hiː wʌz ɪnvˈaɪɾᵻd tə dʒˈɔɪn ðə dᵻpˈɑːɹtmənt ʌv nˈeɪvəl kənstɹˈʌkʃən ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti fˈoːɹ tə tˈeɪk pˈɑːɹt ɪn dɪzˈaɪnɪŋ ðə fˈɜːst bɹˈɪɾɪʃ ˈaɪɚŋklæd wˈɔːɹʃɪp, ˌeɪtʃˌɛmˈɛs wˈɔːɹɪɚ.
He was invited to join the Department of Naval Construction in 1854 to take part in designing the first British ironclad warship, HMS Warrior.