an autobiography-第52部分

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ief　of　the　Admiralty；　and　Mr。　Jeremiah　Owen；　chief　of　the　metal　material　required　in　the　equipment　of　the　navy　I　was　requested　to　suggest　any　improvement　in　the　workshops　that　I　thought　would　add　to　the　efficiency　of　the　department；　and　I　trust　that　my　recommendations　proved　of　practical　good　to　the　service。　　At　the　same　time；　I　have　reason　to　know　that　many　of　the　recommendations　of　the　committee；　though　cordially　acknowledged　by　the　higher　powers；　were　by　a　sort　of　passive　resistance　practically　shelved。

I　was　much　amused；　when　I　first　went　to　Devonport　dockyard；　to　notice　the　punctilious　observance　of　forms　and　ceremonies　with　respect　to　the　various　positions　of　officialsfrom　the　admiral…superintendent　down　the　official　grades　of　dignity；　to　the　foremen　of　departments；　and　so　on。　　I　did　not　care　for　all　this　panjandrum　of　punctiliousness；　but　was；　I　hope；　civil　and　chatty　with　everybody。　　I　had　a　good　word　for　the　man　as　well　as　for　the　foreman。　　I　received　some　kind　and　good…natured　hints　as　to　the　relative　official　superiority　that　prevailed　in　the　departments；　and　made　out　a　scale　or　list　of　the　various　strata　accordingly。　　This　gamut　of　eminence　was　of　use　to　me　in　my　dealings　with　dockyard　officials。　　I　was　enabled　to　mind　my　p's　and　q's　in　communicating　with　them。

The　first　Sunday　that　I　spent　at　Devonport　I　went　to　the　dockyard　churchthe　church　appointed　for　officials　and　men　employed　by　the　Government。　　The　seats　were　appointed　in　the　order　of　rank；　employments；　and　rate　of　pay。　　The　rows　of　seats　were　all　marked　with　the　class　of　employers　that　were　expected　to　sit　in　them。　　Labourers　were　near　the　door。　　The　others　were　in　successive　rows　forward；　until　the　pew　of　the　〃Admiral　Superintendent；〃　next　the　Altar　rails；　was　reached。　　I　took　my　seat　among　the　〃artificers；〃　being　of　that　order。　On　coming　out　of　church　the　master…attendant；　next　in　dignity　to　the　admiral…superintendent；　came　up　to　me　to　say　how　distressed　he　was　to　see　me　〃among　the　artificers；〃　and　begged　me　in　future　to　use　his　seat。　　No　doubt　this　was　kindly　intended；　and　I　thanked　him　for　his　courtesy。　　Nevertheless　I　kept　to　my　class　of　artificers。　I　did　not　like　the　〃breest　o'　the　laft'〃*　　＇footnote。。。　The　breest　o'　the　laft　is　the　seat　of　dignity。　The　best　places　in　　churches　are　occupied　by　〃superior〃　people。　In　Scotland　the　chief　men　the　Provosts；　Bailies；　and　Councillorshave　a　seat　appropriated　to　them　in　the　front　part　of　the　gallery；　generally　opposite　the　minister。　That　is　〃the　breest　o'　the　laft。〃　The　same　principle　pervades　society　generally。　　。。。＇　principle。　　No　doubt　the　love　of　distinction；　within　reasonable　limits；　is　a　great　social　prime　mover；　but　at　Devonport；　with　the　splitting　up　into　ranks；　even　amongst　workmen；　I　found　it　simply　amusing；　especially　when　introduced　into　a　church。

I　afterwards　met　with　several　veterans　in　the　service　of　the　Admiralty；　who　are　well　served　by　such　experienced　and　well…selected　men。　It　is　the　schemers　and　the　satellites　who　haunt　the　contractors　that　are　the　vermin　of　dockyards。　　I　gave　them　all　a　very　wide　berth。　But　worst　of　all　are　the　men　who　get　their　employment　through　parliamentary　influence。　　They　are　a　detestable　set。　　They　always　have　some　〃grievance〃　to　pester　people　about。　　I　hope　things　are　better　now。

I　may　add；　with　respect　to　the　steam　hammer　pile…driving　machines；　that　I　received　an　order　for　two　of　them　from　Mohammed　Ali；　the　Pasha　of　Egypt。　　These　were　required　for　driving　the　piles　in　that　great　work　the　barrage　of　the　Nile　near　Cairo。　　The　good　services　of　these　machines　so　pleased　the　Pasha　that　he　requested　us　to　receive　three　selected　Arab　men　into　our　works。　　He　asked　that　they　should　have　the　opportunity　of　observing　the　machinery　processes　and　the　system　of　management　of　an　English　engineering　factory。　　The　object　of　the　Pasha　was　that　the　men　should　return　to　Egypt　and　there　establish　an　engine　manufactory；　so　as　to　render　him　in　a　measure　independent　of　foreign　help。　　For　British　workmen；　when　imported　into　Egypt；　had　a　great　tendency　to　degenerate　when　removed　from　the　wholesome　stimulus　to　exertion　in　competition　with　their　fellows。

My　firm　had　no　objection　to　the　introduction　of　the　Arab　workmen。　Accordingly；　one　day　we　received　a　visit　from　an　excellent　Egyptian　officer；　Edim　Bey；　accompanied　by　his　secretary　Rushdi　Effendi；　who　spoke　English　fluently。　　He　thus　made　our　interview　with　the　Bey　easy　and　agreeable。　　He　conveyed　to　us；　in　the　most　courteous　manner；　the　wishes　of　the　Pasha；　and　the　three　workmen　were　at　once　received。　Every　opportunity　was　given　them　to　observe　and　understand　the　works　going　forward。　　They　were　intelligent…looking　young　men；　about　twenty…five　years　of　age。　　One　of　them　was　especially　bright　looking；　quick　in　the　expression　of　his　eyes；　and　active　in　his　manner；　His　name　was　Affiffi　Lalli；　the　names　of　the　others　I　forget。

These　young　men　were　placed　under　charge　of　the　foremen　of　the　departments　that　each　fancied　to　be　most　to　his　taste。　　Affiffi　was　placed　in　the　fitting　department；　in　which　skilful　manipulation　was　required。　　He　exhibited　remarkable　aptitude；　and　was　soon　able　to　hold　his　own　alongside　of　our　best　workmen。　　Another　was　set　to　the　turning　department；　and　did　fairly　well。　　The　third　was　placed　in　the　foundry；　where　he　soon　became　efficient　in　moulding　and　casting　brass　and　iron　work。　　He　lent　a　hand　all　round；　and　picked　up　a　real　practical　knowledge　of　the　various　work　in　his　department。　　During　their　sojourn　in　our　works　they　became　friendly　with　their　colleagues；　and　in　fact　became　quite　favourites　with　the　men；　who　were　always　willing　to　help　them。　　But　Affiffi　Lalli　was　regarded　as　the　genius　of　the　trio。　He　showed　a　marked　and　intelligent　aptitude　for　acquiring　technical　skill　in　all　the　branches　of　our　business。

After　remaining　with　us　for　about　four　years　they　were　ready　to　return　to　Cairo；　and　show　what　they　had　learned　in　practical　and　technical　mechanical　knowledge　during　their　stay　in　England。　　The　three　Arab　workmen　were　placed　in　their　suitable　departments　in　the　Pasha's　work　shops。　　But　such　was　the　natural　energy　of　Affiffi；　that　when　he　was　set　to　work　beside　the　slow；　dilatory；　and　stupid　native　workmen；　he　became　greatly　irritated。　　The　contrast　between　the　active　energetic　movements　which　he　had　seen　at　the　Bridgewater　Foundry　and　the　ineffective；　blundering；　and　untechnical　work　of　his　fellows　was　such　that　he　could　not　stand　it　any　longer。　　So　one　fine　day　he　disappeared　from　the　works；　took　refuge　on　board　a　British　steamer；　and　at　the　risk　of　his　neck　made　his　way　back　to　the　Bridgewater　Foundry！

As　we　were　reluctant　to　take　back　a　man　who　had　escaped　from　the　Pasha's　employmentexcellent　workman　though　he　waswe　declined　to　employ　him。　　But　I　gave　Affiffi　a　note　of　introduction　to　Boulton　and　Watt　of　Soho；　Birmingham；　and　there　he　was　employed。　　He　afterwards　passed　into　other　firms；　and　having　employed　his　skill　in　making　some　needle　machinery　at　Redditch；　he　settled　down　there。　　He　married　a　Warwickshire　lass；　and　had　a　familyhalf　Arab；　half　English　and　has　now　a　thriving　foundry　and　engineer　workshop　of　his　own。　This　little　narrative　shows　that　the　Arab　has　still　much　of　the　wonderful　energy　and　skill　that　once　made　the　Moors　masters　of　a　large　part　of　South…Western　Europe。

We　had　many　visitors　at　the　foundryfrom　London；　from　the　manufacturing　districts；　and　from　foreign　countries。　One　day　a　young　gentleman　presented　a　letter　from　Michael　Faraday；　dated　〃Royal　Institution；　29th　May　1847；〃　requesting　me　to　pay　him　some　attention　and　show　him　round　the　works。　　I　did　so　with　all　my　heart；　and　wrote　to　Mr。　Faraday　intimating　how　much　pleasure　it　gave　me　to　serve　him　in　any　respect。　　I　cannot　refrain　from　giving　his　answer。　He　said：

〃MY　DEAR　SIRThat　you　should　both　show　kindness　to　the　bearer　of　my　letter；　and　prove　that　you　did　so　with　pleasure　by　writing　me　a　letter　in　return；　was　indeed　more　than　I　ought　or　could　have　expected；　but　it　was　very　gratifying　and　pleasant　to　my　mind。　　I　only　wish　that　the　circumstances　of　my　life　were　such　as　to　enable　me　to　take　advantage　of　such　goodwill　on　your　part；　and　to　be　more　in　your　company　and　conversation　than　is　at　present　possible。

〃I　could　imagine　great　pleasure　from　such　a　condition　of　things；　but　though　our　desires；　and　even　our　hopes　at　times　spread　out　beforehand　over　a　large　extent；　it　is　wonderful　how；　as　the　future　becomes　the　present；　the　circumstances　that　surround　us　limit　the　sphere　to　which　our　real　life　is　circumscribed　If　ever　I　come　your　way　I　hope　to　see　your　face；　and　the　hope　is　pleasant；　though　the　reality　may　never　arrive。

〃You　tell　me　of　the　glorious　work　of　your　pile…driver；　and　it　must　be　indeed　a　great　pleasure　to　witness　the　result。　　Is　it　not　Shakespeare　who　says；　'The　pleasure　we　delight　in　physics　pain'？　　In　all　your　fatigue　and　labour　you　must　have　this　pleasure　in　abundance；　and　a　most　delightful　and　healthy　enjoyment　it　is。　　I　shall　rejoice　to　see　some　day　a　blow　of　the　driver　and　a　tap　of　the　hammer。

〃You　speak　of　some　experiments　on　hardening　and　tempering　steel　in　which　we　can　help　you。　　I　hope　when　you　do　come　to　town　you　will　let　us　have　the　pleasure　of　doing　so。　　Our　apparatus；　such　as　it　is；　shall　be　entirely　at　your　service。　　I　made；　a　long　while　ago；　a　few　such　experiments　on　steel　wire；　but　could　eliminate　no　distinct　or　peculiar　results。　　You　will　know　how　to　look　at　things；　and　at　your　hand　I　should　expect　much。

〃Here　we　are　just　lecturing　away；　and　I　am　too　tired　to　attempt　anything；　much　less　to　do　anything　just　now；　but　the　goodwill　of　such　men　as　you　is　a　great　stimulus；　and　will；　I　trust　even　with　me；　produce　something　else　praiseworthy。

Ever；　my　dear　Nasmyth；　yours　most　truly；　　　M。　FARADAY。〃


CHAPTER　16。　　NurembergSt。　PetersburgDannemora。

In　the　autumn　of　1842　I　had　occasion　to　make　a　journey　to　Nuremberg　in　company　with　my　partner　Mr。　Gaskell。　　We　had　been　invited　to　a　conference　with　the　directors　of　the　Nuremberg　and　Munich　Railroad　as　to　the　supply　of　locomotives　for　working　their　line。　　As　this　was　rather　an　important　and　extensive　transaction；　we　thought　it　better　not　to　trust　to　correspondence；　but　to　see　the　directors　on　the　spot。　We　found　that　there　were　several　ri