Sir Samuel Bentham

By Mary Sophia Bentham

An incredible book about the life and contributions of renowned English mechanical engineer and naval architect Sir Samuel Bentham, written by his wife. He was a man of extraordinary intellect, credited with multiple innovations, mainly related to naval architecture, including weapons. Bentham was an early advocate of explosive-shell weapons for warships.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Good Press
• Release date: Apr 11, 2021
• ISBN: 4064066315368

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Mary Sophia Bentham

Sir Samuel Bentham

Published by Good Press, 2022

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EAN 4064066315368

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Titlepage

PAPER ON THE FIRST INTRODUCTION OF STEAM ENGINES INTO NAVAL ARSENALS AND MACHINERY SET IN MOTION THEREBY.

ENUMERATION OF THE PRINCIPAL INVENTIONS OF THE LATE BRIGADIER, GENERAL SIR SAMUEL BENTHAM, K.S.G., INSPECTOR-GENERAL OF HIS MAJESTY'S NAVAL WORKS, ETC.

PAPER ON THE FIRST INTRODUCTION OF STEAM ENGINES INTO NAVAL ARSENALS AND MACHINERY SET IN MOTION THEREBY.

Table of Contents

MARY SOPHIA BENTHAM, Widow of SIR SAMUEL BENTHAM.

MACHINERY, set in motion by inanimate force, being now so very extensively used in the royal dockyards, a history of its first introduction to them may not be without interest. This important service originated with, and was effected by, Brigadier General Sir Samuel Bentham, K.S.G.: part of an official letter of his, in 1813, to the Secretary of the Admiralty, will best relate the first introduction of the steam engine to a naval arsenal. It was as follows:–

Fully established (he was not fully established) as the use of steam engines is seen to be at present in his Majesty's naval arsenals, and great as are the advantages which are now seen to be the result, the value of the service rendered in effecting this improvement is not likely at this time to be duly appreciated unless the state of things previously to, and during the introduction of this improvement be taken into account, and borne in mind.When, in the year 1791, I made a tour, visiting the principal manufactories, I found, it is true, steam engines extensively employed for giving motion to pumps for raising water from mines, to machinery for working cotton, and to mills for rolling, and for some other works in metal; but in regard to the working in wood, steam engines had not been applied to this purpose, as no machinery or engines, other than turning lathes had, so far as I learnt, as yet been introduced for the working of this material, excepting that some circular and reciprocating saws, and boring tools had been applied to the purpose of block-making, by the contractors who supplied blocks to the navy -- even saw-mills for slitting timber, though in very extensive use abroad, were not to be found in this country. An attempt, indeed, had been made to introduce a saw-mill in the neighbourhood of London, but the destruction of it by the machination of sawyers seemed to have prevented any further attempts at innovations of this nature.For my part, I had, whilst in Russia, made some progress in contriving such machinery for shaping wood as should insure accuracy, and save manual labour; which contrivance, soon after my return to this country, I had occasion to carry to a much greater extent, with a view to the affording beneficial employment to some thousands of untaught hands in a public establishment; with this view, I analysed the several operations requisite for working in various materials, more particularly in wood; and finding the artificial,