OBITUARY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6848, 9 May 1890, Page 3

OBITUARY.

James Nasmyth.

[Special to Press Association.]

IIIX XI.MOTRIC 'JICI.KQUAI'II. — COPTHIQHT.]

ffieceived itiaj- 9, at 11 a.m,l g LONDON, Mat 8. Mr James Nasmyth, engineer and author of works on mechanism and astronomy, aged eighty-two.

I [James Nasinyth, engineer, born at 1 Edinburgh, on August 19, 1808, was the son o£ Alexander INasmyth, a well-known landscape painter. He was the youngest of a family of five, the eldest being Patrick, also a well-known artist. James gave very early evidence of a decided taste for mechanical. pursuits. His education was importantly 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 coni stant visitors at his father's house. Prom his earliest years his love of mechanism led to his acquiring the art of handling tools and performing all the processes in practical I mechanics with such effectiveness as to I enable him to pay 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 his father's house. In 1829 he went to London to offer his Beivke3 to Henry Maudslay, the founder of the celebrated engineer firm in London. The evidences of his efficiency as a workman were so satisfactory to Mr Maudslay that he appointed him his assistant in his beautiful private workshop. Here he remained till Sir Maudslay's death in 1831, after which he returned to Edinburgh for the purpose of constructing a Bet of engineering tools, wherewith he commenced business in Manchester in 1834. The extent of work that came to him soon outgrew the capacity of the premises. He then removed to »twelveacre plot of land which he secured at Patricroft, four miles West of Manchester. This site was soon covered by an extensive series of workshops, and the establishment waß named the Bridgewater foundry, from the circumstance that the land in question was bounded by the Bridgewater canal. Here many mechanical tools were invented and manufactured which are now doing good service in the workshops of the world. Conspicuous among them is the ateamhammer, which, since its invention in 1839, has had no small influence in advancing the progress of the mechanical arts. Among other inventions of his which have been extensively adopted owing to their high practical utility may bo named his Safety Foundry Ladle, by which the most ponderous castings can be poured with perfect security to the workmen ; a Suction Fan for effecting the perfect ventilation of mines ; a Eeversible Rolling Mill in which all need of a fly-wheel is dispensed with ; a form of steam-engine derived from that of his Sfceain Hammer, and now almost universally adopted for screw steamships ; and a Spherical Seated Safety Valve which is absolutely perfect in its action. Having realised an ample fortune, he retired in 1857 from the firm, which he had founded, of Nasmyth, Gaskell, atid Co., and he has since resided at Penshuret, in Kent. There he finds occupation in the use of powerful telescopes of his own making, chiefly in investigations into the structure and surface of the sun and moon. He is the author of " Kemarks on Tools and Machinery," in T. Baker's " Elements of Mechanism," 1858; and "The Moon Considered as a Planet, a World, and a Satellite " (in conjunction with James Carpenter.)!