Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1816-03-13
ON STEAM ENGINES.

(Coneladed. from .he .3Tgus Of ae Oh ,as..)
The invention of Steam Engines dates ahorl,
$50 years back FROM this time. No particular
person can be said to be the inventor. least il
is not we'll agreed to whom to attribute the dis
covcry 1t Is qcise probable that tie or:erina,
concever of this sublime idea did not himself
perceive all the importance of it. Very certain
ly 1t was suffered 10 reposc in its primitive rude
ness for near an hundred years. It was not ear
iier than cue own tine5, when the celebrated
Watts ventured TO make some improvements on
II He has made no change in the combinations
which is yet and ever must remain The same: but
his employment OF The expansive force of steam,
instead ofthe weight of the atmosphere, which nc
ted on The machine befo =, has prodused ain eco
nomy of fuel, And abpvc ALL the power which
he has given 10 it of producing rotstory no.
ton has greatly extended the number of useful
applications Of which it 10 susceptible In short.
it has now become moving power, capable of
being applied with advantage TO every thing which
has need of motion, such as is given Ey water
fall, by horses, or by the wind.
From what has been said it is evident. that
an, not the inventor of ST earn Engines. but am
certainly the author of that branch of.industry in
France. II had no exsiesice before my time -.
When first began TO occupy myself with the
subject, there were few only of those mach mes
near valenciennes. They were built upon the
former principles such as have been described by
Belidor, and were all imported fom England
in this country hitherto.
The celebrated Mr.. Watts, in England when
he FIRST applied the extraordinary powers and en-
dowments of his mind 10 the study of this useful
machine, had much greater facility than have
had of executing whathis imagination suggested
Hehad all the necessary aid at had The ablest
moulders were at hrs command All the conye-
niencies for carrying on the work, and even the
machinery requisite for making the difficult parts
were ready for his use. I. on the contrary was
in France, without any means whatever Of exc.
cutting my plans. could find no IRON foundery
that could cast the cylinders. The construction
OF revcrberat;ng furnaces, by means which such
large pieces may be cast with ease, and the art
ofmoulding in s,oned sand, were then unknown.
No machine for boring the inside of cylinders to
true surface, no turning machine could be
found. In short, had to make every thing. II
is well known, that only since have established
my work shops, they have begun IN France 10
build large machines with sufficl ent accuracy
have eagerly communicated to the public moi
only the useful processes with which made n,yseu
acquainted abroad by nary expensive Journeys,
but those which have imagined myself. INV,
had no secret on the subj ect Those processes NAV
be found now in Practce IN most of the great
Establishments tor mechanical industry VIII oh
are spread over the departments of the French
empire. may then, without vanity, bel eve.
thai have T. en- Of sem service to my country
Within ten year, past have made several new
and successful applications Of the Siesm Engine
have employed II to RAISE coal from The m mes
That substance is drawn from pits of dep II
from six TO twelve hundred feet. A considerable
number OF horses were before employed for the
purpose, which now restored 10 agriculture.
or yielded up 10 commerce. More Than forty
machines, which have constructed for that use
prove the success of the experiment have es.
tahLshed, NJ Liege, very extensive foundcry 20
cast cannon for the navy, where twenty.s.x Il. NO
mlls are moved by these machines That fnun,
derry indeed, winch furnished in one year six
hundred and thirty seven ieces of cannon for he
fleet at Antwerp, could not have been put in one
ration without them, for there is no water colre
at tie place capable of turning the boring ma
chnery requisite.
am row occupied with another application OF
this universal moving power, which promises
equal success. There are forests in France from
which II IS extremely difficult, indeed, in some
cases, absolutely impossible to get the timber
have constructed steam saw MILL easy TO be
taken TO pieces and moved, which NAV be set NJ,
III sucn forests where The wood is'io be cut, to
saw into plank what could not otherwise be
brought out. have been called upon 10 furnish
one oftheIn Tor the woods near, Bayonne and
the number viii undoubtedly increase MS the ed.
vautages are known 1 shsll not enuu,erate here
the various mechanical establishments VIII oh
have formed in the course OF forty years of Indus
try. The boundaries of ChailIot of Creuzot ~
with water, the steam mills OF the Isle of swans
SIX large constructions ofnachinery fer the spin
ting Of Cotton aud numbeFless other works AZ.
test hat my life has not been spent in idlene!s.-
fought TO acknowledge here that my broibe,
has assisted me all my labours He has rem
dered himself highly useful by the means he h !,
afforded, and his veilant superintendent Over
the execution Of work.
Extract from an grafton delivered on the 4th o.
FaIy 1914, IN Ia2paAannocs By r. S. Ca,7,etf.
1.-THE deliberations Of orr sts,esmen have don,
more for the liberty OF man than those Of All III,
Senates OF the world, ne arms of our soldier,
lave done more than all ther heroes, and lie,
shall participate equally in our admiration and
affection In reviewing their sufferngsa and tbe;,
deeds, what exalted ideas are we led to form 81
the dignity OF human nature, and of the poye,
and elevation ofthose sen irncnts which apteared
TO inspire them What an ardent love OF liber,
~, what dolatry for their country, what heaven.
inspired energy must those god,like men have
felt to have submitted to such priyations--to have
encountered such harships, and to have brave,l
such dangers for their sakes Behold tbe ,rai
liant band! voluntarily leaving .heir borns, -