MEMOIR OF THE LIFE

OF

SIR MARC ISAMBARD BRUNEL

CIVIL ENGINEER
VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY
CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE INSTITUTE OF FRANCE

&c. &c. &c.

By Richard Beamish, F.R.S.

To

Lady Hawes

These Memoirs of the Life of her Father

Are Respectfully Dedicated

By her Obliged and Sincere Friend

The Author

PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION.

The favourable reception which this Memoir has met with from the public, and the kindness and forbearance with which its defects have been treated by the press, have induced me to subject the whole to a careful revision, in the hope that it may be found worthy of a permanent place in the biographical literature of the country.

2 SUFFOLK SQUARE, CHELTENHAM
April 1862.

PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION.

In undertaking to place on record the leading events in the life of one of the greatest mechanists of the age, I am fully sensible of the difficulties to be overcome, and of the delicacy with which many passages in such a life must be approached ; and it is only because no one else has sought to secure some of those fleeting notices of a personal nature, which time only too soon obliterates, that I have drawn up this Memoir of one to whom England stands largely indebted for her progress in the mechanical arts.

True, on the one hand, our great moralist has laid it down, that “they only who live with a man can write his life with any genuine exactness and discrimination ;” and from the long intimacy which I was permitted to enjoy with Sir Isambard Brunel, I am enabled so far to fulfil the condition required. But, on the other hand, when I call to mind that the same authority has also declared, “that few people who have lived with a man know what to remark about him,” I should have been tempted to abandon my task, had not the too flattering confidence of the surviving relations of my esteemed friend placed at my disposal all the documents which they have been enabled to collect calculated to throw light upon his distinguished career. Whatever opinion may be adopted, I should not feel justified in declining to accept the duty which has been thus assigned me.

Amongst the manuscripts placed in my hands I find two short memoirs, one by the late M. de St. Amand, the other by the late Mr. Carlisle, librarian to George IV. ; together with the published “ Notice Historique” of M. Edouard Frère, addressed, “A l’Académie des Sciences de Rouen.”

Between M. de St. Amand and the Brunel family there had existed a long and intimate friendship, cemented not only by a common sympathy of loyalty, but by that love for mechanical and scientific pursuits for which both were distinguished. Both were in the service of their unhappy king, Louis XVI., at the period of that fearful convulsion which tore France to pieces, and shook the whole fabric of European governments; both fled from the horrors enacted in the name of liberty: Brunel to America, in the full enjoyment of health and strength, and supported by hopeful anticipations of the future ; M. de St. Amand to England, under circumstances of unusual difficulty, danger and despondency. He had received a severe wound on that memorable 5th of October, 1789, when, as one of the king’s body-guard, he was hunted through the palace of Versailles. Having made his escape to the wood of Montmorenci, which could only afford temporary shelter, he dragged his disabled limbs to the coast, and ultimately succeeded in reaching this country. Here, by a virtuous struggle against fallen circumstances and an enfeebled constitution, he maintained a position amongst the good and great, alike honourable to his intellectual attainments and to his moral worth.

I may further add, that amongst many mechanical inventions of M. de St. Amand, an instrument for determining a ship’s course is said to have possessed great merit, and to have deserved a better fate than room to moulder in the archives of the Admiralty. We may well understand with what deep interest M. de St. Amand’s enthusiastic and sympathetic mind followed the development of Brunel’s genius, and made him naturally solicitous to place upon record the successes which his friend had achieved. For many of the anecdotes relating to Brunel’s early life and social character I am, however, mainly indebted to notes made by his daughter, Lady Hawes ; to the valuable journal of the Rev. H. T. Ellacombe; to circumstantial and detailed notices by his own pen; and to communications with which he, from time to time, favoured me during the daily, often hourly, confidential intercourse subsisting between us during the progress of the Thames Tunnel.

To Mr. James Forest, Secretary to the Institution of Civil Engineers, I desire also to express my thanks for some interesting corroborative facts.

2 SUFFOLK SQUARE, CHELTENHAM
March 1862

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I

BIRTH AND YOUTH, 1769–1786

Sent to Gisors – Story of Dog – Punishment – Story of Portrait- Sent to St. Nicaise, Rouen — Dannecker – Talent for Drawing and Construction – Early Admiration of England — Constructs an Organ – Studies for the Navy — Constructs a Quadrant — Enters the Navy

CHAPTER II

1786-1793

Peril at Paris — Miss Kingdom – Disturbances at Rouen – Quits France – Passport – Insurrection in St. Domingo – Lands at New York – Connection with M. Pharoux

CHAPTER III

1793–1799

Miss Kingdom imprisoned – Travelling in America in 1793 — French emigrant Family – Ojibbeway Chief — Mr. Thurman – Engineering Talent – Plans for Senate House, Washington – Park Theatre, New York – Locomotive Windmill — Cannon Foundry — Death of M. Pharoux — Admitted Citizen of New York –  Declines to return to France – Naval Successes of England – Block Machinery first suggested

CHAPTER IV

1799-1801

Quits America – Duke of Orleans – Lands at Falmouth – Prejudice against Foreigners—John Feltham – Machine for twisting Cotton and forming it into Balls — Machine for hemming and stitching – Machine for Card-shuffling – Designs for a Block Machinery – Edward, Lord Dudley – Slide Rest – Maudslay – Designs offered to Mr. Taylor – Rejected Increase of the Navy — Sir Samuel Bentham

CHAPTER V

Brunel’s Claims to be the Author of the Block Machinery vindicated

CHAPTER VI

1802-1803

Designs for Block Machinery adopted by Government — Question of Remuneration – Referred to Sir Samuel Bentham-Accepted by the Admiralty

CHAPTER VII

1802–1810

Difficulties in finding Workmen, 1802–5 — General Bentham sent to Russia, 1805–Quantity of Timber required to construct a Seventy-four – Impediments to the Operations of the Machinery, 1807— Machinery capable of supplying all the Blocks for the British Navy — Remuneration postponed – Nervous Fever, 1808 – Amount of Remuneration determined, 1810—Letter from Lord St. Vincent, 1810 — Performance of the Block Machinery – Present Condition of the Machinery, March 1861

CHAPTER VIII.
1805–1816.
Apparatus for bending Timber, 1805 – Machinery for sawing
Timber, 1805–1808 Birth of a Son, 1806 Machine for
cutting Staves, 1807 — Works at Woolwich, 1808— The Saw-
Sketch of its History – Saw-mills, Battersea – Veneer Engine-
Hat and Pill Boxes, 1808 — Improvements in Motive Power,
1810 – Comparison of Cost of sawing by Machinery and by
Hand, 1811 Designs for Chatham, 1812 – Difficulties
Description of Machinery – Bacon – Mr. Ellacombe, 1816 –
Present State of the Works, March 1861 .
100
[blocks in formation] Origin of the Shoe Machinery, 1809 – Neglected Condition of the
British Army and Navy – Description of Shoe Machinery —
Encouraged to establish a Manufactory of Shoes – Termination
of the War, and Loss incurred, 1814–Letter to Mr. Vansittart,
1819
. Page 128
CHAPTER X.
1814–1819.
Fellow of the Royal Society, 1814 – Double-acting Marine Engine
– Reception at Margate, 1814 – Mr. Hyde — Plan for towing
Vessels, 1816— Knitting Machine, 1816— Tin foil, 1818-Con-
nection with Mr. Shaw – Stereotype Printing, 1819— Retrospect
of the Art of Printing — Brunel’s Improvements in the Printing
Machine, 1819.

CHAPTER XI.
1821-1831.
Marriage of his eldest Daughter, 1820 – Machine for copying
Letters, 1820-Plans for a Bridge at Rouen, 1820-Municipal
System of England and France contrasted Visit of the Em-
peror of Russia to Portsmouth Plan for a Timber Bridge
880 feet · Span for St. Petersburg, 1821 – Why it was not
erected – Autocratic and constitutional Governments contrasted
in regard to commercial Improvements
155
CHAPTER XII.
1814-1821.
Saw-mills at Battersea Burnt down, 1814 – Difficulties – Mr.
Sansom Arrested for Debt, 1821 Efforts of influential
Friends to obtain Relief — Government Assistance
. 165
CHAPTER XIII.
1821-1826.
Supervision of the Works at Chatham, 1821 – Saw-mills for
Trinidad and Berbice, 1821-4 — Suspension Bridges for the
Isle of Bourbon, 1821-3 – Difficulties with Contractors Ma-
rine Steam Engine, 1822- Improvements of Paddle-wheel, 1823
– Liverpool Docks, 1823 – Carbonic Acid Gas Engine, 1824 –
Failure Opinion Transatlantic Steam Navigation
Isthmus of Panama, 1824 South London Docks, 1824
Railways in France, 1825 — Chester Bridge, Rubble Building,
1825—Fowey and Padstow Canal, 1825—Bridge at Totness, 1825
– Vigo Bay, 1825 – Liverpool Floating Pier, 1826 Page 176
on
CHAPTER XIV.
1824-1825.
Thames Tunnel – Early Attempts – Dodd, 1798 – Vazie, 1802-
Trevithick, 1807 – Hawkins – Teredo Navalis — Origin of the
Shield — Formation of the Thames Tunnel Company, 1824–
Appointed Engineer – Construction of the Shaft, 1825-De-
scription of Shield – Nature of the Bed of the River . 202
CHAPTER XV.
1825-1827.
Shield in Place, 1825 Piece-work Isambard Brunel – Ex-
ample of Difficulties – Hostility of the Chairman – Mr. Gravatt
and Mr. Riley appointed Assistants — Panics — Strike — Diffi-
culties increase — Death of Mr. Riley — First Irruption of the
River, May 18th, 1827

CHAPTER XVI.

1827-1828.

Means used to fill the Cavity in the Bed of the River — Ill Effects
of Raft – Return to the Shield — Attempt of two Directors to
visit the Shield — Melancholy Result – Fitzgerald’s Dream —
Increased Hostility of the Chairman — Effect on Brunel — Illness
general, September 1827 – Dinner in the Tunnel, November
1827 — Meeting of Proprietors, November 20th, 1827 – Mr.
Giles’s Proposition – Visit of Don Miguel – Second Irruption,
12th January, 1828 – Melancholy Results – General Meeting of
Proprietors — Works stopped — Frames blocked up, August
1828

CHAPTER XVII.
1829-1831.
Returns to the general Practice of his Profession — Honours — Con-
duct of the Directors — A new Plan entertained, 1829 — The
Duke of Wellington’s Opinion – Comparative Cost of Drift-
way and Thames Tunnel New Plans referred to Professor
Barlow, James Walker, and Tierney Clark for Opinion, 1830 –
Chairman’s continued Hostility — Brunel resigns his Appoint-
ment, 1831 — Effects on his Health
Page 269
CHAPTER XVIII.
1831-1843.
Clifton Bridge, 1830–32 Death of Dr. Wollaston, 1831 – Ex-
perimental Arch, 1832— Anniversary of his 65th Birthday, 1834
– Treasury grants Funds for the Completion of the Tunnel on
Brunel’s Plan, 1834–Visit to Hacqueville-Passage of the River
Nile – Works of the Tunnel resumed, 1835. Stringent Con-
ditions of the Treasury Minute Removal of old and Erection
of new Shield — Difficulties presented by the Ground — Mr.
Page – Third Irruption of the River, August 23rd, 1837 –
Fourth Irruption, November 3rd, 1837-Fifth Irruption, March
21st, 1838 — Sulphuretted Hydrogen Gas — Injurious Effects
Extraordinary Subsidence of the Ground over Shield
Sinking of the North Shaft at Wapping — Difficulties presented
-Knighthood — Junction of Shaft and Tunnel, 1842- Attacked
by Paralysis — Recovers — Tunnel opened to the Public, March
25th, 1843
282
CHAPTER XIX.
Personal, Domestic, and Social Qualities — Flexibility of Joints
Religious Sentiments — Simplicity – Love of Children -M. de
C
Dr. Spurzheim on the Development of his Son
– M. Breguet’s Opinion
His Son’s Talent for Drawing –
Admiration of Nature – Benevolence -Pump at Youghal
Sufferings of Mail-coach Horses – Augustus Pugin – Inventors
– Schemers Heathcote Babbage Facility of Reply –
a
Miniature Painting — Accuracy of Designing — General Charge
of Departure from original Estimate unjust – Confidence in the
Value of Lines Examples — Takes Charge of the Dover Packet
in a Storm Presence of Mind Examples — Illustration of the
Superiority of the Moderns over the Ancients — Knowledge of the
Value of manufactured Work — Absence of Mind– Elasticity of
Spirit— Summary by M. E. Frère –Unaffected Piety Page 305
CHAPTER XX.
1843–1849.
CONCLUSION.
Professional Career terminated – Stacking Timber in Dockyards —
Successes of his Son – Her Majesty’s Visit to the Tunnel
Society of his Grandchildren – Second Attack of Paralysis, 1845
– Equanimity and Cheerfulness under physical Suffering-Death,
12th of December, 1849.
. 332
APPENDICES.
.
A. Certificate of Citizenship, New York
B. Description of the Block Machinery
C. Copying Press
D. Marine Steam Engine
E. Story of the Green Room
F. List of Patents
339
340
. 343
345
. 347
. 354
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE
.
.
Portrait of Sir M. I. Brunel
Frontispiece. Design for a Bridge at St. Petersburg
161 Bourbon Chain Bridge
to face 180 Plan for a Wet Dock
to face 191 Original Design for Floating Pier and approach at Liverpool . 200 Cross sectional area of Driftway, 1808, represented by the
centre figure, and that of the Thames Tunnel, 1825, by the whole plate
to face 208 Section of Shaft for Thames Tunnel in process of being sunk
to face 213 Isometrical Sketch of one of the frames of the great shield used in excavating the Thames Tunnel
220 Section showing movable stage and propelling screws
223 Cross section of Tunnel, and longitudinal section of river, show
ing the extent of cavity formed by first irruption to face 249 Operations from the Diving Bell .
to face 251 First visit to the shield after the first irruption of the river
to face 252 The Thames Tunnel — West Archway
267 Experimental Arch
285 Mode of supporting the face and the top of the work
291 Mode of supporting the sides of the work
292 Longitudinal section of the Thames Tunnel