The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1858-12-02
American sk.ll I'm England.

Lock, near London, which has recently been
put in operation by the English Govern
ment, under American Superintendence and
with American machinery. The account is
genuine tribute to Yankee skill and genius.
Mr.. Benton, under whose superinten-
dence the Armory has been established, is a
near relative of our townsman DR.. Keller,
by whose advice he was induced to go to
England The Neocs says:
1t will be remembered that on the OPEN
ing of the American Exhibition at New York
some four or fige years since, aself-constitu-
ted deputation of English gentlemen, inter
ested in the progress of arts and inventions,
amongst whom were Mr.. Wentworth Dixie
and Mr.. WhitwOrth, the eminent machinist
of Manchester-went over to that city, with
the praiseworthy object of thoroughly ex-
amining carefully through the whole of the
long catalogue of American inventions and
emotions" and, where valuable, of recon-
mending their introductions into this coun-
try. Like the alchymist of the middle ages,
or Columbus seeking the kingdom of Pres
ter John, they did not find what they went
in search OF, as the Exhibition turned out to
be, in as far as American products were con-
cerned, comparatively worthless; but having,
in order that their voyage might not be per-
fectly barren, extended their researches
somewhat further into the country, they
came, as it were by accident, on discovery
which promises to lead to very important
results. indeed, as regards certain branches
of the productive power of this country
Having been furnished with every necessary
facility by the United States authorities,
they made pilgrimage to the government
small-arms manufactures at Springfield,
Massachusetts, and at Harpers Ferry, Vir-
ginia, and so astonished at once and delight
ed were they with what they saw in both
places, that on their return they published
an elaborate report, and, for a wonder, see
ing that the matter deeply involved the pub
lie interest, this report attracted the notice
of the government of the day, and was re-
ferred to Mr.. Anderson, the chief engineer
at Woolwich Arsenal, to say whether the
wonders stated to be achieved at Springfield
and Harper's Ferry were at all within the
bounds of probability, and whether the sys-
tenn of manufacturing small-arms practiced
at these factories could with advantage be
introduced into the government establish
ments in this country.
The report fell fortunately into good
hands. The practiced and skilled eye of
Mr.. Anderson saw at once that the system
was real and immediate advance ON our
own slow and antiquated method; and that
gentleman sent in his unqualified approval of
all that wassstated to be practieed in the
American factories. A royal commission,
consisting of Mr.. Anderson himself and
two artillery officers was at once appointed,
with instructions to proceed to the United
States, to inspect carefully, the State sys-
tenn of manufacturing small arms, and if
they approved, to employ qualified persons
| and purchase machinery with a view to its
introduction into this country. Like their
| amateur predecessors, they were afforded
every facility by the Government at Wash
| ington, and also like them they saw every
thing to approve of the American method,
| of which it will be necessary to say a word
or two here in order that the details which
| follow may be the more easily understood.
So far back as the year 1918, an indi-
| vidual named Blanchard, whose ingenuity,
like that of every other American inventor,
was stimulated to the discovery of fresh ap-
plications of machinery by the scarcity of
human labor, submitted to his government
the two great principles of which were the
| minute subdivision Of parts (of the gnn),
and the application of steam power, with
the aid of what are technically known as
| copying machines, or directors to the pro-
duction of each part. Those who know the
way in which Silhouette likenesses are taken,
or who have had the advantage of seeing
Mr.. Henry Bradbury's beautiful machinery
| for engraving bank-notes, will understand
at once what Mr.. Blanchard's system was,
namely, the application simultaneously of
\ two corresponding movements, the one that
! of blunt stile over q steel model of the
| form to be produced, the other of sharp
cutter spinning at high verOcity over the
| softer material, and producing with the ac-
| curacy of mathematics, and the rapidity al
most of magic, the exact shape of the part
required.
OF the value of the minute subdivision of
parts in increasing the rate of production,
and ensuring the superiority of execution,
we had already a familiar example in the
manufacture of pins, it being well-kno yn
| fact that it takes forty distinct operations to
make single pin, but that the collective
result is that forty workers produce forty
thousand pins day; whereas ifeach of the
| forty took pin entirely TO himself they
would not be able to get out more than "a
score or two apiece. The American Cover H.
ment at once saw the value of the plan and
adopted it, and having literally rewarded
the inventor, put it into active operation in
the two establishments before mentioned
where it has been in operation up to the
present day every year and every fresh
engineer of course adding Improvements in
detail until the system at last reached the
perte ton which astonshed the amateur in
spectors of 1853, and subsequently made
converts and disciples OF the government
| commission. That commission having fin
ished its inspection, at once secured the ser
| vices of Mr. J. H. Burton, one of the princi-
pal engineers of the Springfield factory, and
Of Mr.. .. Clark, who had graduated in the
stock department, and Immediately entered
into contracts with Ames' manufacturing
company of Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts,,
for the production of the necessary machin-
cry. Mr.. Burton accompanied the commits
sion TO England, while Mr.. Clark remained
behind to superintend the construction of
the ingenious assortment of circular saws,
eccentric wheels, stiles, and cutters which
! the new mode of manufacture required 1t
was then necessary to 60 to Parliament for
funds and there the plan met with so much
opposition, partly from the economists and
partly from the representatives of existing
interests, that government was obliged to