It was with no small reluctance that I left
the Messrs. Thomson. They were first-class practical men, and
had throughout shown me every kindness and consideration. But a
managership was not to be had every day; and being the next step
to the position of a master, I could not neglect the opportunity
for advancement which now offered itself.
Before leaving Glasgow, however, I found that it would be
necessary to have a new angle and plate furnace provided for the
works on the Tyne. Now, the best man in Glasgow for building
these important requisites for shipbuilding work was scarcely
ever sober; but by watching and coaxing him, and by a liberal
supply of Glenlivat afterwards, I contrived to lay down on paper,
from his directions, what he considered to be the best class of
furnace; and by the aid of this I was afterwards enabled to
construct what proved to be the best furnace on the Tyne.
To return to my education in shipbuilding. My early efforts in
ship-draughting at Stephensons' were further developed and
matured at Thomsons' on the Clyde. Models and drawings were more
carefully worked out on the 1/4-in. scale than heretofore. The
stern frames were laid off and put up at once correctly, which
before had been first shaped by full-sized wooden moulds. I also
contrived a mode of quickly and correctly laying off the
frame-lines on a model, by laying it on a plane surface, and
then, with a rectangular block traversing it--a pencil in a
suitable holder being readily applied over the curved surface.
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