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Obituary. Charles Manby, Frs, 1804-1884. (Secretary Of

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Obituary. Charles Manby, Frs, 1804-1884. (Secretary Of Memoirs.] CHARLES MANBY. 327 estimation his character and abilities, and have endeavoured to do honour to his memory, recognizing in him a rare combination of qualities which would have made him an invaluable m$nager or representative of any railway company in a foreign country, and which were never displayed to greater advantage than during his representation of theinterests of the Great Western of Brazil Railway. Mr. Janson was elected an Associate of the Institution on the 3rd of December, 1872, and was transferred to the, class of Member in May, 1878. - ~ ~- CHAlZLES MANBYdied, in the eighty-first yearof his age, on the 3 1st of July, 1884. His name will be well known to every member of the Institution as having filled, for nearly half a century, thc officeof Secretary (acting or honorary) ; but only those who have been more especially familiar with the management and progress of the body during this time can properly appreciate the benefit it has derivod from his services. It is not too much to say that the great prosperity of the corporation, and the unexampled poai- tion it occupies among scientific and technical associations, are due largely to him. He was born on the 4th of February, 1804, and was the eldest son of Nr. Aaron Manby, an engineer and member of the Institu- tion, who had established a largo engineering factory at Horseley, a few miles from Birmingham. This establishment was devoted to the design and construction of steam-engines, machinery, and ironwork of all kinds. It was conducted by the elder Manby with great skill and enterprise for many years, and it has ever since retained a high reputation inthe world of mechanical engineering. Charles’searly education was received at aRoman Catholic seminary, whence he was sent in 1814 to the semi-military college of Sairlt Servan, in Brittany, with the object of gaining a know- ledge of foreign languages, and of prelm-ing him for a military career,which it was then intended he shouldadopt. His uncle, Captain Joseph Manby, who was A.D.C. and Private Secretary to Prince Edwarcl, Duke of Kent, had obtained for him a commission in the army. Butthis was soon resigned;the expectation of universal peace, whichsprang up after the Battle of Waterloo, having induced his father to withdraw hiin from a pursuit which no longer scemcd to promise beneficial empluyment. Young Nanby accordingly returned to England in1815, and aftcr a short interval, devoted to mathematicaland scientific studies, he entered the ironworks established hy his father. Downloaded by [] on [13/09/16]. Copyright © ICE Publishing, all rights reserved. 328 CHARLES MANBY. [Memoirs. The varied nature of the work carried on at Horseley gave him an excellent opportunityof acquiring engineering experience, and he was not slow to avail himself of the advantages thuspresented. After a short period spent in the workshops, he was sent out by his father in charge of important contract work of all kinds. He worked for some time in the West India Docks under the elder Mr. Rennie, and subsequent,ly under Mr. Telforcl, the first Pre- sident of the Institution. Among the works thus entrusted toCharles Manby by his father was one of special historic interest, namely, the building and trial: trip of the first iron steam-vessel that ever made a sea voyage. The following notice of this work wz,s given by Sir John Rennie in a presidential address delivered before this Institution on the 20th of January, 1846 :-‘‘ Neithermust we forgetthe very important improvement in the introduction of iron for the con- struction of vessels, which enables us to combine lightness and elegance of form with strength and durability. For this valuable addition to marine architecture we are indebted to Aaron Manby. In 1820-21 he constructed at Horseley, nearBirmingham, e wrought-iron boat, called the L Aaron Manby,’ 120 feet long and 18 feet beam, and when laden drawing 3 feet 6 inches water. It was propelled by Oldham’s feathering paddle-wheels, worked by a single engine of 80 H.P., and was built for the purpose of plying on the river Seine. The boat was completed in 1821-22, and was navigated across the Channel by the present Sir Charles Napier, who was deeply interested in the undertaking; it was not only the first iron vessel that ever made a sea voyage, but also the first that conveyed a cargo from London to Paris direct, without tranship- ment. She continued plying between Paris and Havre for several years, until superseded byother more powerful and improved boats; the hull is yet in existence, and is still used with new engines on board, as are three others which were built about the same time.” The “ Aaron Manby ” arrived in Paris on the 12th of June, 1822. At that time Charles Manby was barely 18 years old, and he had not only put the engine into the vessel, but had served as Chief Engineer during the voyage. Another mechanical matter of history on which Charles was engaged during this period was the design and construction of the first pair of marine engines having oscillating cylinders. This contrivance was invented by Aaron Manby, and was carried into execution in 1821. The original drawing of these engines, mad0 by Charles Manby, is preserved in the Institution. In the year 1819, Mr. Aaron Manby established an iron-foundry Downloaded by [] on [13/09/16]. Copyright © ICE Publishing, all rights reserved. Memoirs.] CHARLES MANEY. 329 at Charenton, near Paris, the management of which he had en- trusted to the late &fr. Daniel Wilson, M. Inst. C.E.Mr. Manby had taken a very active part in the introduction of lighting by gas, and for several years he had been making persistent efforts to obtain a concession for lighting Paris in this way, and had taken out a patent for gas-lighting in France on July 12th, 1821. He met, however, with considerable opposition from a rival firm, and it was not until 1823 that his efforts were successful, when Manby and Co. were grantedthe privilege of lightingParis by gas. Charles Manby then went to Paris, andundertook the construction of the gas-worksand the operation of laying the pipes in the streets, tasks he successfully performed, though he had to contend withgreat difficulties, amongstwhich the inexperience of the French workmen was notthe least. On Mr. DanielWilson as- suming the administration of the gas-works, Charles Manby took charge of the Charenton foundry, where he constructed a number of marineengines for theFrench Government and for private companies, as well as machinery of various kinds for the ironworks which were then springing into existence all over France. Thence he removed to thenow famous Creusot Ironworks, which his father hadundertaken to reorganise, and,after remaining there for a short period, he was employed bythe French Ninister, Count Benoist d‘Azy, in the construction of the State Tobacco Manu- factories, and was appointed Chief Engineer of the Tobacco Depart- ment of Public Works. At the same time a commission in the French Military Engineers was given to him through the friend- ship of Marshal Soult. Towards the end of 1829 Charles Manby returned to England, and undertook the management of the Beaufort Ironworks in South Wales, wherehe remainedfor some years. He was then for a short time connected with the Ebbw Vale Iron Company, when he introduced several ingenious modifications in the rolling of rails. He was next engaged for a few months at the Bristol Ironworks, and finally removed to London in 1835, where he com- menced practice as a Civil Engineer. For a time he devoted himself principally to the introductionof a system of warming and venti- lating buildings, known as Price and Manby’s system, which wa8 used extensively in many important buildings inLondon and else- where. In 1838 he was appointed Engineer to a Steamship Com- pany, established in London by Sir John Ross, to run steamers between England and India. Only one vessel, the “ India,” was built, and thisvessel was afterwards bought, and theCompany ab- sorbed, by the Peninsular and OrientalSteam Kavigation Company. Downloaded by [] on [13/09/16]. Copyright © ICE Publishing, all rights reserved. 330 CHARLES MANBY. [Memoirs. On his acceptance of the office of Secretary to the Institution in 1839, herelinquished professional practice, butin 1856 he, at the urgent request of Mr. Robert Stephenson, took the position of London representative of the firm of R. Stephenson and Company, of Newcastle-on-Tyne, which he retained till he died. But the most important duty in thisnotice of Charles Nanby is to chronicle his connection with the Institution, to which he de- voted the best energies and thebest years of his life. He was elected an Associate on the 2nd of May, 1637, and a year or two afterwards, it having been noticed that he possessed qualifications remarkablysuitable for the official duties of an important society, hewas invited, atthe instance of Messrs. Simpson and Bramah, to undertake thepost of paid Secretary, the office havingpreviously been filled honorarily. He accepted it, and he was appointed on the 21st of June, 1839. Theongineering history of thiscountry was at this period entering upon a stirring phase, and the new Secretary resolved to devote his time, his talents, and even his means, to extending the influence and raising the character of the Society, and making it a body which should be worthily representative of a great pro- fession. Soon after his election, he threw himself heart and soul into a movement which revolutionized the Society. ThePresi- dential Chair had been held for ten years by Mr.
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