DEATH OF JAMES NASMYTH.

Otago Witness, Issue 1892, 15 May 1890, Page 16

DEATH OF JAMES NASMYTH.

(Per Press Association.)

London, May 7, Mr James Nasmytb, the famous engineer and author of works on mechanism and astronomy, is dead ; aged 82.

Nasmyth, James, engineer, was born at Bdinburgh, August 19, lEOB, and wae the son of Alexander Nasmyth, a well known landscape painter. He gave very early evidence of a decided taste for meohanical pursuits. His education was stimulated by the advantage of listening to the conversation of many of the most intelligent men of science and artists who, In his early days, were coustant visitors at his father's house. From his earliest years his love of mecbnniim led to his acquiring the art of handling tools and performing all the processes in praotioal mechanics with such effectiveness as to enable him topay the fees for his attendance at the chemistry, mathematical, and natural philosophy classes at the Edinburgh University, from the proceeds of the sale of steam-engine and other models, which he constructed in a small workroom in hia father's house. In 1829 he o*me to London, and 'Henry Maudslay, the tounder of the celebrated engineer firm in London, appointed him as hia assistant In his beautiful private workshop. Here he remained till Mr Maudslay's death in 1851, after which he returned to Edinburgh for the purpose of comtruoting a set of engineering tools, wherewith he started business in Manchester in 1831. The extent of, work that came to him soon outgrew the capacity of the premises. He then removed to a 12aore plot of land which he Beoured at Patrlcroft, four miles west of Manchester. The site was soon covered by an extensive series of workshops, and the establishment was named the Brldgewater Foundry, from the oircumstanoa that the land in question was bounded by the Brldgewater Canal. Here many mechanical tools were invented and manufactured whloh are now doing good service in the workshops of the world. Conspicuous among them is the steam hammer, which since its invention in 1839, has had no small influence is advancing the progress of the mechanical arts Among other inventions of his whioh have been extensively adopted owing to their high practical utility may be named his safety foundry ladle, by which the most ponderous castings can be poured with perfect security to the workmen ; double-faced wedge sluice valve, now in general use by all our waterworks companies; a suction fan for effecting the perfeot ventilation of mines ; a reversible rolling mill in whioh all need of a fly-wheel is dispensed with and by which simple arrangement enormous plates and bars of iron and steel can be rolled with the utmost ease and vast saving of labour ; a form of steam engine derived from that of his steam hammer, and now almost universally adopted for screw steamships; and a spherical seated safety valve, whioh is absolutely perfect in its action. He retired in 1857 from the firm, which he had founded, of Naßmyth, Gaskell, and Co., and he has since resided at Penshuret in Kent. He is the author of " Eemarka on Tools and Machinery," in T. Baker's " Elements of Mechanism," and "The Moon considered as a Planet, a World, and a Satellite " (in conjunction with James Carpenter), a work that has secured for itself the highest approval of astronomers.—Men of the Time.

A child can wash clothes with Sunlight Soap by following directions. — [Advt.]

Cook's store at Kaiwarra, which is also a post office, was burglariously entered on Sunday and an attempt was made to open the post office safe, but without success.

The Wellington Post makes the following statement : — " We^are aware that a proposal will be made to resume charge of the railways forthwith, and dispense with the commissioners on whatever terms as to compensation can be made with them."