Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 51.djvu/129

Rh replied, "It was forged by your steam hammer." Mr. Nasmyth. was then taken to the forge department, where he saw this "thumping child of his brain," which for him had existed only in his books, at work. The foreman had recollected the drawings, and embodied them substantially in the machine. Mr. Nasmyth at once secured a patent, introduced some improvements, and made the construction of the steam hammers a branch of his business. Though he was prompt enough in explaining to them the merits of his invention, it took considerable time to arouse the official minds of the Lords of the Admiralty, "who are very averse to introducing new methods of manufacture to the dockyards." But after he had furnished hammers to the principal manufacturers of England and had sent them abroad, these dignitaries learned in the course of three years that a new power in forging had been introduced. A deputation visited the foundry to see the invention, and were pleased and "astonished at its range, power, and docility." An order came for a hammer for the Devonport Dockyard. Their lordships were present when the hammer was started, and Mr. Nasmyth "passed it through its paces." He made it break an eggshell in a wineglass without injuring the glass. It was as neatly effected by the two-and-a-half-ton hammer as if it had been done with an egg spoon. Then "I had a great mass of hot iron swung out of the furnace by a crane and placed upon the anvil block. Down came the hammer on it with ponderous blows. My lords scattered and flew to the extremities of the workshop, for the splashes and sparks of hot metal flew about. I went on with the hurtling blows of the hammer and kneaded the mass of iron as if it had been clay." Orders followed to supply all the royal dockyards with a complete equipment of steam hammers.

The extension of the docks at Devonport called for an immense amount of pile driving. The contractor for the work had witnessed the operation of the steam hammer, and asked Mr. Nasmyth if the principle could not be applied to the pile driver. Such a pile driver was constructed. It was tested. Two piles of equal length and diameter were selected, one to be driven with the new machine and the other in the old way. The result was four minutes and a half with the former to twelve hours with the latter; and the steam-driven piles were hardly bruised, while the others suffered in the usual way.

Mr. Nasmyth had the satisfaction of seeing many of his mechanical notions adopted by rival or competing machine constructors, with or without acknowledgment. By the steady application of the rule of "free trade in ability" the factory was kept above trouble with the trades unions, being always able to find competent and interested hands to take the place of those who