James Watt — 05 -- Chapter 5, Part 1

BOULTON PARTNERSHIP

After Watt was restored to himself the first subject which we find attracting him was the misfortunes of Roebuck, whose affairs were now in the hands of his creditors.

"My heart bleeds for him," says Watt, "but I can do nothing to help him.

I have stuck by him, indeed, until I have hurt myself."

Roebuck's affairs were far too vast to be affected by all that Watt had or could have borrowed.

For the thousand pounds Watt had paid on Roebuck's account to secure the patent, he was still in debt to Black.

This was subsequently paid, however, with interest, when Watt became prosperous.

We now bid farewell to Roebuck with genuine regret.

He had proved himself a fine character throughout, just the kind of partner Watt needed.

It was a great pity that he had to relinquish his interest in the patent, when, as we shall see, it would soon have saved him from bankruptcy and secured him a handsome competence.

He must ever rank as one of the men almost indispensable to Watt in the development of his engine, and a dear, true friend.

The darkest hour comes before the dawn, and so it proved here.

As Roebuck retired, there appeared a star of hope of the first magnitude, in no less a person than the celebrated Matthew Boulton of Birmingham, of whom we must say a few words by way of introduction to our readers, for in all the world there was not his equal as a partner for Watt, who was ever fortunate in his friends.

Of course Watt was sure to have friends, for he was through and through the devoted friend himself, and won the hearts of those worth winning.

"If you wish to make a friend, be one," is the sure recipe.

Boulton was not only obviously the right man but he came from the right place, for Birmingham was the headquarters of mechanical industry.

At this time, 1776, there was at last a good road to London.

As late as 1747 the coach was advertised to run there in two days only "if the roads permit."

If skilled mechanics, Watt's greatest need, were to be found anywhere, it was here in the centre of mechanical skill, and especially was it in the celebrated works of Boulton, which had been bequeathed from worthy sire to worthy son, to be largely extended and more than ever preeminent.

Boulton left school early to engage in his father's business.

When only seventeen years old, he had made several improvements in the manufacture of buttons, watch chains, and various trinkets, and had invented the inlaid steel buckles, which became so fashionable.

It is stated that in that early day it was found necessary to export them in large quantities to France to be returned and sold in Britain as the latest productions of French skill and taste.

It is well to get a glimpse of human nature as seen here.

Fashion decides for a time with supreme indifference to quality.

It is a question of the name.

At his father's death, the son inherited the business.

Great credit belongs to him for unceasingly laboring to improve the quality of his products and especially to raise the artistic standard, then so low as to have already caused "Brummagem" to become a term of reproach.

He not only selected the cleverest artisans, but he employed the best artists, Flaxman being one, to design the artistic articles produced.

The natural result followed.

Boulton's work soon gained high reputation.

New and larger factories became necessary, and the celebrated Soho works arose in 1762. The spirit in which Boulton pursued business is revealed in a letter to his partner at Soho from London.

"The prejudice that Birmingham hath so justly established against itself makes every fault conspicuous in all articles that have the least pretensions to taste."

It may interest American readers familiar with One Dollar watches, rendered possible by production upon a large scale, that it was one of Boulton's leading ideas in that early day that articles in common use could be produced much better and cheaper "if manufactured by the help of the best machinery upon a large scale, and this could be successfully done in the making of clocks and timepieces."

He promptly erected the machinery and started this new branch of business.

Both King and Queen received him cordially and became his patrons.

Soho works soon became famous and one of the show places of the country; princes, philosophers, poets, authors and merchants from foreign lands visited them and were hospitably received by Boulton.

He was besieged with requests to take gentlemen apprentices into the works, hundreds of pounds sometimes being offered as premium, but he resolutely declined, preferring to employ boys whom he could train up as workmen.

He replies to a gentleman applicant, "I have built and furnished a house for the reception of one class of apprentices--fatherless children, parish apprentices, and hospital boys; and gentlemen's sons would probably find themselves out of place in such companionship."

It is not to be inferred that Boulton grew up an uncultured man because he left school very early.

On the contrary, he steadily educated himself, devoting much time to study, so that with his good looks, handsome presence, the manners of the gentleman born, and knowledge much beyond the average of that class, he had little difficulty in winning for his wife a lady of such position in the county as led to some opposition on the part of members of her family to the suitor, but only "on account of his being in trade."

There exists no survival of this objection in these days of American alliances with heirs of the highest British titles.

We seem now to have as its substitute the condition that the father of the bride must be in trade and that heavily and to some purpose.

Boulton, like most busy men, had time, and an open mind, for new ideas.

None at this time interested him so deeply as that of the steam engine.

Want of water-power proved a serious difficulty at Soho.

He wrote to a friend, "The enormous expense of the horse-power" (it was also irregular and sometimes failed) "put me upon thinking of turning the mill by fire.

I made many fruitless experiments on the subject."

Boulton wrote Franklin, February 22, 1766, in London, about this, and sent a model he had made.

Franklin replies a month later, apologising for the delay on account of "the hurry and anxiety I have been engaged in with our American affairs."

[1] Tamer of lightning and tamer of steam, Franklin and Watt--one of the new, the other of the old branch of our English-speaking race--co-operating in enlarging the powers of man and pushing forward the chariot of progress--fit subject, this, for the sculptor and painter!

How much further the steam engine is to be the hand-maid of electricity cannot be told, for it seems impossible to set limits to the future conquests of the latter, which is probably destined to perform miracles un-dreamt of to-day, perhaps coupled in some unthought-of way, with radium, the youngest sprite of the weird, uncanny tribe of mysterious agents.

Uranium, the supposed basis of the latest discovery, Radium, has only one-millionth part of the heat of the latter.

The slow-moving earth takes twenty-four hours to turn upon its axis.

Radium covers an equal distance while we pronounce its name.

One and one-quarter seconds, and twenty-five thousand miles are traversed.

Puck promises to put his "girdle round the earth in forty minutes."

Radium would pass the fairy girdlist in the spin round sixteen hundred times.

Thus truth, as it is being evolved in our day, becomes stranger than the wildest imaginings of fiction.

Our century seems on the threshold of discoveries and advances, not less revolutionary, perhaps more so, than those that have sprung from steam and electricity.

"Canst thou send lightnings to say 'Lo, here I am'?"

silenced man.

It was so obviously beyond his power until last century.

Now he smiles as he reads the question.

Is Tyndal's prophecy to be verified that "the potency of all things is yet to be found in matter"?

We may be sure the searching, restless brains of Franklin and Watt would have been meditating upon strange things these days if they were now alive.

Boulton is entitled to rank, so far as the writer knows, as the first man in the world worthy to wear Carlyle's now somewhat familiar title, "Captain of Industry" for he was in his day foremost in the industrial field, and before that, industrial organisations had not developed far enough to create or require captains, in Carlyle's sense.

Roebuck, while Watt's partner, was one of Boulton's correspondents, and told him of Watt's progress with the model engine which proved so successful.

Boulton was deeply interested, and expressed a desire that Watt should visit him at Soho.

This he did, on his return from a visit to London concerning the patent.

Boulton was not at home, but his intimate friend, Dr. Small, then residing at Birmingham, a scientist and philosopher, whom Franklin had recommended to Boulton, took Watt in charge.

Watt was amazed at what he saw, for this was his first meeting with trained and skilled mechanics, the lack of whom had made his life miserable.

The precision of both tools and workmen sank deep.

Upon a subsequent visit, he met the captain himself, his future partner, and of course, as like draws to like, they drew to each other, a case of mutual liking at first sight.

We meet one stranger, and stranger he remains to the end of the chapter.

We meet another, and ere we part he is a kindred soul.

Magnetic attraction is sudden.

So with these two, who, by a kind of free-masonry, knew that each had met his affinity.

The Watt engine was exhaustively canvassed and its inventor was delighted that the great, sagacious, prudent and practical manufacturer should predict its success as he did.

Shortly after this, Professor Robison visited Soho, which was a magnet that attracted the scientists in those days.

Boulton told him that he had stopped work upon his proposed pumping engine.

"I would necessarily avail myself of what I learned from Mr. Watt's conversation, and this would not be right without his consent."

It is such a delicate sense of honor as is here displayed that marks the man, and finally makes his influence over others commanding in business.

It is not sharp practice and smart bargaining that tell.

On the contrary, there is no occupation in which not only fair but liberal dealing brings greater reward.

The best bargain is that good for both parties.

Boulton and Watt were friends.

That much was settled.

They had business transactions later, for we find Watt sending a package containing "one dozen German flutes" (made of course by him in Glasgow), "at 5s.

each, and a copper digester, _L_1:10." Boulton's people probably wished samples.

Much correspondence followed between Dr. Small and Watt, the latter constantly expressing the wish that Mr. Boulton could be induced to become partner with himself and Roebuck in his patents.

Naturally the sagacious manufacturer was disinclined to associate himself with Mr. Roebuck, then in financial straits, but the position changed when he had become bankrupt and affairs were in the hands of creditors.

Watt therefore renewed the subject and agreed to go and settle in Birmingham, as he had been urged to do.

Roebuck's pitiable condition he keenly felt, and had done everything possible to ameliorate.

What little I can do for him is purchased by denying myself the conveniences of life my station requires, or by remaining in debt, which it galls me to the bone to owe.

I shall be content to hold a very small share in the partnership, or none at all, provided I am to be freed from my pecuniary obligations to Roebuck and have any kind of recompense for even a part of the anxiety and ruin it has involved me in.

Thus wrote Watt to his friend Small, August 30, 1772. Small's reply pointed out one difficulty which deserves notice and commendation.

"It is impossible for Mr. Boulton and me, or any other honest man, to purchase, especially from two particular friends, what has no market price, and at a time when they might be inclined to part with the commodity at an under value."

This is an objection which to stock-exchange standards may seem "not well taken," and far too fantastical for the speculative domain, and yet it is neither surprising nor unusual in the realms of genuine business, in which men are concerned with or creating only intrinsic values.

The result so ardently desired by Watt was reached in this unexpected fashion.

It was found that in the ordinary course of business Roebuck owed Boulton a balance of ,000. Boulton agreed to take the Roebuck interest in the Watt patent for the debt.

As the creditors considered the patent interest worthless, they gladly accepted.

As Watt said, "it was only paying one bad debt with another."

Boulton asked Watt to act as his attorney in the matter, which he did, writing Boulton that "the thing is now a shadow; 'tis merely ideal, and will cost time and money to realise it."

This as late as March 29, 1773, after eight years of constant experimentation, with many failures and disappointments, since the discovery of the separate condenser in 1765, which was then hailed, and rightly so, as the one thing needed.

It remained the right and only foundation upon which to develop the steam engine, but many minor obstacles intervened, requiring Watt's inventive and mechanical genius to overcome.

The transfer of Roebuck's two-third interest to Boulton afterward carried with it the formation of the celebrated firm of Boulton and Watt.

The latter arranged his affairs as quickly as possible.

He had only made ,000 for a whole year spent in surveying, and part of that he gave to Roebuck in his necessity, "so that I can barely support myself and keep untouched the small sum I have allotted for my visit to you."

(Watt to Small, July 25, 1773).

This is pitiable indeed--Watt pressed for money to pay his way to Birmingham upon important business.

The trial engine was shipped from Kinneil to Soho and Watt arrived in May, 1774, in Birmingham.

Here a new life opened before him, still enveloped in clouds, but we may please ourselves by believing that through these the wearied and harassed inventor did not fail to catch alluring visions of the sun.

Let us hope he remembered the words of the beautiful hymn he had no doubt often sung in his youth: "Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take The clouds ye so much dread Are big with mercy, and shall break With blessings on your head."

Partnership requires not duplicates, but opposites--a union of different qualities.

He who proves indispensable as a partner to one man might be wholly useless, or even injurious, to another.

Generals Grant and Sherman needed very different chiefs of staff.

One secret of Napoleon's success arose from his being free to make his own appointments, choosing the men who had the qualities which supplemented his and cured his own shortcomings, for every man has shortcomings.

The universal genius who can manage all himself has yet to appear.

Only one with the genius to recognise others of different genius and harness them to his own car can approach the "universal."

It is a case of different but cooperating abilities, each part of the complicated machine fitting into its right place, and there performing its duty without jarring.

Never were two men more "supplementary" to each other than Boulton and Watt, and hence their success.

One possessed in perfection the qualities the other lacked.

Smiles sums this up so finely that we must quote him: Different though their characters were in most respects, Boulton at once conceived a hearty liking for him.

The one displayed in perfection precisely those qualities which the other wanted.

Boulton was a man of ardent and generous temperament, bold and enterprising, undaunted by difficulty, and possessing an almost boundless capacity for work.

He was a man of great tact, clear perception, and sound judgment.

Moreover, he possessed that indispensable quality of perseverance, without which the best talents are of comparatively little avail in the conduct of important affairs.

While Watt hated business, Boulton loved it.

He had, indeed, a genius for business--a gift almost as rare as that for poetry, for art, or for war.

He possessed a marvellous power of organisation.

With a keen eye for details, he combined a comprehensive grasp of intellect.

While his senses were so acute, that when sitting in his office at Soho he could detect the slightest stoppage or derangement in the machinery of that vast establishment, and send his message direct to the spot where it had occurred, his power of imagination was such as enabled him to look clearly along extensive lines of possible action in Europe, America, and the East.

_For there is a poetic as well as a commonplace side to business; and the man of business genius lights up the humdrum routine of daily life by exploring the boundless region of possibility wherever it may lie open before him.

_ This tells the whole story, and once again reminds us that without imagination and something of the romantic element, little great or valuable is to be done in any field.

He "runs his business as if it were a romance," was said upon one occasion.

The man who finds no element of romance in his occupation is to be pitied.

We know how radically different Watt was in his nature to Boulton, whose judgment of men was said to be almost unerring.

He recognised in Watt at their first interview, not only the original inventive genius, but the indefatigable, earnest, plodding and thorough mechanic of tenacious grip, and withal a fine, modest, true man, who hated bargaining and all business affairs, who cared nothing for wealth beyond a very modest provision for old age, and who was only happy if so situated that without anxiety for money to supply frugal wants, he could devote his life to the development of the steam engine.

Thus auspiciously started the new firm.