The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-08-23
Correspondence Of the Albany Evening Journal.
Signal Triumph Of American Ingenuity and
Skill.
LONDON, July 80, 1851.

LONDON, July ~, 1901.
On Thursday, the oath instant, three of the
jurors on implements proceeded 10 Mr.. Mechis
farm in Essex, (Trptree Hall,) about as miles
from London, to try the American Reapng Ma
chimes, and to test the drought Of the Flows.
Col. Chaloner, of the English department,
Baron Martens, of Belgium, and myself, were
the jurors. This day was selected at the re-
quest of Mr. Mechi, who held his annual festival
for the examination Of his crops, stocks, &c
The day proved, as did that for the trial Of the
plows, one of the favorite days of England
tlatis rain necessarily. We left here at eight
o'clock in the morning. and arrived at Mr..
Mecht's about ! l o'clock and found assembled
from one hundred and fifty to two hundred far
mers and others, to witness the trial. as we'll as
to examine the farm and its crops and arrange
ments.
Mr.. Mechis wheat was not ripe, but quite
green--the crop very heavy upon the ground,
an every thing as unfavorabe as possible for
trying the reapers The people present were
very clamorous for the trial, and the person
having Hussey's reaper in charge placed il on
the field, and trial was made with IT. but the
grain was so green that il soon clogged the
machine, and it passed over without cutting it.
This damped, as You may well imagine, the
spir of many who had hoped the trial would
have been satisfactory. 1t was suggested by
the other members of the jury that we had bet.
ter not try McCormick's; but informed them
that the machine was there for The trial, and it
must be tried, as would not consent that the
gentlemen present, many of whom had come
for the sole purpose of witnessing the trial,
should 90 away with the impression that our
reapers could not do the work promised
McCormick's reaper was accordingly placed
TO its work, and with single span of horses it
went through the grain, green it was, cutting
all before it. When ] ordered the machine
stopped, the crowd around IL, who had followed
after very closely, were addressed by Mr. Mech
He said to them: Gentlemen-IIerc is triumph
for the American reaping machine. II has, I'M
der all its disadvantages, done its work COM
pletely. Now, let US, as Engshmen, show
them that we appreciate this contribution TO our
implements for chenpening our agriculture, and
let us give the Americans three hearty English
eheers," They gave them. assure You, ,oiih
,oiH and fourth with a hip hip hurra The
Jurors then required the machine to cut another
swath, 40 that it might be timed, and its powers
ascertained. Accordingly, the machine was put
in operation again, and cut "a yards in length
in 10 seconds, doing its work first rate, and to
the satisfaction of every one present At this
rate, il would cut twenty acres per day, during
their usual hours Of work here. A large num-
Der Of the farmers present called npon me to
express their great qualification at the result nm.
der such unfavorable circumstances; and said
they Considered the result very great triumph
for pc American machine, and that il had fully
redeemed everything had said in relation to
its oapabilitie
Hussey's was aferward tried upon clover
field, and did the work well. A machine made
after Hussey's, by Garrett here, with some al
teraiions, was tried upon q clover field, but
would not work. The English machinists will
learn, by.and bye, If they expect to improve
American machines, they must learn to work
them until they do that, II air attempt 70 i'm
prove viii fail as this did. Another trial will be
given when the grain is b. probably for the
satisfaction of many who w ID not prssen'. and
who arc anxious 10 see the machine work
You can hardly imagine how the tone is al
tered since we have had our implements tried.
The "praire ground" is filed with inqnirers.
and some gentlemen have found ont that there
nre some people who know what they are doing
in some other parts of the globe ms we'll az this
little island, where, IL IL most readily admitted.
there are many clever" people. I he McCor-
mick machine was pnt together In the palace
again, and yesterday II had more visitors, be-
lieve, than the Koh-i-nor diamond itgeIf
II is some little consolation, after all the taunts
that have been heaped upon our implements.
that we hive been enabled mensuraby at least,
to put them in proper position before the peo-