an autobiography-第41部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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　skilful；　but　those　who　have　served　a　seven　years'　apprenticeship　and　are　members　of　a　Trades'　Union。　It　seemed　to　me　that　this　interference　with　the　free　selection　and　promotion　of　the　fittest　was　at　variance　with　free　choice　of　the　best　men；　and　that　it　was　calculated；　if　carried　out；　to　strike　at　the　root　of　the　chief　source　of　our　prosperity。　　If　every　workman　of　the　same　class　went　in　the　same　rut；　and　were　paid　the　same　uniform　rate　of　wages；　irrespective　of　his　natural　or　acquired　ability；　such　a　system　would　destroy　the　emulative　spirit　which　forms　the　chief　basis　of　manipulative　efficiency　and　practical　skill；　and　on　which；　in　my　opinion；　the　prosperity　of　our　manufacturing　establishments　mainly　depends。　　But　before　I　proceed　to　refer　to　the　strike　of　Unionists；　which　for　a　time　threatened　to　destroy；　or　at　all　events　to　impede　the　spirit　of　enterprise　and　the　free　choice　of　skilful　workmen；　in　which　I　desired　to　conduct　the　Bridgewater　Foundry；　I　desire　to　say　a　few　words　about　those　excellent　helpers；　the　foremen　engineers；　who　zealously　helped　me　in　my　undertaking　from　beginning　to　end。

I　must　place　my　most　worthy；　zealous；　and　faithful　Archy　Torry　at　the　top　of　the　list。　　He　rose　from　being　my　only　workman　when　I　first　started　in　Manchester；　to　be　my　chief　general　foreman。　　The　energy　and　devotion　which　he　brought　to　bear　upon　my　interests　set　a　high　example　to　all　in　my　employment。　　Although　he　was　in　some　respects　deficient　in　his　knowledge　of　the　higher　principles　of　engineering　and　mechanical　construction；　I　was　always　ready　to　supply　that　defect。　　His　hearty　zeal　and　cheerful　temper；　and　his　energetic　movement　when　among　the　men；　had　a　sympathetic　influence　upon　all　about　him。　　His　voice　had　the　same　sort　of　influence　upon　them　as　the　drum　and　fife　on　a　soldier's　march：　　it　quickened　their　movements。　　We　were　often　called　in　by　our　neighbour　manufacturers　to　repair　a　breakdown　of　their　engines。　That　was　always　a　sad　disaster；　as　all　hands　were　idle　until　the　repair　was　effected。　　Archy　was　in　his　glory　on　such　occasions。　　By　his　ready　zeal　and　energy　he　soon　got　over　the　difficulty；　repaired　the　engines；　and　set　the　people　to　work　again。　He　became　quite　famous　in　these　cases　of　extreme　urgency。　　He　never　spared　himself；　and　his　example　had　an　excellent　effect　upon　every　workman　under　him。

Another　of　my　favourite　workshop　lieutenants　was　James　Hutton。　He　had　been　leading　foreman　to　my　worthy　friend　George　Douglass；　of　Old　Broughton；　Edinburgh。　　He　was　fully　ten　years　my　senior；　and　when　working　at　Douglass's　I　looked　up　to　him　as　a　man　of　authority。　　I　had　obtained　from　him　many　a　valuable　wrinkle　in　mechanical　and　technical　construction。　　After　I　left　Edinburgh　he　had　emigrated　to　the　United　States　for　the　purpose　of　bettering　his　condition。　　But　he　promised　me　that　if　disappointed　in　his　hopes　of　settling　there；　he　should　be　glad　to　come　into　my　service　if　I　was　ever　in　a　position　to　give　him　employment。　　Shortly　after　my　removal　to　Patricroft；　and　when　everything　had　been　got　into　full　working　order；　I　received　a　letter　from　him　in　which　he　said　that　he　was　anxious　to　return　to　England；　and　asking　if　there　was　any　vacancy　in　our　establishment　that　he　might　be　employed　to　fill　up。　　It　so　happened　that　the　foremanship　of　turners　was　then　vacant。　　I　informed　Hutton　of　the　post；　and　on　his　return　to　England　he　was　duly　enrolled　in　our　staff。

The　situation　was　a　very　important　one；　and　Hutton　filled　it　admirably。　He　was　a　sound　practical　man；　and　thoroughly　knew　every　department　of　engineering　mechanism。　　As　I　had　provided　small　separate　rooms　or　offices　for　every　department　of　the　establishment　for　the　use　of　the　foremen；　where　they　kept　their　memoranda　and　special　tools；　I　had　often　the　pleasure　of　conferring　with　Hutton　as　to　some　point　of　interest；　or　when　I　wished　to　pass　my　ideas　and　designs　through　the　ordeal　of　his　judgment；　in　order　that　I　might　find　out　any　lurking　defect　in　some　proposed　mechanical　arrangement。　　Before　he　gave　an　opinion；　Hutton　always　took　a　pinch　of　snuff　to　stimulate　his　intellect；　or　rather　to　give　him　a　little　time　for　consideration。　　He　would　turn　the　subject　over　in　his　mind。　　But　I　knew　that　I　could　trust　his　keenness　of　insight。　　He　would　give　his　verdict　carefully；　shrewdly；　and　truthfully。　Hutton　remained　a　faithful　and　valued　servant　in　the　concern　for　nearly　thirty　years；　and　died　at　a　ripe　old　age。　　Notwithstanding　his　mechanical　intelligence；　Hutton　was　of　too　cautious　a　temperament　to　have　acted　as　a　general　foreman　or　manager；　otherwise　he　would　have　been　elevated　to　that　position。　　A　man　may　be　admirable　in　details；　but　be　wanting　in　width；　breadth；　and　largeness　of　temperament　and　intellect。　　The　man　who　possesses　the　latter　gifts　becomes　great　in　organisation；　he　soon　ceases　to　be　a　〃hand；〃　and　becomes　a　〃head；〃　and　such　men　generally　rise　from　the　employed　to　be　the　employer。

Another　of　my　excellent　assistants　was　John　Clerk。　　He　had　been　for　a　long　time　in　the　service　of　Fairbairn　and　Lillie；　but　having　had　a　serious　difference　with　one　of　the　foremen；　he　left　their　service　with　excellent　recommendations。　　I　soon　after　engaged　him　as　foreman　of　the　pattern…making　department。　　He　was　a　most　able　man　in　some　of　the　more　important　branches　of　mechanical　engineering。　　He　had；　besides；　an　excellent　knowledge　of　building　operations。　　I　found　him　of　great　use　in　superintending　the　erection　of　the　additional　workshops　which　were　required　in　proportion　as　our　business　extended。　He　made　out　full…sized　chalk…line　drawings　from　my　original　pencil　sketches；　on　the　large　floor　of　the　pattern　store；　and　from　these　were　formed　the　working　drawings　for　the　new　buildings。　　He　had　a　wonderful　power　of　rapidity　and　clearness　in　apprehending　new　subjects；　and　the　way　in　which　he　depicted　them　in　large　drawings　was　quite　masterly。　John　Clerk　and　I　spent　many　an　hour　on　our　knees　together　on　the　pattern　store　floor；　and　the　result　of　our　deliberations　usually　was　some　substantial　addition　to　the　workshops　of　the　foundry；　or　some　extra　large　and　powerful　machine　tool。　　This　worthy　man　left　our　service　to　become　a　partner　in　an　engineering　concern　in　Ireland；　and　though　he　richly　deserved　his　promotion；　he　left　us　to　our　very　great　regret。

The　last　of　our　foremen　to　whom　I　shall　refer　was　worthy　Thomas　Crewdson。　　He　entered　our　service　as　a　smith；　in　which　pursuit　he　displayed　great　skill。　　We　soon　noted　the　high　order　of　his　natural　ability；　promoted　him　from　the　ranks；　and　made　him　foreman　of　the　smith's　and　forge…work　department。　　In　this　he　displayed　every　quality　of　excellence；　not　only　in　seeing　to　the　turning　out　of　the　forge　work　in　the　highest　state　of　perfection；　but　in　managing　the　men　under　his　charge　with　such　kind　discretion　as　to　maintain　the　most　perfect　harmony　in　the　workshops。　　This　is　always　a　matter　of　great　importance　that　the　foreman　should　inspire　the　workmen　with　his　own　spirit；　and　keep　up　their　harmony　and　activity　to　the　most　productive　point。　Crewdson　was　so　systematic　in　his　use　of　time　that　we　found　that　he　was　able　also　to　undertake　the　foremanship　of　the　boiler…making　department；　in　addition　to　that　of　the　smith　work；　and　to　this　he　was　afterwards　appointed；　with　highly　satisfactory　results　to　all　concerned。

So　strongly　and　clearly　impressed　is　my　mind　with　the　recollection　of　the　valuable　assistance　which　I　received　during　my　engineering　life　from　those　vicegerents　of　practical　management　at　Patricroft；　that　I　feel　that　I　cannot　proceed　further　in　my　narrative　without　thus　placing　the　merits　of　these　worthy　men　upon　record。　　It　was　a　source　of　great　good　fortune　to　me　to　be　associated　with　them；　and　I　consider　them　to　have　been　among　the　most　important　elements　in　the　prosperity　of　the　Bridgewater　Foundry。　　There　were　many　others；　in　comparatively　humble　positions；　whom　I　have　also　reason　to　remember　with　gratitude。　In　all　well…conducted　concerns　the　law　of　〃selection　of　the　fittest〃　sooner　or　later　comes　into　happy　action；　when　a　loyal　and　attached　set　of　men　work　together　harmoniously　for　their　own　advantage　as　well　as　for　that　of　their　employers。

It　was　not；　however；　without　some　difficulty　that　we　were　allowed　to　carry　out　our　views　as　to　Free　Trade　in　Ability。　　As　the　buildings　were　increased；　more　men　were　taken　onfrom　Manchester；　Bolton；　Liverpool；　as　well　as　from　more　distant　places。　　We　were　soon　made　to　feel　that　our　idea　of　promoting　workmen　according　to　their　merits；　and　advancing　them　to　improved　positions　and　higher　wages　in　proportion　to　their　skill；　ability；　industry；　and　natural　intelligence；　was　quite　contrary　to　the　views　of　many　of　our　new　employees。　　They　took　advantage　of　a　large　access　of　orders　for　machinery；　which　they　knew　had　come　into　the　foundry；　to　wait　upon　us　suddenly；　and　to　lay　down　their　Trade　Union　law　for　our　observance。

The　men　who　waited　upon　us　were　deputed　by　the　Engineer　Mechanics'　Trades'　Union　to　inform　us　that　there　were　men　in　our　employment　who　were　not；　as　they　termed　it；　〃legally　entitled　to　the　trade；〃　that　is；　they　had　never　served　a　regular　seven　years'　apprenticeship。　〃These　men；〃　said　the　delegates；　〃are　filling　up　the　places；　and　keeping　out　of　work；　the　legal　hands。〃　　We　were　accordingly　requested　to　discharge　the　workmen　whom　we　had　promoted；　in　order　to　make　room　for　members　of　the　Trades'　Union。

To　have　complied　with　this　request　would　have　altered　the　whole　principles　and　practice　on　which　we　desired　to　conduct　our　business。　I　wished；　and　my　partner　agreed　with　me；　to　stimulate　men　to　steadfast　and　skilful　work　by　the　hope　of　promotion。　　It　was　thus　that　I　had　taken　several　of　the　Worsley　men　from　the　rank　of　labourers；　and　raised　them　to　the　class　mechanics　with　correspondingly　higher　wages。　We　were　perfectly　satisfied　with　the　conduct　of　these　workmen；　and　with　the　productive　results　of　their　labour。　　We　thought　it　fair　to　them　as　well　as　to　ourselves　to　resist　the　order　to　discharge　them；　and　we　consequently　firmly　refused　to　submit　to　the　dictation　of　the　Unionists。

The　delegates　left　us　with　a　distinct　intimati