Litchfield enquirer., 1857-04-09
A Hazardous Undertaking


 was indebted to Italy for the greater portion of her thrown silk, The superiority of the Italians over the English in the art of silk throw ing was held by the former of so great value, that the penalty of death was prescribed by their laws against any one who should make known to foreigner the secret Of tEeir man,l- factorie: In this state of things Mir. John Lombe, the youngest of three brothers of t.,at name, engaged in the silk trade, proceeded to Leghorn in the year 1S5, upon the hazardous of knowledge of the silk machinery of that co lntrv.
 On his arrival, and before he became known in that country, he went, with friend, to see the Italian silk works This was permitted under very rigid limitations no person was admitted except when the machine was in mo- t;on, and even then he was hurried through the rooms with the most jealous precauton. The celerity of tho macllll,ry rendered it impossible for Mr. Lonbc to comprehend al the depcn- dcncies and first springs of so extensive and complicated work. He went with different persons in various habits--as a gentleman, a priest, or a lady snd he was very generous with his money but he could never find an opportunity of seeing the machinery put in motion, or of giving it the careful attention which his object required.
 Despairing of obtaining adequate nforma- tion from such curiosity inspection as he was enabled to give, he bethough himself of asso- ciating with the clergy and ,as he was a man of letters, he succeeded in ingratiatng himself with the priest who confessed the fam y to whom the works belonged He seems to have opened his plans, partly at least, to this person, and it is certain that he found means to obtain his cooperation. According to the scheme which they planned between them Mir. Lombe disguised himself as youth want ing employment. The priest then introduced him to the directors of the works and gave hm a good character for honesty and diligence, and described hipl as inured to greater hard ships than might be expected from lis appear ance. He Was accordingly engaged as a ia- soe-boy to superintcnd spr ing -chg:nc so called. His mean appearance procured him accommodation in the place which h:s design made the most favorable for him-the mill While others slept, he Was awake, and diligent- ly employed in hii arduous and dangerous task. He had possessed himself of dark lantern, tindcr-box, wax candle and case of mathematical instruments. In the day time, these were secretcd ill the hole under the stairs where he used to sleep: and no pet>on ever indicated the least curiosity to ascertain the poSs sSions of so mean lad:
 He thus went on making drawings of every part of this grand and useful machinery the pr.eSt o!teu inquired after this poor boy at the works, and through his agency Lombe convey cd his drawings to Glover Unwii.s with them models were made from the drawings, and de- spatchcd to England ill bales of silk: Th sc originals are stiff, we believe, preserved ill the Derby mills.
 Alter Lombe had completed his design he still remained at the mill, waiting until an En- gl;sh ship should be on the point of sailing for England. As soon as this happened he hastcn- ed on board But meanwhile his absence had accustomed suspicion, and an Italian brig was despatched in pursuit but the Englisman happily proved the better saller of the two and scapcd. It is said that the lr:,s st was put to the torture but the correspondent of the Genacm0a's laga-inc, to whom we are indebted for most of the facts We have stated, Says that, after Mir. Lombe's retur;> to Eng laud, an Italian priest was much in his com pany {; and he IS of the opinion that this was either the priest in question or, a: least, anoth- CT confederate in the same affair. Mir. Lonbe also brought over with him two natives accus toned to the manufacture for the sake of n- troducing which he had incurred So much haz- ard.
 After his return, John Lombe appears to have actively cxerted himself in forwarding the works undertaken by him and his brother Sir Thomas, at Derby : but he did not live to wit ness th ir completion! He died on the prem ises, on the 16th of November, !792 in the 29th year of his age. The common account of his death is that the Italians, exasperated at the injury done to their trade, sent over to England an artful woman who associated with the parties in the character of friend: and having gained over one of the natives who orig nally accompanied Mir Lombe, administered | a poison to him of which he uatimely died: