appliances。　　I　wonder　why　only　her　anchors　look　small。
  I　have　no　present　time　to　think　about　it；　for　I　am　going　to　see　the
  workshops　where　they　make　all　the　oars　used　in　the　British　Navy。　　A
  pretty　large　pile　of　building；　I　opine；　and　a　pretty　long　job！　　As
  to　the　building；　I　am　soon　disappointed；　because　the　work　is　all
  done　in　one　loft。　　And　as　to　a　long　job　…　what　is　this？　　Two　rather
  large　mangles　with　a　swarm　of　butterflies　hovering　over　them？　　What
  can　there　be　in　the　mangles　that　attracts　butterflies？
  Drawing　nearer；　I　discern　that　these　are　not　mangles；　but　intricate
  machines；　set　with　knives　and　saws　and　planes；　which　cut　smooth　and
  straight　here；　and　slantwise　there；　and　now　cut　such　a　depth；　and
  now　miss　cutting　altogether；　according　to　the　predestined
  requirements　of　the　pieces　of　wood　that　are　pushed　on　below　them：
  each　of　which　pieces　is　to　be　an　oar；　and　is　roughly　adapted　to
  that　purpose　before　it　takes　its　final　leave　of　far…off　forests；
  and　sails　for　England。　　Likewise　I　discern　that　the　butterflies　are
  not　true　butterflies；　but　wooden　shavings；　which；　being　spirted　up
  from　the　wood　by　the　violence　of　the　machinery；　and　kept　in　rapid
  and　not　equal　movement　by　the　impulse　of　its　rotation　on　the　air；
  flutter　and　play；　and　rise　and　fall；　and　conduct　themselves　as　like
  butterflies　as　heart　could　wish。　　Suddenly　the　noise　and　motion
  cease；　and　the　butterflies　drop　dead。　　An　oar　has　been　made　since　I
  came　in；　wanting　the　shaped　handle。　　As　quickly　as　I　can　follow　it
  with　my　eye　and　thought；　the　same　oar　is　carried　to　a　turning
  lathe。　　A　whirl　and　a　Nick！　　Handle　made。　　Oar　finished。
  The　exquisite　beauty　and　efficiency　of　this　machinery　need　no
  illustration；　but　happen　to　have　a　pointed　illustration　to…day。　　A
  pair　of　oars　of　unusual　size　chance　to　be　wanted　for　a　special
  purpose；　and　they　have　to　be　made　by　hand。　　Side　by　side　with　the
  subtle　and　facile　machine；　and　side　by　side　with　the　fast…growing
  pile　of　oars　on　the　floor；　a　man　shapes　out　these　special　oars　with
  an　axe。　　Attended　by　no　butterflies；　and　chipping　and　dinting；　by
  comparison　as　leisurely　as　if　he　were　a　labouring　Pagan　getting
  them　ready　against　his　decease　at　threescore　and　ten；　to　take　with
  him　as　a　present　to　Charon　for　his　boat；　the　man　（aged　about
  thirty）　plies　his　task。　　The　machine　would　make　a　regulation　oar
  while　the　man　wipes　his　forehead。　　The　man　might　be　buried　in　a
  mound　made　of　the　strips　of　thin；　broad；　wooden　ribbon　torn　from
  the　wood　whirled　into　oars　as　the　minutes　fall　from　the　clock；
  before　he　had　done　a　forenoon's　work　with　his　axe。
  Passing　from　this　wonderful　sight　to　the　Ships　again　…　for　my
  heart；　as　to　the　Yard；　is　where　the　ships　are　…　I　notice　certain
  unfinished　wooden　walls　left　seasoning　on　the　stocks；　pending　the
  solution　of　the　merits　of　the　wood　and　iron　question；　and　having　an
  air　of　biding　their　time　with　surly　confidence。　　The　names　of　these
  worthies　are　set　up　beside　them；　together　with　their　capacity　in
  guns　…　a　custom　highly　conducive　to　ease　and　satisfaction　in　social
  intercourse；　if　it　could　be　adapted　to　mankind。　　By　a　plank　more
  gracefully　pendulous　than　substantial；　I　make　bold　to　go　aboard　a
  transport　ship　（iron　screw）　just　sent　in　from　the　contractor's　yard
  to　be　inspected　and　passed。　　She　is　a　very　gratifying　experience；
  in　the　simplicity　and　humanity　of　her　arrangements　for　troops；　in
  her　provision　for　light　and　air　and　cleanliness；　and　in　her　care
  for　women　and　children。　　It　occurs　to　me；　as　I　explore　her；　that　I
  would　require　a　handsome　sum　of　money　to　go　aboard　her；　at　midnight
  by　the　Dockyard　bell；　and　stay　aboard　alone　till　morning；　for
  surely　she　must　be　haunted　by　a　crowd　of　ghosts　of　obstinate　old
  martinets；　mournfully　flapping　their　cherubic　epaulettes　over　the
  changed　times。　　Though　still　we　may　learn　from　the　astounding　ways
  and　means　in　our　Yards　now；　more　highly　than　ever　to　respect　the
  forefathers　who　got　to　sea；　and　fought　the　sea；　and　held　the　sea；
  without　them。　　This　remembrance　putting　me　in　the　best　of　tempers
  with　an　old　hulk；　very　green　as　to　her　copper；　and　generally　dim
  and　patched；　I　pull　off　my　hat　to　her。　　Which　salutation　a　callow
  and　downy…faced　young　officer　of　Engineers；　going　by　at　the　moment；
  perceiving；　appropriates　…　and　to　which　he　is　most　heartily
  welcome；　I　am　sure。
  Having　been　torn　to　pieces　（in　imagination）　by　the　steam　circular
  saws；　perpendicular　saws；　horizontal　saws；　and　saws　of　eccentric
  action；　I　come　to　the　sauntering　part　of　my　expedition；　and
  consequently　to　the　core　of　my　Uncommercial　pursuits。
  Everywhere；　as　I　saunter　up　and　down　the　Yard；　I　meet　with　tokens
  of　its　quiet　and　retiring　character。　　There　is　a　gravity　upon　its
  red　brick　offices　and　houses；　a　staid　pretence　of　having　nothing
  worth　mentioning　to　do；　an　avoidance　of　display；　which　I　never　saw
  out　of　England。　　The　white　stones　of　the　pavement　present　no　other
  trace　of　Achilles　and　his　twelve　hundred　banging　men　（not　one　of
  whom　strikes　an　attitude）　than　a　few　occasional　echoes。　　But　for　a
  whisper　in　the　air　suggestive　of　sawdust　and　shavings；　the　oar…
  making　and　the　saws　of　many　movements　might　be　miles　away。　　Down
  below　here；　is　the　great　reservoir　of　water　where　timber　is　steeped
  in　various　temperatures；　as　a　part　of　its　seasoning　process。　　Above
  it；　on　a　tramroad　supported　by　pillars；　is　a　Chinese　Enchanter's
  Car；　which　fishes　the　logs　up；　when　sufficiently　steeped；　and　rolls
  smoothly　away　with　them　to　stack　them。　　When　I　was　a　child　（the
  Yard　being　then　familiar　to　me）　I　used　to　think　that　I　should　like
  to　play　at　Chinese　Enchanter；　and　to　have　that　apparatus　placed　at
  my　disposal　for　the　purpose　by　a　beneficent　country。　　I　still　think
  that　I　should　rather　like　to　try　the　effect　of　writing　a　book　in
  it。　　Its　retirement　is　complete；　and　to　go　gliding　to　and　fro　among
  the　stacks　of　timber　would　be　a　convenient　kind　of　travelling　in
  foreign　countries　…　among　the　forests　of　North　America；　the　sodden
  Honduras　swamps；　the　dark　pine　woods；　the　Norwegian　frosts；　and　the
  tropical　heats；　rainy　seasons；　and　thunderstorms。　　The　costly　store
  of　timber　is　stacked　and　stowed　away　in　sequestered　places；　with
  the　pervading　avoidance　of　flourish　or　effect。　　It　makes　as　little
  of　itself　as　possible；　and　calls　to　no　one　'Come　and　look　at　me！'
  And　yet　it　is　picked　out　from　the　trees　of　the　world；　picked　out
  for　length；　picked　out　for　breadth；　picked　out　for　straightness；
  picked　out　for　crookedness；　chosen　with　an　eye　to　every　need　of
  ship　and　boat。　　Strangely　twisted　pieces　lie　about；　precious　in　the
  sight　of　shipwrights。　　Sauntering　through　these　groves；　I　come　upon
  an　open　glade　where　workmen　are　examining　some　timber　recently
  delivered。　　Quite　a　pastoral　scene；　with　a　background　of　river　and
  windmill！　and　no　more　like　War　than　the　American　States　are　at
  present　like　an　Union。
  Sauntering　among　the　ropemaking；　I　am　spun　into　a　state　of　blissful
  indolence；　wherein　my　rope　of　life　seems　to　be　so　untwisted　by　the
  process　as　that　I　can　see　back　to　very　early　days　indeed；　when　my
  bad　dreams　…　they　were　frightful；　though　my　more　mature
  understanding　has　never　made　out　why　…　were　of　an　interminable　sort
  of　ropemaking；　with　long　minute　filaments　for　strands；　which；　when
  they　were　spun　home　together　close　to　my　eyes；　occasioned
  screaming。　　Next；　I　walk　among　the　quiet　lofts　of　stores　…　of
  sails；　spars；　rigging；　ships'　boats　…　determined　to　believe　that
  somebody　in　authority　wears　a　girdle　and　bends　beneath　the　weight
  of　a　massive　bunch　of　keys；　and　that；　when　such　a　thing　is　wanted；
  he　comes　telling　his　keys　like　Blue　Beard；　and　opens　such　a　door。
  Impassive　as　the　long　lofts　look；　let　the　electric　battery　send
  down　the　word；　and　the　shutters　and　doors　shall　fly　open；　and　such
  a　fleet　of　armed　ships；　under　steam　and　under　sail；　shall　burst
  forth　as　will　charge　the　old　Medway　…　where　the　merry　Stuart　let
  the　Dutch　come；　while　his　not　so　merry　sailors　starved　in　the
  streets　…　with　something　worth　looking　at　to　carry　to　the　sea。
  Thus　I　idle　round　to　the　Medway　again；　where　it　is　now　flood　tide；
  and　I　find　the　river　evincing　a　strong　solicitude　to　force　a　way
  into　the　dry　dock　where　Achilles　is　waited　on　by　the　twelve　hundred
  bangers；　with　intent　to　bear　the　whole　away　before　they　are　ready。
  To　the　last；　the　Yard　puts　a　quiet　face　upon　it；　for　I　make　my　way
  to　the　gates　through　a　little　quiet　grove　of　trees；　shading　the
  quaintest　of　Dutch　landing…places；　where　the　leaf…speckled　shadow
  of　a　shipwright　just　passing　away　at　the　further　end　might　be　the
  shadow　of　Russian　Peter　himself。　　So；　the　doors　of　the　great　patent
  safe　at　last　close　upon　me；　and　I　take　boat　again：　　somehow；
  thinking　as　the　oars　dip；　of　braggart　Pistol　and　his　brood；　and　of
  the　quiet　monsters　of　the　Yard；　with　their　'We　don't　particularly
  want　to　do　it；　but　if　it　must　be　done　…　！'　　Scrunch。
  CHAPTER　XXVII　…　IN　THE　FREN