The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-09-21

A simple and unostentatious notice of the de-
mise of this remarkable is all the tribute
tina. the public press has ye; paid to his me
man deserve more He has passed quietly away
from the scene of his labors but he has left his
mark upon the age
He was descended from one of the oldest fami
lies Of that ancient portion of the State of Massa-
chusetts, the county Of Essex-a region of stub
born soil, but rich in it's productions of men
Matthew Perkins, his father, was a native of Ips-
wich and his ancestor was one of the first settlers
of that town. Matthew Perkins removed to New
buryport early in life and here Jacob Perkins was
born, July 9th, l766. He received such education
as the common schools of that day furnished, and
nothing more What they We're in ITO may be
guessed. At the age of twelve he was put appren-
tice to goldsmith of Newburyport, of the name of
Davis. His master died three years afterwards,
and Perkins, at fifteen, was left with the manage
ment OF the business. This was the age of gold
beads, which our grandmothers still hold in fond
remembrance-and who wonders? The young
goldsmith gained great reputation for the skill and
honesty with which he transformed the old Portu-
gucse joes then in circulation into these snowy or
namcnts Tor the female bosom. Shoe buckles were
another article in great vogue, and Perkins, whose
inventive powers had begun to expand during his
apprenticeship, turned his attention TO the manu-
featuring OF them. He discovered new method
Of plating, by which he could undersell the i'm
ported buckles. This was profitable branch Of
business till the revolutions of fashion drove shoe
buckles out Of the market. Nothing could be done
Win strings, ana ferKlIs put MS mead work upon
other matters.
Machinery Of all sorts was then in very rude
state, and clever artisan was scarcely to be found.
1t was regarded as great achievement to effect
rude copy Of some imported machine Under the
old confederation, the State of Massachusetts, estab
lished mint for striking copper coin but it was
not 30 easy to find mechanic equal to the task of
making die. Perkins was but twenty one years
Of age when he employed by the Government
for this purpose and the old Massachusetts cents,
stamped with the Indian and the Eagle, now to be
seen only in collections of curosties, are the work
of his skill. He next displayed his ingenuity in
nail machinery, and at the age of twenty four in
vented machine which cut and headed nails at
operation. This was first put in operation at
Newburyport, and afterwards at Amesbury, on the
Merrimac, where the manufacture of nails has
been carried on for more than half century.
Perkins would have realized great fortune from
this invention, had his knowledge of the world
and the tricks of trade been any way equal to his
mechanical skill. Others, however, made great
gain from his loss and he turned his attention to
various other branches of the mechanic arts in
several of which he made essential improvements,
fire engines, hydraulic machines, &c. One of
the most important of his inventions was in the
engraving Of bank bills. Forty years ago coun-
terieting carried on with an audacity and a
success which would seem incredible at the present
time. The ease with which the clumsy engrav-
ings Of the bank bills of that day were initiated,
was temptation to every knaye who could scratch
"copper" and counterfeits flooded the country to the
serious detrment of trade. Perkins invented the
stereotype check plate, which no art of counter
feiting could match; and security was thus given
TO bank paper which it had never before known.
There was hardly any mechanical science in
which Perkins did not exercise his inquiring and
inventive spirit. The town of Newburyport en-
joyed the benefit of his skill in every way IN which
ment. During the war Of 1912 his ingenuity was
employed in constructing machinery for boring out
old honey -combed cannon, and in perfecting the
science Of gunnery. He was skilful pyrotechnist,
and the Newburyport fireworks of that day were
thought to be unrivaled in the United States. The
boys, we remember, looked up to him az a second
Faust, Cornelius Agrippa, and the writer OF this
article has not forgotten the delight and amazement
with which he learned from Jacob Perkins the mys-
terry of compromising serpents and rockets.
About this time person named Redheffer made
prctensions to discovery OF the perpetual motion
He was traversng the United States with a machine
exhibiting his discovery. Certain weights moved
the wheels, and when they had run down, certain
other weights restored the first. The experiment
seemed perfect, for the machine continued to move
without cessation and Redheffer was trumpeted to
the world as the who had solved the great
problem. Perkins gave the machine an examina-
ton, and his knowledge of the powers of mechanism
enabled him TO perceive at once that the visible APP
pliances were inadequate to the results. He saw
that hidden power existed somewhere, and his
skful calculations detected the corner of the ma
chine from which il proceeded. :" Pass a saw
through that post" said he, :. and your perpetual
motion will stop" The mpostor refused to put his
machine 10 suCn TEST tof soAnSiShe fsS~~fs-
IL was afterwards discovered that cord passed
through this post into the cellar, where an indi-
vidual was stationed to restore the weights at every
revolution.
The studies, labors, and ingenuity of Perkins,
were employed on great variety OF subjects,
that the task of specifying and describing them
must be left TO one fully acquainted with the history
of the mechanic arts in the United States lie dis.
covered method of softening and hardening steel
at pleasure, by which the process of engraving on
that metal was facilitated in a most essential de-
gree. He instituted series OF experiments by
which he demonstrated the comprcssibihty OF
water a problem which for centuries had bafiied
the ingenuity of natural philosophers. In connex-
ion with this discovery, Perkins also invented the
bathometer, an instrument for measuring the depth
of the by the pressure OF the water and the pic
ometer 10 measure ships rate Of sailing.
Perkins continued TO reside in his birthplace till
1916, when he removed from Newburyport to Bos-
ton, and subsequently 10 Philadelphia. HIS at
tcntion was now occupied by steam machinery
which was beginning 10 acquire importance in the
United States. His researches led To the invention
of a new method of generating stean by suddenly
letting small quantity of water into heated
vessel.
After short residence in Philadelphia, he re-
moved 10 London, where his experiments with high
pressure steam, and other exhibitions which he gave
Of his inventive powers, at once brought him into
general notice. His uncommon mechanical ge-
Mus was highly appreciated; and his steam gun
was for some time the wonder Of the British me.
tropolis. This gun he invented IN the United
States, and took out patent for il in 1919 Ii at
tracted the notice OF the British government in
1923 and Perkins made experiments with II before
the Duke Of Wellington and numerous party o.
officers. At distance of thirty five yards he shat
tered iron targets 70 pieces, and sent his ball,
through eleven panks, one inch thick each, anc
placed an inch apart from one anotber This CUR
was n very ingenious piece Of workmanship, anc
could discharge about 900 balls per minute.
Perkins continued in London during the re
mainder of his life. He never became rich. M
lacked one quality to secure success in the world
financial thrift. Every body but himself prohte'
by his inventions. lie was in fact too much in low
with the excitement Of the chase, ~ look very
strongly at the pecuniary value Of the game.
He died in London July Both, ls49. The mann
he leaves behind him is that Of the American invcn
tor II IL one which he deserves, and which is In
true glory lie entirely sclf-educated in sci
ence, and the great powers Of his mind expande'
by their innate force. For halfa century from tn
hour Of his birth he lived in the town of Newbury
port. Here be grew up, acquired his knowledge
applied his genius 10 action, perfected hrs inVently
powers and gained all his early reputation A
the present day, when books are ~ the hand Q
every man, woman, and child, and the rudimcnt
Of scientific knowlcdge presented 20 us IN thou
sands Of students manuals, cyclopediss, periodl