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With the wise boy … whom I know by no other name than the Spirit of
the Fort … I recently consorted on a breezy day when the river
leaped about us and was full of life。 I had seen the sheaved corn
carrying in the golden fields as I came down to the river； and the
rosy farmer； watching his labouring…men in the saddle on his cob；
had told me how he had reaped his two hundred and sixty acres of
long…strawed corn last week； and how a better week's work he had
never done in all his days。 Peace and abundance were on the
country…side in beautiful forms and beautiful colours； and the
harvest seemed even to be sailing out to grace the never…reaped sea
in the yellow…laden barges that mellowed the distance。
It was on this occasion that the Spirit of the Fort； directing his
remarks to a certain floating iron battery lately lying in that
reach of the river； enriched my mind with his opinions on naval
architecture； and informed me that he would like to be an engineer。
I found him up to everything that is done in the contracting line
by Messrs。 Peto and Brassey … cunning in the article of concrete …
mellow in the matter of iron … great on the subject of gunnery。
When he spoke of pile…driving and sluice…making； he left me not a
leg to stand on； and I can never sufficiently acknowledge his
forbearance with me in my disabled state。 While he thus
discoursed； he several times directed his eyes to one distant
quarter of the landscape； and spoke with vague mysterious awe of
'the Yard。' Pondering his lessons after we had parted； I bethought
me that the Yard was one of our large public Dockyards； and that it
lay hidden among the crops down in the dip behind the windmills； as
if it modestly kept itself out of view in peaceful times； and
sought to trouble no man。 Taken with this modesty on the part of
the Yard； I resolved to improve the Yard's acquaintance。
My good opinion of the Yard's retiring character was not dashed by
nearer approach。 It resounded with the noise of hammers beating
upon iron； and the great sheds or slips under which the mighty men…
of…war are built； loomed business…like when contemplated from the
opposite side of the river。 For all that； however； the Yard made
no display； but kept itself snug under hill…sides of corn…fields；
hop…gardens； and orchards； its great chimneys smoking with a quiet
… almost a lazy … air； like giants smoking tobacco； and the great
Shears moored off it； looking meekly and inoffensively out of
proportion； like the Giraffe of the machinery creation。 The store
of cannon on the neighbouring gun…wharf； had an innocent toy…like
appearance； and the one red…coated sentry on duty over them was a
mere toy figure； with a clock…work movement。 As the hot sunlight
sparkled on him he might have passed for the identical little man
who had the little gun； and whose bullets they were made of lead；
lead； lead。
Crossing the river and landing at the Stairs； where a drift of
chips and weed had been trying to land before me and had not
succeeded； but had got into a corner instead； I found the very
street posts to be cannon； and the architectural ornaments to be
shells。 And so I came to the Yard； which was shut up tight and
strong with great folded gates； like an enormous patent safe。
These gates devouring me； I became digested into the Yard； and it
had； at first； a clean…swept holiday air； as if it had given over
work until next war…time。 Though indeed a quantity of hemp for
rope was tumbling out of store…houses； even there； which would
hardly be lying like so much hay on the white stones if the Yard
were as placid as it pretended。
Ding； Clash； Dong； BANG； Boom； Rattle； Clash； BANG； Clink； BANG；
Dong； BANG； Clatter； BANG BANG BANG！ What on earth is this！ This
is； or soon will be； the Achilles； iron armour…plated ship。 Twelve
hundred men are working at her now； twelve hundred men working on
stages over her sides； over her bows； over her stern； under her
keel； between her decks； down in her hold； within her and without；
crawling and creeping into the finest curves of her lines wherever
it is possible for men to twist。 Twelve hundred hammerers；
measurers； caulkers； armourers； forgers； smiths； shipwrights；
twelve hundred dingers； clashers； dongers； rattlers； clinkers；
bangers bangers bangers！ Yet all this stupendous uproar around the
rising Achilles is as nothing to the reverberations with which the
perfected Achilles shall resound upon the dreadful day when the
full work is in hand for which this is but note of preparation …
the day when the scuppers that are now fitting like great； dry；
thirsty conduit…pipes； shall run red。 All these busy figures
between decks； dimly seen bending at their work in smoke and fire；
are as nothing to the figures that shall do work here of another
kind in smoke and fire； that day。 These steam…worked engines
alongside； helping the ship by travelling to and fro； and wafting
tons of iron plates about； as though they were so many leaves of
trees； would be rent limb from limb if they stood by her for a
minute then。 To think that this Achilles； monstrous compound of
iron tank and oaken chest； can ever swim or roll！ To think that
any force of wind and wave could ever break her！ To think that
wherever I see a glowing red…hot iron point thrust out of her side
from within … as I do now； there； and there； and there！ … and two
watching men on a stage without； with bared arms and sledge…
hammers； strike at it fiercely； and repeat their blows until it is
black and flat； I see a rivet being driven home； of which there are
many in every iron plate； and thousands upon thousands in the ship！
To think that the difficulty I experience in appreciating the
ship's size when I am on board； arises from her being a series of
iron tanks and oaken chests； so that internally she is ever
finishing and ever beginning； and half of her might be smashed； and
yet the remaining half suffice and be sound。 Then； to go over the
side again and down among the ooze and wet to the bottom of the
dock； in the depths of the subterranean forest of dog…shores and
stays that hold her up； and to see the immense mass bulging out
against the upper light； and tapering down towards me； is； with
great pains and much clambering； to arrive at an impossibility of
realising that this is a ship at all； and to become possessed by
the fancy that it is an enormous immovable edifice set up in an
ancient amphitheatre （say； that at Verona）； and almost filling it！
Yet what would even these things be； without the tributary
workshops and the mechanical powers for piercing the iron plates …
four inches and a half thick … for rivets； shaping them under
hydraulic pressure to the finest tapering turns of the ship's
lines； and paring them away； with knives shaped like the beaks of
strong and cruel birds； to the nicest requirements of the design！
These machines of tremendous force； so easily directed by one
attentive face and presiding hand； seem to me to have in them
something of the retiring character of the Yard。 'Obedient
monster； please to bite this mass of iron through and through； at
equal distances； where these regular chalk…marks are； all round。'
Monster looks at its work； and lifting its ponderous head； replies；
'I don't particularly want to do it； but if it must be done … ！'
The solid metal wriggles out； hot from the monster's crunching
tooth； and it IS done。 'Dutiful monster； observe this other mass
of iron。 It is required to be pared away； according to this
delicately lessening and arbitrary line； which please to look at。'
Monster （who has been in a reverie） brings down its blunt head；
and； much in the manner of Doctor Johnson； closely looks along the
line … very closely； being somewhat near…sighted。 'I don't
particularly want to do it； but if it must be done … ！' Monster
takes another near…sighted look； takes aim； and the tortured piece
writhes off； and falls； a hot； tight…twisted snake； among the
ashes。 The making of the rivets is merely a pretty round game；
played by a man and a boy； who put red…hot barley sugar in a Pope
Joan board； and immediately rivets fall out of window； but the tone
of the great machines is the tone of the great Yard and the great
country： 'We don't particularly want to do it； but if it must be
done … ！'
How such a prodigious mass as the Achilles can ever be held by such
comparatively little anchors as those intended for her and lying
near her here； is a mystery of seamanship which I will refer to the
wise boy。 For my own part； I should as soon have thought of
tethering an elephant to a tent…peg； or the larger hippopotamus in
the Zoological Gardens to my shirt…pin。 Yonder in the river；
alongside a hulk； lie two of this ship's hollow iron masts。 THEY
are large enough for the eye； I find； and so are all her other
appliances。 I wonder why only her anchors look small。
I have no presen