,*v. 



V *^yfc~ fey. /)r^4- U^n^- 



workmanship, in the most exalted sense of the 

 term." 141 



The spirit of Maudslay, one of England's 

 greatest craftsmen, was yet fresh in the shops that 

 he had lately vacated and where work was being 

 carried on by his sons and by Joshua Field 

 ( i 787?— 1 863 ), who had worked with Maudslay 

 for some 27 years. 



Marc Isambard Brunei (1 769-1849), the re- 

 markable father of the equally remarkable 

 Isambard Kingdom Brunei, was in 1832 en- 

 gaged — almost singlehandedly — in pushing his 

 pioneering tunnel under the Thames. Com- 

 menced in 1825, the work had been stopped in 

 1828 because of lack of funds, and it was not until 

 1835, nearly three years after Sellers's visit, that 

 the task was renewed, to be completed in 1843. 

 Brunei's tunnel, now well into its second century 

 of use, carries London Transport electric trains 

 under the river. 14 -' 



W HEN DISCUSSING THE ADVISABILITY of going to 



England to investigate the entire subject and learn if 

 possible the advantages, if any, over the American 

 machines, Philadelphia was stricken for the first time 

 by the Asiatic cholera. Having no fear of the disease, 

 I became active in cholera hospital arrangements, 

 and in attending at them. The result was an acute 

 attack, and I was so utterly prostrated by it that for 

 recuperation a sea voyage was decided on, and the 

 trip to England was hastened. It being before the 



i* 1 James Nasmyth Engineer, an Autobiography, Samuel Smiles, 

 edit. (London, 1883), p. 147. 



1,1 See Richard Beamish, Memoirs 0/ Sir Marc Isambard Brunei 

 (London, 1862). There is a bibliography in L. T. C. Rolt, 

 Isambard Kingdom Brunei (London: Longmans, Green, 1957) 







£&..-' -i a • 



S*> a. 







«J5»^-c^ 





Figure 49. — Sellers's sketch of the packet 

 ship Hihernia, of the Black Ball Line, in which 

 he sailed to England. All studding sails 

 (stuns'ls) were set for a pleasant breeze from 

 dead astern. In brilliant moonlight, Sellers 

 climbed out onto the jib boom to get a better 

 view of the veritable cloud of canvas. From 

 Peale-Sellers papers, George E. Sellers letter 

 book containing copies of outgoing letters, 

 1832. Photo courtesy of the American 

 Philosophical Society Library. 



day of ocean steamers, three or four weeks on a sailing 

 packet was deemed sufficient. 



I arranged to spend at least four months in England 

 giving ample time to see and learn all that was 

 accessible in the way of civil and mechanical engi- 

 neering. We had learned through Jacob Perkins and 

 my friend Joseph Saxton, both then in London, that 

 access to many mechanical works was difficult, and, 

 in some cases, impossible for Americans; that Bryan 

 Donkin's works that above all others I desired to see, 

 was absolutely closed against all foreigners. Both 

 Mr. Perkins and Saxton had frequently met Mr. 

 Donkin in a social way, but had never been invited 

 to visit his works. In fact, Mr. Saxton had made 

 application without success. My prospect in that 

 direction looked dull. 



My uncle. Rembrandt Peale, the artist, on his re- 

 turn from Italy had spent some time in England, and 

 by invitation visited Sir Walter Scott, at Abbotsford. 

 He said that while there Sir Walter referred to Bryan 

 Donkin in the warmest terms of friendship, and offered 



109 



