CHAPTER XVI.
MR. BRUNEL’S PROFESSIONAL OPINIONS AND PRACTICE.
SCHEME OF THE CHAPTER—MR. BRUNEL’S POSITION IN RELATION TO THE COMPANIES OF WHICH HE WAS ENGINEER—LETTER ON THE DIRECTION OF RAILWAY WORKS IN ITALY (MARCH 4, 1845)—LETTER ON THE POSITION OF JOINT ENGINEER (OCTOBER 16, 1843)—LETTER ON THE POSITION OF CONSULTING ENGINEER (DECEMBER 30, 1851)—LETTER ON THE POSITION OF THE ENGINEER IN RELATION TO THE CONTRACTORS (MAY 26, 1854)—LETTERS ON THE POSITION OF THE ENGINEER IN RELATION TO THE DIRECTORS (APRIL 15, 1850; DECEMBER 6, 1851; JANUARY 22, 1857)—MR. BRUNEL’S ASSISTANTS—LETTERS ON INTERFERENCE OF DIRECTORS WITH THE ASSISTANT ENGINEERS (JANUARY 19, 1842; JANUARY 28, 1842; JANUARY 12, 1851)—MR. BRUNEL’S PUPILS—HIS RELATIONS WITH OTHER ENGINEERS—INVENTORS—LETTER IN REPLY TO AN INVENTOR (SEPTEMBER 17, 1847)—MR. BRUNEL’S VIEWS AS TO STATE INTERFERENCE—LETTER ON THE ROYAL COMMISSION ON THE APPLICATION OF IRON TO RAILWAY STRUCTURES (MARCH 13, 1848)—LETTER ON A PROPOSAL TO OBTAIN THE RECOGNITION IN ENGLAND OF DECORATIONS CONFERRED AT THE PARIS EXHIBITION OF 1855 (FEBRUARY 9, 1856)—MR. BRUNEL’S OPINION ON THE PATENT LAWS—MEMORANDUM FOR EVIDENCE BEFORE THE SELECT COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS ON THE PATENT LAWS, 1851—EXTRACT FROM OBSERVATIONS ON THE PATENT LAWS, MADE BY MR. BRUNEL AT A MEETING OF THE SOCIETY OF ARTS (MARCH 26, 1856).
IT is proposed in the earlier part of this chapter to describe, principally by extracts from Mr. Brunel’s correspondence, the position occupied by him in regard to the Companies which he served, and to the various classes of persons with whom he acted in the discharge of his duties as engineer to those Companies. These selections are followed by extracts relating to questions of general professional interest.
The first point to be considered is, his relations with the Companies which employed him as their engineer, and with the Directors who formed the governing body.
Mr. Brunel conceived that he was, by virtue of his appointment as engineer, the sole and confidential adviser of the Company in all matters relating to the construction and mechanical working of the undertaking. He did not permit any one to be associated with him in the supreme control over those matters which were in his department; and the moment he thought that confidence was no longer placed in him, he was prepared at every sacrifice to resign his office. But, as long as he was supported by the Directors, he thoroughly identified himself with their cause, and he never allowed considerations of health or convenience or pecuniary advantage to interfere with the performance of any service which he could render them. The fearless independence of his position, combined with his absolute devotion to the interests of his employers, was no doubt the secret of the immense influence he acquired, and of the affectionate esteem with which he was regarded by those whom he served.
On the Direction of Railway Works.
March 4, 1845.
I have well considered the communication which you did me the honour of making on the part of the Government of His Majesty the King of Sardinia with reference to my undertaking the direction of the works of the proposed railway from Genoa to Alessandria, about to be executed by the Government itself....
In the first place I assume that if the direction of the works be confided to me as the engineer, the same degree of confidence will be placed in me, and the same authority will result from that confidence, as would be the case in England—that is to say, I should be the confidential adviser of the Government in all engineering questions connected with this railway, my communications would in all matters be made direct with the Government, and as long as I continued to be responsible for the direction of the works no other engineer would be consulted or allowed to interfere. Of course I claim no right to direct anything but that which has the sanction of the Government; but I should claim to be their sole adviser on all engineering points (connected with the construction of the railway), and to possess their entire confidence; and also that, if any portion of that full confidence were at any time withdrawn, the fact should be immediately communicated to me; when, after making every possible arrangement to prevent inconvenience to the Government, I might withdraw from the direction of the work. This is the position which an engineer of any standing occupies in this country, whether acting for the Government or for individuals; and I believe it to be as fully essential for the success of the proposed undertaking, and as necessary for the interests of His Majesty’s Government as for my satisfaction, that I should be placed in a similar position.
The circumstance of my being a foreigner, of my being rarely present to meet objections, if any are raised, of the unavoidable frequency of real as well as apparent failures in works of such variety and so numerous as those which occur on this line, of the difficulties which always attend the introduction of novelties and everything connected with a railway, the rapid mode of its construction, the necessity which experience has proved of frequently adopting apparently hasty and hazardous methods to prevent the evil consequences of protracted delays,—all this will be novelty with you as it was a few years ago in England, all these circumstances combine to render it peculiarly essential to the satisfactory progress of the undertaking that it should be well known to all parties that full and entire confidence is placed in me by the Government.