xviii Proceedings. [December loih, igoi. 



Manchester when a young man. The steam hammer invented 

 by him was designed at Patricroft to meet the increasing demand 

 for larger forgings. The distinguishing feature of Nasrayth's 

 invention is the valve, which enables the hammer to be brought 

 down on the hot metal with great precision. 



James Prescott Joule was born in Salford, in 1818. In 

 addition to discovering the mechanical equivalent of heat, he 

 was the first to invent electric welding, and his investigations in 

 electricity generally have been of considerable scientific value. 

 His name is placed among mechanical inventors, since he 

 invented the mechanism which proved the accuracy of his 

 theories. 



The patent lever watch was invented not in France, as has 

 been asserted, but by Litherland, of Warrington, in 1791. He 

 also invented a keyless watch. 



To William Hughes, a Manchester man, and the first Master 

 and Governor of Henshaw's Blind Asylum, Manchester, is due 

 the invention of the typewriter, the steel types of which caused 

 the letters to be embossed on the paper, so as to be easily read 

 when touched by the sensitive fingers of the blind. Since the 

 death of Mr Hughes, the ink roller has been added, and the 

 modern typewriter is the result. 



The name of John Ramsbottom is well known in connection 

 with railway engineering. He invented the double safety valve, 

 the method of feeding moving locomotive tenders with water, 

 made many improvements in looms, and designed the condenser 

 lubricator for engines. His most important invention was the 

 " weft-fork " for steam looms, which greatly increased the pro- 

 ductive power of the weaver. 



British commercial supremacy owes mnch to these Lancashire 

 inventors, whose genius has changed the entire face of this 

 country, and increased our national prosperity. It is the more 

 to be deplored, therefore, that these men were generally subjected 

 to ill-treatment at the hands of the communities they benefited, 

 and that, with one or two exceptions, they died in poor circum- 

 stances. One may, perhaps, be excused for cherishing the hope 

 that space may be afforded in the suggested New Art Gallery of 

 Manchester for portraits of the men of genius of Lancashire. 



