson instead of the
  original; and at first the draughtsman did not recognise that the
  drawing was not his own。  When Clement told him that it was only the
  copy; Nicholson's brief but emphatic praise was …  〃Young man;
  YOU'LL DO!〃  Proud to have such a pupil; Nicholson generously offered
  to give him gratuitous lessons in drawing; which were thankfully
  accepted; and Clement; working at nights with great ardour; soon made
  rapid progress; and became an expert draughtsman。
  Trade being very slack in Glasgow at the time; Clement; after about a
  year's stay in the place; accepted a situation with Messrs。 Leys;
  Masson; and Co。; of Aberdeen; with whom he began at a guinea and a
  half a week; from which he gradually rose to two guineas; and
  ultimately to three guineas。  His principal work consisted in
  designing and making power…looms for his employers; and fitting them
  up in different parts of the country。  He continued to devote himself
  to the study of practical mechanics; and made many improvements in
  the tools with which he worked。  While at Glasgow he had made an
  improved pair of die…stocks for screws; and; at Aberdeen; he made a
  turning…lathe with a sliding mandrill and guide…screws; for cutting
  screws; furnished also with the means for correcting guide…screws。  In
  the same machine he introduced a small slide rest; into which he
  fixed the tool for cutting the screws;having never before seen a
  slide rest; though it is very probable he may have heard of what
  Maudslay had already done in the same direction。  Clement continued
  during this period of his life an industrious self…cultivator;
  occupying most of his spare hours in mechanical and landscape
  drawing; and in various studies。  Among the papers left behind him we
  find a ticket to a course of instruction on Natural Philosophy given
  by Professor Copland in the Marischal College at Aberdeen; which
  Clement attended in the session of 1812…13; and we do not doubt that
  our mechanic was among the most diligent of his pupils。  Towards the
  end of 1813; after saving about 100L。 out of his wages; Clement
  resolved to proceed to London for the purpose of improving himself in
  his trade and pushing his way in the world。  The coach by which he
  travelled set him down in Snow Hill; Holborn; and his first thought
  was of finding work。  He had no friend in town to consult on the
  matter; so he made inquiry of the coach…guard whether he knew of any
  person in the mechanical line in that neighbourhood。  The guard said;
  〃Yes; there was Alexander Galloway's show shop; just round the
  corner; and he employed a large number of hands。〃  Running round the
  corner; Clement looked in at Galloway's window; through which he saw
  some lathes and other articles used in machine shops。  Next morning he
  called upon the owner of the shop to ask employment。  〃What can you
  do?〃 asked Galloway。  〃I can work at the forge;〃 said Clement。
  〃Anything else?〃  〃I can turn。〃  〃What else?〃  〃I can draw。〃  〃What!〃
  said Galloway; 〃can you draw? Then I will engage you。〃  A man who
  could draw or work to a drawing in those days was regarded as a
  superior sort of mechanic。  Though Galloway was one of the leading
  tradesmen of his time; and had excellent opportunities for
  advancement; he missed them all。  As Clement afterwards said of him;
  〃He was only a mouthing common…council man; the height of whose
  ambition was to be an alderman;〃 and; like most corporation
  celebrities; he held a low rank in his own business。  He very rarely
  went into his workshops to superintend or direct his workmen; leaving
  this to his foremena sufficient indication of the causes of his
  failure as a mechanic。*
  'footnote。。。
  On one occasion Galloway had a cast…iron roof made for his workshop;
  so flat and so independent of ties that the wonder was that it should
  have stood an hour。  One day Peter Keir; an engineer much employed by
  the governmenta clever man; though some what eccentricwas taken
  into the shop by Galloway to admire the new roof。  Keir; on glancing
  up at it; immediately exclaimed; 〃Come outside; and let us speak
  about it there!〃  All that he could say to Galloway respecting the
  unsoundness of its construction was of no avail。  The fact was that;
  however Keir might argue about its not being able to stand; there it
  was actually standing; and that was enough for Galloway。  Keir went
  home; his mind filled with Galloway's most unprincipled roof。  〃If
  that stands;〃 said he to himself; 〃all that I have been learning and
  doing for thirty years has been wrong。〃  That night he could not sleep
  for thinking about it。  In the morning he strolled up Primrose Hill;
  and returned home still muttering to himself about 〃that roof。〃
  〃What; said his wife to him; 〃are you thinking of Galloway's roof?〃
  〃Yes; said he。  〃Then you have seen the papers?〃  〃No  what about
  them?〃  〃Galloway's roof has fallen in this morning; and killed eight
  or ten of the men!〃  Keir immediately went to bed; and slept soundly
  till next morning。
  。。。'
  On entering Galloway's shop; Clemen