Project Gutenberg's Men of Invention and Industry, by Samuel Smiles

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Title: Men of Invention and Industry

Author: Samuel Smiles

Posting Date: August 16, 2008 [EBook #725]
Release Date: November, 1996

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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Produced by Eric Hutton. HTML version by Al Haines.

MEN OF INVENTION AND INDUSTRY

by

Samuel Smiles

"Men there have been, ignorant of letters; without art, without
eloquence; who yet had the wisdom to devise and the courage to perform
that which they lacked language to explain. Such men have worked the
deliverance of nations and their own greatness. Their hearts are their
books; events are their tutors; great actions are their
eloquence."--MACAULAY.

Contents.

Preface

CHAPTER I Phineas Pett:
Beginnings of English Shipbuilding

CHAPTER II Francis Pettit Smith:
Practical Introducer of the Screw Propeller

CHAPTER III John Harrison:
Inventor of the Marine Chronometer

CHAPTER IV John Lombe:
Introducer of the Silk Industry into England

CHAPTER V William Murdock:
His Life and Inventions

CHAPTER VI Frederick Koenig:
Inventor of the Steam-printing Machine

CHAPTER VII The Walters of 'The Times':
Inventor of the Walter Press

CHAPTER VIII William Clowes:
Book-printing by Steam

CHAPTER IX Charles Bianconi:
A Lesson of Self-Help in Ireland

CHAPTER X Industry in Ireland:
Through Connaught and Ulster to Belfast

CHAPTER XI Shipbuilding in Belfast:
By Sir E. J. Harland, Engineer and Shipbuilder

CHAPTER XII Astronomers and students in humble life:
A new Chapter in the 'Pursuit of Knowledge under Difficulties'

PREFACE

I offer this book as a continuation of the memoirs of men of invention
and industry published some years ago in the 'Lives of Engineers,'
'Industrial Biography,' and 'Self-Help.'

The early chapters relate to the history of a very important branch of
British industry--that of Shipbuilding. A later chapter, kindly
prepared by Sir Edward J. Harland, of Belfast, relates to the origin
and progress of shipbuilding in Irela