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＇footnote。。。
Mechanic's Magazine； 4th Feb。 1859。
。。。＇
〃invented the method of cutting screws with stocks and dies？ Whoever
he might be； he was certainly a great benefactor of his species。 Yet
（adds the writer） his name is not known； though the invention has
been so recent。〃 This is not； however； the case with most modern
inventions； the greater number of which are more or less disputed。
Who was entitled to the merit of inventing printing has never yet been
determined。 Weber and Senefelder both laid claim to the invention of
lithography； though it was merely an old German art revived。 Even the
invention of the penny…postage system by Sir Rowland Hill is
disputed； Dr。 Gray of the British Museum claiming to be its inventor；
and a French writer alleging it to be an old French invention。*
＇footnote。。。
A writer in the Monde says： 〃The invention of postage…stamps。 is far
from being so modern as is generally supposed。 A postal regulation in
France of the year 1653； which has recently come to light； gives
notice of the creation of pre…paid tickets to be used for Paris
instead of money payments。 These tickets were to be dated and
attached to the letter or wrapped round it； in such a manner that the
postman could remove and retain them on delivering the missive。 These
franks were to be sold by the porters of the convents； prisons；
colleges； and other public institutions； at the price of one sou。〃
。。。＇
The invention of the steamboat has been claimed on behalf of Blasco
de Garay； a Spaniard； Papin； a Frenchman； Jonathan Hulls； an
Englishman； and Patrick Miller of Dalswinton； a Scotchman。 The
invention of the spinning machine has been variously attributed to
Paul； Wyatt； Hargreaves； Higley； and Arkwright。 The invention of the
balance…spring was claimed by Huyghens； a Dutchman； Hautefeuille； a
Frenchman； and Hooke； an Englishman。 There is scarcely a point of
detail in the locomotive but is the subject of dispute。 Thus the
invention of the blast…pipe is claimed for Trevithick； George
Stephenson； Goldsworthy Gurney； and Timothy Hackworth； that of the
tubular boiler by Seguin； Stevens； Booth； and W。 H。 James； that of
the link…motion by John Gray； Hugh Williams； and Robert Stephenson。
Indeed many inventions appear to be coincident。 A number of minds are
working at the same time in the same track； with the object of
supplying some want generally felt； and； guided by the same
experience； they not unfrequently arrive at like results。 It has
sometimes happened that the inventors have been separated by great
distances； so that piracy on the part of either was impossible。 Thus
Hadley and Godfrey almost simultaneously invented the quadrant； the
one in London； the other in Philadelphia； and the process of
electrotyping was invented at the same time by Mr。 Spencer； a working
chemist at Liverpool； and by Professor Jacobi at St。 Petersburg。 The
safety…lamp was a coincident invention； made about the same time by
Sir Humphry Davy and George Stephenson； and perhaps a still more
remarkable instance of a coincident discovery was that of the planet
Neptune by Leverrier at Paris； and by Adams at Cambridge。
It is always difficult to apportion the due share of merit which
belongs to mechanical inventors； who are accustomed to work upon each
other's hints and suggestions； as well as by their own experience。
Some idea of this difficulty may be formed from the fact that； in the
course of our investigations as to the origin of the planing
machineone of the most useful of modern toolswe have found that
it has been claimed on behalf of six inventorsFox of Derby； Roberts
of Manchester； Matthew Murray of Leeds； Spring of Aberdeen； Clement
and George Rennie of London； and there may be other claimants of whom
we have not yet heard。 But most mechanical inventions are of a very
composite character； and are led up to by the labour and the study of
a long succession of workers。 Thus Savary and Newcomen led up to
Watt； Cugnot； Murdock； and Trevithick to the Stephensons； and
Maudslay to Clement； Roberts； Nasmyth； Whitworth； and many more
mechanical inventors。 There is scarcely a process in the arts but has
in like manner engaged mind after mind in bringing it to perfection。
〃There is nothing；〃 says Mr。 Hawkshaw； 〃really worth having that man
has obtained； that has not been the result of a combined and gradual
process of investigation。 A gifted individual comes across some old
footmark； stumbles on a chain of previous research and inquiry。 He
meets； for instance； with a machine； the result of much previous
labour； he modifies it； pulls it to pieces； constructs and
reconstructs it； and by further trial and experiment he arrives at
the long sought…for result。〃*
＇footnote。。。
Inaugural Address delivered before the Institution of Civil
Engineers； l4th Jan。 1862。
。。。＇
But the making of the invention is not the sole difficulty。 It is one
thing to invent； said Sir Marc Brunel； and another thing to make the
invention work。 Thus when Watt； after long labour and study； had
brought his invention to completion； he encountered an obstacle which
has stood in the way of other inventors； and for a time prevented the
introduction of their improvements； if not led to their being laid
aside and abandoned。 This was the circumstance that the machine
projected was so much in advance of the mechanical capability of the
age that it was with the greatest difficulty it could be executed。
When labouring upon his invention at Glasgow； Watt was baffled and
thrown into despair by the clumsiness and incompetency of his
workmen。 Writing to Dr。 Roebuck on one occasion； he said； 〃You ask
what is the principal hindrance in erecting engines？ It is always the
smith…work。〃 His first cylinder was made by a whitesmith； of hammered
iron soldered together； but having used quicksilver to keep the
cylinder air…tight； it dropped through the inequalities into the
interior； and 〃played the devil with the solder。〃 Yet； inefficient
though the whitesmith was； Watt could ill spare him； and we find him
writing to Dr。 Roebuck almost in despair； saying； 〃My old white…iron
man is dead！〃 feeling his loss to be almost irreparable。 His next
cylinder was cast and bored at Carron； but it was so untrue that it
proved next to useless。 The piston could not be kept steam tight；
notwithstanding the various expedients which were adopted of stuffing
it with paper； cork； putty； pasteboard； and old hat。 Even after Watt
had removed to Birmingham； and he had the assistance of Boulton's
best workmen； Smeaton expressed the opinion； when he saw the engine
at work； that notwithstanding the excellence of the invention； it
could never be brought into general use because of the difficulty of
getting its various parts manufactured with sufficient precision。 For
a long time we find Watt； in his letters； complaining to his partner
of the failure of his engines through 〃villainous bad workmanship。〃
Sometimes the cylinders； when cast； were found to be more than an
eighth of an inch wider at one end than the other； and under such
circumstances it was impossible the engine could act with precision。
Yet better work could not be had。 First…rate workmen in machinery did
not as yet exist； they were only in process of education。 Nearly
everything had to be done by hand。 The tools used were of a very
imperfect kind。 A few ill…constructed lathes； with some drills and
boring…machines of a rude sort； constituted the principal furniture
of the workshop。 Years after； when Brunel invented his
block…machines； considerable time elapsed before he could find
competent mechanics to construct them； and even after they had been
constructed he had equal difficulty in finding competent hands to
work them。*
＇footnote。。。
BEAMISH'S Memoir of Sir I。 M。 Brunel； 79； 80。
。。。＇
Watt endeavoured to remedy the defect by keeping certain sets of
workmen to special cla