Rapidity of construction has been characteristic of the engine and boiler works of the Scotts to at least as great an extent as in the shipbuilding yard. Several instances might be noted, beginning with six blockade-runners, built in a very short period, in 1864, and fitted with engines to give a speed of 12 knots at sea and 13-1/2 knots on trial. A recent and striking instance is the construction of boilers and engines for twenty of the passenger steamers built for traffic on the Thames, to the order of the London County Council, and described on pages 83 and 84, _ante_. The contract for this work was signed towards the end of November, 1904, and work was commenced about the beginning of December. The various parts of the engines were being machined and finished during the month of January and the beginning of February, 1905; and all of the twenty sets of engines and boilers were completed by the end of May. Another noteworthy case is the construction of the machinery for the steamship _Fengtien_, described on page 80, _ante_. Work was commenced on the machinery in the middle of January, and finished about the end of April. The machinery was fitted in the ship and ready for the trials on the 29th May. The total time taken from the beginning of work was well under five months.[69]
[Illustration: Plate XLIX. VIEW IN MAIN MACHINE SHOP.]
The pattern shop, where all work originates, is fitted with the usual pattern-making machinery, including a core-making machine.
The iron foundry, which was begun in 1790,[70] and around which the large engineering establishment has since been raised step by step, continues to do sound work. There are four cupolas, of a combined capacity of about 20 tons, and cylinders up to 120 in. in diameter are cast. These facts suggest the satisfactory character of the equipment.
The brass foundry is an equally important department, where first-class work is done. There are fifty-two crucible pots in use, varying in size up to 150 lb., and of a collective capacity of about 2 tons; also an air furnace capable of producing at one heat 12 tons of metal, for such heavy castings as are required for preparing shaft liners, large sea chests for naval ships, etc. The strength of Admiralty gun metal made in this foundry is up to 18 tons per square inch, with 30 per cent. of elongation in a 2-in. length. The foundry is served by an electrically-operated jib crane.