183 
macliineiy, particularly in the construction and working of 
waterwheels; and so early as 1830 diis opinion seems to 
have been sought far and wide. 
In 1829 he undertook some experiments on the traction 
of boats on the Ardrossan Canal, which led to his constructing 
in Manchester an iron vessel, which appears to have been the 
third sea going vessel ever constructed of iron. The success 
of this vessel induced him to commence iron ship building, 
and in 1835 he opened a yard at Millwall, which was one of 
the first iron shipbuilding yards in the world, and from which 
has been turned out the largest ship yet produced, viz., the 
Great Eastern, constructed by Mr. Scott Russell, who sub- 
sequently purchased the yard from Mr. Fairbairn. 
Although Sir William Fairbairn early took an interest in 
many scientific enquiries and has published many papers 
his by far most important work has been the extension of 
the use of iron as a material for construction. He early 
looked upon it from a scientific point of view, and com- 
menced making systematic experiments. In 1837 he j^re- 
sented the British Association with a report “ On the strength 
and properties of cast iron from the hot and cold blasts 
and he subsequently co-operated with Mr. Eaton Hodg- 
kinson in a series of experiments on the strength of iron, 
which were made at Fairbairn’s works. These experiments 
were on a scale such as had never before been attempted. 
They were conducted with extraordinary practical skill, and 
owing to the high scientific attainments of Mr. Hodgkinson, 
were so thorough and complete that in many respects they 
have left little to be desired, and are still the principal data 
which engineers rely upon. 
Perhaps the work for which Sir William Fairbairn is 
best known, and which sprang directly out of his experience 
in shipbuilding and in the use of iron, was the assistance 
which, in connection with Mr. Hodgkinson, he rendered to 
