an autobiography-第40部分

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d　me　must　work　as　　energetically　as　I　did；　and　must　give　the　faculties　of　his　mind　to　the　prosperity　of　the　concern。　　I　communicated　the　offers　I　had　received　to　my　highly　judicious　friend　Edward　Lloyd。　　He　was　always　willing　to　advise　me；　though　I　took　care　never　to　encroach　upon　his　kindness。　He　concurred　with　my　views；　and　advised　me　to　fight　shy　of　　sleeping　partners。　　I　therefore　continued　to　look　out　for　a　working　partner。　　In　the　end　I　was　fortunate。　　My　friend；　Mr。　Thomas　Jeavons；　of　Liverpool；　having　been　informed　of　my　desire；　made　inquiries；　and　found　the　man　likely　to　suit　me。　　He　furnished　him　with　a　letter　of　introduction　to　me；　which　he　presented　one　day　at　the　works。

The　young　man　became　my　worthy　partner；　Holbrook　Gaskell。　He　had　served　his　time　with　Yates　and　Cox；　iron　merchants；　of　Liverpool。　Having　obtained　considerable　experience　in　the　commercial　details　of　that　business；　and　being　possessed　of　a　moderate　amount　of　capital；　he　was　desirous　of　joining　me；　and　embarking　his　fortune　with　mine。　He　was　to　take　charge　of　the　counting…house　department；　and　conduct　such　portion　of　the　correspondence　as　did　not　require　any　special　technical　knowledge　of　mechanical　engineering。　　The　latter　must　necessarily　remain　in　my　hands；　because　I　found　that　the　〃off…hand〃　sketches　which　I　introduced　in　my　letters　as　explanatory　of　mechanical　designs　and　suggestions　were　much　more　intelligible　than　any　amount　of　written　words。

I　was　much　pleased　with　the　frank　and　friendly　manner　of　Mr。　Gaskell；　and　I　believe　that　the　feeling　between　us　was　mutual。　　With　the　usual　straight　forwardness　that　prevails　in　Lancashire；　the　articles　of　partnership　were　at　once　drawn　up　and　signed；　and　the　firm　of　Nasmyth　and　Gaskell　began。　　We　continued　working　together　with　hearty　zeal　for　a　period　of　sixteen　successive　years；　and　I　believe　Mr。　Gaskell　had　no　reason　to　regret　his　connection　with　the　Bridgewater　Foundry。

The　reason　of　Mr。　Gaskell　leaving　the　concern　was　the　state　of　his　health。　　After　his　long　partnership　with　me；　he　was　attacked　by　a　serious　illness；　when　his　medical　adviser　earnestly　recommended　him　to　retire　from　all　business　affairs。　　This　was　the　cause　of　his　reluctant　retirement。　　In　course　of　time　the　alarming　symptoms　departed；　and　he　recovered　his　former　health。　　He　then　embarked　in　an　extensive　soda　manufactory；　in　conjunction　with　one　of　our　pupils；　whose　taste　for　chemistry　was　more　attractive　to　him　than　engine…making。　A　prosperous　business　was　established；　and　at　the　time　I　write　these　lines　Mr。　Gaskell　continues　a　hale　and　healthy　man；　the　possessor　of　a　large　fortune；　accumulated　by　the　skilful　manner　in　which　he　has　conducted　his　extensive　affairs。


CHAPTER　12。　Free　Trade　in　AbilityThe　StrikeDeath　of　my　Father

I　had　no　difficulty　in　obtaining　abundance　of　skilled　workmen　in　South　Lancashire　and　Cheshire。　　I　was　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Manchester；　which　forms　the　centre　of　a　population　gifted　with　mechanical　instinct。　From　an　early　period　the　finest　sort　of　mechanical　work　has　been　turned　out　in　that　part　of　England。　　Much　of　the　talent　is　inherited。　It　descends　from　father　to　son；　and　develops　itself　from　generation　to　generation。　　I　may　mention　one　curious　circumstance　connected　with　the　pedigree　of　Manchester：　　that　much　of　the　mechanical　excellence　of　its　workmen　descends　from　the　Norman　smiths　and　armourers　introduced　into　the　neighbourhood　at　the　Norman　Conquest　by　Hugo　de　Lupus；　the　chief　armourer　of　William　the　Conqueror；　after　the　battle　of　Hastings；　in　1066。

I　was　first　informed　of　this　circumstance　by　William　Stubbs　of　Warrington；　then　maker　of　the　celebrated　〃Lancashire　files。〃　The　〃P。　S。；〃　or　Peter　Stubbs's　files；　were　so　vastly　superior　to　other　files；　both　in　the　superiority　of　the　steel　and　in　the　perfection　of　the　cutting；　which　long　retained　its　efficiency；　that　every　workman　gloried　in　the　possession　and　use　of　such　durable　tools。　Being　naturally　interested　in　everything　connected　with　tools　and　mechanics；　I　was　exceedingly　anxious　to　visit　the　factory　where　these　admirable　files　were　made。　　I　obtained　an　introduction　to　William　Stubbs；　then　head　of　the　firm；　and　was　received　by　him　with　much　cordiality　when　I　asked　him　if　I　might　be　favoured　with　a　sight　of　his　factory；　he　replied　that　he　had　no　factory；　as　such；　and　that　all　he　had　to　do　in　supplying　his　large　warehouse　was　to　serve　out　the　requisite　quantities　of　pure　cast　steel　as　rods　and　bars　to　the　workmen；　and　that　they；　on　their　part；　forged　the　metal　into　files　of　every　description　at　their　own　cottage　workshops；　principally　situated　in　the　neighbouring　counties　of　Cheshire　and　Lancashire。

This　information　surprised　as　well　as　pleased　me。　　Mr。　Stubbs　proceeded　to　give　me　an　account　of　the　origin　of　this　peculiar　system　of　cottage　manufacture　in　his　neighbourhood。　　It　appears　that　Hugo　de　Lupus；　William　the　Conqueror's　Master　of　Arms；　the　first　Earl　of　Chester；　settled　in　North　Cheshire　shortly　after　the　Conquest。　　He　occupied　Halton　Castle；　and　his　workmen　resided　in　Warrington　and　the　adjacent　villages　of　Appleton；　Widnes；　Prescot；　and　Cuerdley。　There　they　produced　coats　of　steel；　mail　armour；　and　steel　and　iron　weapons；　under　the　direct　superintendence　of　their　chief。

The　manufacture　thus　founded　continued　for　many　centuries。　Although　the　use　of　armour　was　discontinued；　the　workers　in　steel　and　iron　still　continued　famous。　　The　skill　that　had　formerly　been　employed　in　forging　chain　armour　and　war　instruments　was　devoted　to　more　peaceful　purposes。　　The　cottage　workmen　made　the　best　of　files　and　steel　tools　of　other　kinds。　　Their　talents　became　hereditary；　and　the　manufacture　of　wire　in　all　its　forms　is　almost　peculiar　to　Warrington　and　the　neighbourhood。　　Mr。　Stubbs　also　informed　me　that　most　of　the　workmen's　peculiar　names　for　tools　and　implements　were　traceable　to　old　Norman…French　words。　　He　also　stated　that　at　Prescot　a　peculiar　class　of　workmen　has　long　been　established；　celebrated　for　their　great　skill　in　clock　and　watchmaking；　and　that；　in　his　opinion；　they　were　the　direct　descendants　of　a　swarm　of　workmen　from　Hugo　de　Lupus's　original　Norman　hive　of　refined　metal…workers；　dating　from　the　time　of　the　Conquest。　　To　return　to　my　narrative。　　In　the　midst　of　such　a　habitually　industrious　population；　it　will　be　obvious　that　there　was　no　difficulty　in　finding　a　sufficient　supply　of　able　workmen。　　It　was　for　the　most　part　the　most　steady；　respectable；　and　well…conducted　classes　of　mechanics　who　sought　my　employmentnot　only　for　the　good　wages　they　received；　but　for　the　sake　of　their　own　health　and　that　of　their　families；　for　it　will　be　remembered　that　the　foundry　and　the　workmen's　dwellings　were　surrounded　by　the　fresh；　free；　open　country。　In　the　course　of　a　few　years　the　locality　became　a　thriving　colony　of　skilled　mechanics。　　In　order　to　add　to　the　accommodation　of　the　increasing　numbers；　an　additional　portion　of　land；　amounting　to　eight　acres；　was　leased　from　Squire　Trafford　on　the　same　terms　as　before。　On　this　land　suitable　houses　and　cottages　for　the　foremen　and　workmen　were　erected。　　At　the　same　time　substantial　brick　workshops　were　built　in　accordance　with　my　original　general　plan；　to　meet　the　requirements　of　our　rapidly　expanding　business；　until　at　length　a　large　and　commodious　factory　was　erected；　as　shown　in　the　annexed　engraving。

＇Image＇　　Bridgewater　Foundry　Patricroft。　　　　　　　　　　From　a　painting　by　Alexander　Nasmyth。

The　village　of　Worsley；　the　headquarters　of　the　Bridgewater　Canal；　supplied　us　with　a　valuable　set　of　workmen。　　They　were；　in　the　first　place；　labourers；　but；　like　all　Lancashire　men；　they　were　naturally　possessed　of　a　quick　aptitude　for　mechanical　occupations　connected　with　machinery。　　Our　chief　employment　of　these　so…called　labourers　was　in　transporting　heavy　castings　and　parts　of　machinery　from　one　place　to　another。　　To　do　this　properly　required　great　care　and　judgment；　in　order　that　the　parts　might　not　be　disturbed；　and　that　the　mechanics　might　proceed　towards　their　completion　without　any　unnecessary　delay。　None　but　those　who　have　had　practical　acquaintance　with　the　importance　of　having　skilful　labourers　to　perform　these　apparently　humble；　but　in　reality　very　important　functions；　can　form　an　adequate　idea　of　the　value　of　such　services。

All　the　requisite　qualities　we　required　were　found　in　the　Worsley　labourers。　　They　had　been　accustomed　to　the　heaviest　class　of　work　in　connection　with　the　Bridgewater　Canal。　　They　had　been　thoroughly　trained　in　the　handling　of　all　manner　of　ponderous　objects。　They　performed　their　work　with　energy　and　willingness。　　It　was　quite　a　treat　to　me　to　look　on　and　observe　their　rapid　and　skilful　operations　in　lifting　and　transporting　ponderous　portions　of　machinery；　in　which　a　vast　amount　of　costly　work　had　been　embodied。　　After　the　machines　or　engines　had　been　finished；　it　was　the　business　of　the　same　workmen　to　remove　them　from　the　workshops　to　the　railway…siding　alongside　the　foundry；　or　to　the　boats　at　the　canal　wharf。　　In　all　these　matters　the　Worsley　men　could　be　thoroughly　depended　upon。

Where　they　showed　the　possession；　in　any　special　degree；　of　a　true　mechanical　faculty；　I　was　enabled　to　select　from　the　working　labourers　the　most　effective　men　to　take　charge　of　the　largest　and　most　powerful　machine　toolssuch　as　planing　machines；　lathes；　and　boring　machines。　The　ease　and　rapidity　with　which　they　caught　up　all　the　technical　arts　and　manipulations　connected　with　the　effective　working　of　these　machines　was　extraordinary。　　The　results　were　entirely　satisfactory　to　myself；　as　well　as　to　the　men　themselves；　by　the　substantial　rise　in　their　wages　which　followed　their　advancement　to　higher　grades　of　labour。　　Thus　I　had　no　difficulty　in　manning　my　machine　tools　by　drawing　my　recruits　from　this　zealous　and　energetic　class　of　Worsley　labourers。　　　It　is　by　this　〃selection　of　the　fittest〃　that　the　true　source　of　the　prosperity　of　every　large　manufacturing　establishment　depends。　　I　believe　that　Free　Trade　in　Ability　has　a　much　closer　relation　to　national　prosperity　than　even　Free　Trade　in　Commodities。

But　here　I　came　into　collision　with　another　class　of　workmenthose　who　are　of　opinion　that　employers　should　select　for　promotion；　not　those　who　are　the　fittest　and　most　skilf