Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1857-05-08
From = Household Words.
THE MODERN VULCAN;
oR. sIGnrs ~ roRaE.

tiilo tliS 1Ad'CA Di hct IAaJ1atg S@A@"
steamship Volcano (eight hundred horse
power,) and pondered breathlessly on the
distracting mass of shafts, beams, eranks,
wheels, and cylinders when ] was told
that child's finger pressing down on
certain small lever can set the whole mass
in ruthless motion driving the Volcano
herself through the water al the rate of
fourteen miles an hour,--I wondered I
where the present race of Vulcans and
Cyclops (born with more eyes than one) |
were bred, and under what Memmonian /
roof the bewildering engine was brought
into existence. Surely, / reflected, the
blacksmiths Of Ena and Lemnos must
have been pigmies compared with the
giants of these later days; and their
forges mere village smithies. Else how
could those shafts, each single mass Of
wrought iron, some sixteen tons in weight
be formed, and polished, and adjusted to
a hairs breath how could the two-blad-
ed brass fan (called the screw-propelled,)
weighing eleven tons or so, be cast and
fitted, carried from the factory to.the
ship, and put into its place under water,
with all the accuracy and some of the
care with which the handspring is fixed
to lady's watch.
4 This tremendous work is done, after
wards learnt, by modern, but not wholly
by human giants.
Growing still more dizzy, yet still more
curious in contemplating the complex
abyss of the Volcanoes machinery, con-
ceived the wild wish of seeing Titanic
engines like hers in the home of THEN
I birth; where they are made, and kept
wholesale, retail, and for expectation
in rows, perhaps, Ike time-pieces in 3
] French clock-shop. In satisfaction o
= this desire, / was directed to the greaf
factory of Messrs. Maudslay and Field.
This establishment spreads itself ovei
about five acres of Lambeth Marsh (nov
= a densely peopIed district of South Lon
L don, ana only a marsh by tradition /;
Is but being built in floors, would, if al
d were on the ground, cover some dozeI
e acres. 1t gives employment to fifteer
e hundred AIulciber, who are chiefly EN-
ployed in feeding and attending upon th
Ie iron giants that execute most Of th
as work.
a. o, the grim, rigid, relentless power
ID with which they shaved, and shearet
It and cut, and bored blocks and pillars {
er iron, tons in weight! They cut out an
ne put together huge steamboiler wit
r much less fuss (and with an inevitab
he directness of purpose that is simply av
o. full than a seamsress makes to compile
OBJ a calico bolster. A broad plank Of iro
er nearly an inch thick and large as
~, long dining-table, is laid on an autom
IN tons flat lap, and is cut by scissor-lil
chisel moving up and down at its edg
re. into any shape the experimenting Nj
. ciber wills. 1t can be sowE to other ir,
Ike sheets by an inexogable seamstress-
no giant twin of her planning and cnttii
sisters,-that punches rows of roul
ed, holes with mathematical regularity,
ne round the edges Of the plate, with L
IRE effort than ] could bore cardboard. II
zen coadjutor, thick-set, determined stea
the workman, then fastens the edges of I
ar plates together by crushing riyetbolts II
eu' the holes at each edge and instantly r
ley eiing them 10 one another with C,
ach blooded, silent force that is terrifying.
sea Compare these operations with the til
rs ing Of the Vulcans of old who had
ach bore holes with niggling centre-bits, o
ior to riTet them together with noisy ha
eve mers; and who took a longer time
ned turn out the tip Of an arrow or kitci
leii' boiler, than their powerful progeny
ller quire to twist a score Of gun-barrels
was to complete a locomotive engine.
nm Take carei the forge hammer is
was quite obsolete" ! should have knC
ioor this to my cost II slalwart arm had
snty dragged me out of the swing Of a doul
ses handed hammer then being welded b
'iled flesh and blood blacksmith. to form Z
apes for riyet-bolts. IN watching the mot
cath of this man, the impression thai the
sur chauical arts DO not promote the pie
the esque or help to inspire the artist,
forcibly revived. The graceful elasti
tale. of liis motions was delightful cont
but to the bard, undertaking rostine Of
G in Iautomatou shopmates. The highest
rible dels Of Greeian art, were not more IN
rated ful than the unconscious attitudes u
Iman smith, while swinging bis hammer
g to his head to bring il tremendously i
n upon The glowing metal Roofing
!; re- feet apart upon the ground while S
bob ins 10 raise the hammer and aFal