A NEW INVENTION FOR RAISEING OF WATER AND OCCASIONING MOTION TO ALL SORTS OF MILL WORK BY THE IMPELLENT FORCE OF FIRE, WHICH WILL BE OF GREAT VSE AND ADVANTAGE FOR DRAYNING MINES, SERVEING TOWNES WITH WATER, AND FOR THE WORKING OF ALL SORTS OF MILLS WHERE THEY HAVE NOT THE BENEFITT OF WATER NOR CONSTANT WINDES
Year: 1698

page_text: Presents shall come greeting.
WHEREAS our trusty and welbeloved THOMAS SAVERY, Gentleman, hath by
his humble petition represented vnto vs that he hath by his great labour, study,
and long experience found out "A NEW INVENTION FOR RAISEING OF WATER AND
OCCASIONING MOTION TO ALL SORTS OF MILL WORK BY THE IMPELLENT FORCE OF FIRE,
WHICH WILL BE OF GREAT VSE AND ADVANTAGE FOR DRAYNING MINES, SERVEING
TOWNES WITH WATER, AND FOR THE WORKING OF ALL SORTS OF MILLS WHERE
THEY HAVE NOT THE BENEFITT OF WATER NOR CONSTANT WINDES ;" and he haveing
prayed vs to grant him our Letters Patents for the sole vse of the said Inven-
tion for the terme of fourteen yeares, wee being graciously pleased to gratifie
him in his request.
KNOW YEE, THEREFORE, that wee, being willing to cherish and encourage
all lawdable endeavours and designes of such our subiects as have by their
industry found out vsefull and profitable arts, misteries, and Inventions,
and that the said Thomas Savery may accordingly reape some fruite and
benefitt of his labour and charge in and concerning the premisses of our
especiall grace, certaine knowledge and meere notion, wee have given and
granted, and by these Presents doe give and grant vnto the said Thomas
Savery, his executors, administrators, and assigns, especiall lycence, power,
priviledge, and authority, that he and they, by him and themselves, and
by his and their deputies, servants, agents, and workmen, and such others
onely as he, the said Thomas Savery, his executors, administrators;"

page_text: and assignes, shall and may from time to time and at all times here-
after dureing the space of fourteene yeares next ensueing the date of these
Presents, at his and their own proper costs and charges, erect, vse, teach,
exercise, and put in practice the said new Invention soe by him contrived and
found out as aforesaid, in any place or places within our Kingdome of England,
Dominion of Wales, and Towne of Berwick-vpon-Tweed, and alsoe shall and
may receive, take, and enioy, all the benefitts, profitts, commodities and advan-
tages of and by the said new Invention to be had, made, acquired, or gotten to
his and their own proper benefitt, vse, and vses; to have, hold, vse, exercise,
and enioy the said lycence, powers, powers, priviledges, and authorities, and all
other the premisses by these Presents granted or menčoned to be granted
vnto the said Thomas Savery, his executors, administrators, and assignes, for
and dureing and vnto the full end and terme of fourteen yeares from the day
of the date of these Presents next ensueing, and fully to be compleate and
ended, according to the Statute in that case made and provided. And to the
end the said Thomas Savery, his executors, administrators, and assignes, may
the better enioy the full and whole benefitt, and the sole vse and exercise of
his said new Invention, wee doe by these Presents, for vs, our heires and
successors, streightly charge, require, and command all and every person and
persons, bodys politick and corporate, of what quality, degree, name,
or condition soever they be, within our said Kingdome of England,
Dominion of Wales, and Towne of Berwick-vpon-Tweed, that neither
they nor any of them dureing the said terme of fourteen yeares hereby granted
either directly or indirectly doe vse, exercise, or put in practice the said new
Invention soe by the said Thomas Savery invented and found out as aforesaid,
nor doe nor shall counterfeite, imitate, or resemble the said new Invention or
any materialls thereunto belonging, nor doe nor shall make any addition
thereunto or substraction therefrom, whereby to pretend themselves the inventors
or devisors thereof, without the lycence, consent, or agreement of the said
Thomas Savery, his executors, administrators, or assignes, in writeing vnder his
or their hand and seales first had and obtained in that behalfe, vnder such
paines and penalties as can or may be inflicted on the offender or offenders
therein for the contempt of this our royall command, and further to be answer-
able to the said Thomas Savery, his executors, administrators, and assignes,
according to the vtmost rigor of the law for his and their damages thereby
sustained. And further, wee doe by these our Letters Patents, for vs, our
heires and successors, will, authorize, require, and comand all and singular
justices of the peace, mayors, sheriffs, bayliffs, constables, headboroughs, and
all other officers and ministers whatsoever of vs, our heires and successors,
t.

page_text: now and for the time being whome it may concerne, that they and every of
them respectively be from time to time dureing the terme hereby granted in
their respective offices, and according to their and every of their best skills and
endeavours, aiding, helping and assisting vnto the said Thomas Savery, his
executors, administrators, and assignes, deputys, agents, and servants inby all
things in and about the accomplishment of our royall will and pleasure
herein before declared in the execution of the severall powers and priviledges
hereby granted as aforesaid. And moreover, wee doe by these Presents, for
vs, our heires and successors, will and command that our said respective officers
and ministers before menconed, or any of them, do not, nor shall at any time
hereafter dureing the terme hereby granted, in any wise molest, trouble, or
hinder the said Thomas Savery, his executors, administrators, or assignes,
deputies, agents, or servants in or about the vse or exercise of the aforesaid
Invention or any part thereof, or any thing relateing thereunto: Provided
alwayes, and these our Letters Patents are and shall be vpon this condition,
that if at any time dureing the said terme of fourteen yeares hereby granted, it
shall be made appeare to vs, our heires or successors, or any six or more of
our or their Privy Councill, that this our grant is contrary to law or preiudiciall
or inconvenient to our subiects in generall, or that the Invention before
menčoned is not a new invention as to the publick vse and exercise of the
same, and not invented and found out by the said Thomas Savery as aforesaid,
then vpon signification and declaration of such preiudice or inconveniency to
be made by vs, our heires, or successors, vnder our or their signet or privy
seale, or by the Lorde or others of our or their Privy Councill, or any six or
more of them, vnder their hande, these our Letters Patents shall forthwith
cease, determine, and be vtterly void to all intents and purposes, any thing
herein-before contained to the contrary notwithstanding: Provided alsoe that
these our Letters Patents, or any thing herein contained, shall not extend or
be construed to extend to give priviledge vnto the said Thomas Savery, his
executors, administrators, or assignes, to imitate any invention or worke
whatsoever which hath been heretofore invented or found out by any other
of our subiects whatsoever, and publickly exercised within our kingdome,
dominion, or towne aforesaid, to whome wee have already granted our like
Letters Patents of priviledge for the sole exercise and benefitt, it being our
will and pleasure that the said Thomas Savery, his executors, administrators,
and assignes, and all and singular other person and persons to whome wee have
already granted our like Letters Patents, shall distinctly vse and practice their
severall Inventions by them respectively found out according to the true
meaning of such our Letters Patents and of these Presents. And lastly, wee

page_text: doe hereby, for vs, our heires and successors, grant vnto the said Thomas
Savery, his executors, administrators, and assignes, that these our Letters
Patents or the inrollment thereof, shall be and continue in and by all things
good, valid, firme, and effectuall in the law according to the true meaning of
the same, notwithstanding the not full and certaine describeing or menconing
of the said Invention, or of the materialls, wayes, or meanes of makeing,
vseing, or exerciseing of the same, or of the certaine vse or benefitt thereof, or
any other defect, uncertainty, or imperfection in these Presents, or any other
matter, cause, or thing whatsoever to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.
In witnesse, &c. Witnesse ourselfe at at Westminster, the Twenty-fifth

page_text: AN ACT for the encouragemeut of a new Invention by THOMAS SAVERY
for Raiseing Water and Occasioning Motion to all Sorts of Millwork
by the Impellent Force of Fire.
[10° et 11° Gul. 3. No. 61.]
WHEREAS the King's most Excellent Majesty hath been graciously pleased.
by his Letters Patents bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of July, Anno
Domini One thousand six hundred ninety and eight, under the Great Seal of
England, to grant to Thomas Savery, Gentleman, the sole erecting, useing,
teaching, exercising, and putting in practice a certain new Invention (by
him, the said Thomas Savery first contrived and found out) for raiseing water
and occasioning motion to all sorts of millwork by the impellent force of fire,
within the Kingdom of England, Dominion of Wales, and Towne of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, and all the benefits, profits, and advantages ariseing thereby for
the space of fourtcene yeares from the day of the date of the said Letters
Patents, according to the Statute in that case made and provided: And
whereas the said Thomas Savery hath, by his great care, paines, and expence
since the granting the said Letters Patents, greatly improved the said Inven-
tion, which is likely to be of great use and advantage to His Majesties
subjects in generall, but may and probably will require many yeares' time
and much greater expence than hitherto hath been to bring the same to
full perfection, and the said Thomas Savery thereby deserve a better en-
couragement by having a longer terme of yeares allowed him for the sole
use and benefitt of the said Invention: Be it therefore enacted by the King's
most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords
Spirituall and Temporall and the Commons, in this present Parliament assom-

page_text: bled, and by authority of the same, that the said Thomas Savery, his execu-
tors, administrators, and assignes, by his and their deputies, servants, agents,
and assistants, shall and may erect, use, teach, exercise, and putt in practice
the said new Invention, and have and receive the benefitts, profitts, and
advantages ariseing thereby, not only for and during the remainder of the
said terme of fourteene yeares in and by the said Letters Patents granted, and
according to the tenor, true intent and meaning thereof, but alsoe shall in
like manner bave and enjoy the sole use and exercise, benefitts, and profitts
of the said Invention for and during the further terme of one and twenty
yeares next after the expiration of the said terme of fourteene yeares, in
and by the said Letters Patents granted as aforesaid fully to be compleate
and ended, in as large and ample manner and with like powers and authorities
to all intents and purposes as in and by the said Letters Patents is granted,
meant, mentioned, or intended; and if any person or persons, bodies politique
or corporate, shall at any time or times hereafter during the remainder of the
said terme of fourteene years by the said Letters Patents granted, or during
the said terme of one and twenty yeares after the expiration of the said
terme of fourteene yeares, presume to make, imitate, use, or exercise any
vessells or engines for raiseing water or occasioning motion to any sort of
millworke by the impellent force of fire, he and they shall forfeite to the
said Thomas Savery, and his assignes, all and every such vessels and engines
for raiseing water or occasioning motion to any sorts of millworke by the
impellent force of fire, and all the pipes and utensills thereunto belonging,
which shall and may be seized and taken by such means and authorities as in
and by the said Letters Patents is directed and appointed.

page_text: Your Majesty having been graciously pleased to permit an experiment before you
at Hampton Court of a small moddle of my engine described in the following
treatise, and at that time to show a seeming satisfaction of the power and vse of it;
and having most graciously enabled me by your Royal assent to a Patent and Act
of Parliament to persue and perfect the same. By which your Royal incouragement,
it being now fully compleated and put in practice in your dominions, with that
repeated success and applause, that it is not to be doubted but it will be of vniver-
sal benefit and vse to all your Majesties subjects, of whom your Majesty being the
vniversal patron and father, all arts and inventions that may promote their good
and advantage seem to lay a just and natural claim to your Majestics sacred protec-
tion.
"Tis upon this consideration I am incouraged with a profound respect to throw this
performance of mine, with the author, at your Majesties Royal fect, most humbly
beseeching your Majesty, that as it had birth in your Majesties auspicious reign,
you will vouchsafe to perpetuate it to future ages by the sanction of your Royal
approbation, which is the utmost.ambition of,
May it please your Majesty,
Your Maiesties most humble
TO THE ROYAL SOCIETY.
AT the request of some of your members at the weekly meeting at Gresham
Colledge, June the 14th, 1699, I had the honour to work a small moddle of my engine
before you, and you were pleased to approve of it. Since which I have met with
great difficulties and expence to instruct handicraft artificers to forme my engine
according to my design; but my workmen, after so much experience, are become
such masters of the thing that they oblige themselves to deliver what engines they
make me exactly tight and fit for service, and as such I dare warrant them to any-
body that has occasion for them.
Your kindness in countenancing this Invention in its first appearance in the
world, gives me hopes the usefulness of it will make it more acceptable to your
Honourable Society, as they are the most proper judges of what advantage it may be
to mankind. And it would be ungrateful in me not to make use of this opportunity
to return you my most humble and hearty thanks for the honour and favour you.
did me in approving my design and publishing it to the world, which shall be always
acknowledged by
Tant allimad and want Samant
TO THE GENTLEMEN ADVENTURERS IN THE MINES OF ENGLAND.
I AM very sensible a great many among you do as yet look on my invention of
raising water by the impellent force of fire a useless sort of a project that never can
answer my designs or pretensions; and that it is altogether impossible that such an
engine as this can be wrought under-ground and succeed in the raising of water, and
dreining your mines, so as to deserve any incouragement from you. I am not very
fond of lying under the scandal of a bare projector, and therefore present you here
with a draught of my machine, and lay before you the uses of it, and leave it to your

page_text: Rive grain of allowance for your mumpcions, beentime I know very well what, min
enrriages there have been by people ignorant of what they pretend to. Theme, now.
Ive been so frequent, so fair and promising at first, but so short of performing what
they pretended to, that your prudence and discretion will not now suffer you to
believe anything without a demonstration, your appetites to new inventions of this
nature having been baulkt too often; yet after all I must beg you not to condemn
me before you have read what I have to say for myself, and let not the failures of
others prejudice me, or he placed to my account. I have often lamented the want of
understanding the true powers of nature, which misfortune has of late put some on
making such vast engines and machines, both troublesome and expensive, yet of no
manner of use, inasmuch as the old engines used many ages past far exceeded them.
And I fear whoever by the old causes of motion pretends to improvements within
this last century does betray his knowledge and judgment. For more then an hun-
dred years since men and horses would raise by engines then made as much water
as they have ever since done, or I believe ever will, or, according to the law of nature,
ever can do. And though my thoughts have been long imployed about water-works,
I should never have pretended to muy invention of that kind, and I not Imppily found
out thin new, but yet a much stronger and chemper force or eman of motion than any
before made use of But finding this of rarefaction by fire, the consideration of this
difficulties the miners and colliers labour under by the frequent disorders, cumber-
somness, and in general of water-engines, incouraged me to invent engines to work
by this new force, that tho' I was obliged to incounter the oddest and alinost insuper-
able difficulties, I spared neither time, pains, nor money till I had absolutely
conquer'd them. I hope this will at least incourage you to read over this small
treatise I now put into your hands for the farther and more particular information
of the nature and vees of this engine for raising water by the force of fire; after
which I shall patiently submit to any judgment you shall please to pass upon me or
the invention, and may have reason to believe you will not any longer suffer your
judgments to be imposed on by those whose profit and interest it may seem to be to
condemn both right or wrong; I mean such who make your common ginns, and their
friends and acquaintance among you; tho' I am very sure the promotion of the ves of
this engine is their true interest, as I very plainly prove thus:
The cheaper water is drawn, the more is the miner incouraged to adventure;
the more the miner adventures, the more pits or shafts must be sunk; the more
shafts or pits are sunk, the more wood-work will be necessarily imployed in timbering
then, or supporting the sides from falling in where the carth is loose; besides
windelesses and all other vtensils of wood used in mines or the trades depending
thereon must be more, which by increasing the carpenters' trade in general will
make them sufficient amends for the loss of a small part of that branch of their
trade called ginn making. As for pump making, that part of the trade will be
much improved by my engine; for I must use board and timber for pipes, and
have considerable imployment for pump makers and carpenters for timber used about
my engine; it shall never imploy any other person in making pipes
runy other
apa bay buthe bout the poses who was botues imployed in
the work, or such as shall he recommended, as a person imployed in the mines of
the country wheresoever I shall fix engines, provided they will work as cheap and
fairly, and observe the orders and directions given them. For my design is not
in the least to prejudice the artificere, or, indeed, any other sort of people by this
invention, but, on the contrary, is intended for the benefit and advantage of mankind
in general, especially the people of my own nation, and wherein you, gentlemen
concern'd in mines, may, if you please, reap the greatest profit.
And altho' I do not question but the plan and draught of my engine will be
very well and readily understood with many gentlemen by the description here
given, yet it will require a longer time in others to imploy their minds and thoughts
more intensely about it, especially such as have not been familiar and acquainted
with things of this kind. But should the engine to the apprehension of some seem

page_text: intricate and difficult to be worked after all the description I have given of it in
this book, yet I can and do assure them that the attending and working the engine
is so far from being so, that, it is familiar and casic to be learned by those of the
meanest capacity in a very little time, insomuch that I have boys of 13 or 14 years
of age who now attend and work it to perfection, and were taught to do it in a fow
days, and I have known some learn to work the engine in half an hour. We have
a proverb, that interest never lyes; and I am assured that you, gentlemen of the`
mines and collyeries, when you have once made this engine familiar in your works,
and to your selves and servants, not only the profit, but abundance of other advan-
tages and conveniences which you will find to attend your works in the vse thereof
will create in you a favourable opinion of the labours of
Your real friend and humble Servant,
THE first thing is to fix the engine in a good double furnace, so contrived that
the flame of your fire may circulate round and incompass your two boylers to the
best advantage, as you do coppers for brewing. Before you make any fire, unskrew

page_text: G and N, being the two small gauge pipes and cocks belonging to the two boylers.
And at the holes fill L, the great boyler, two-thirds full of water, and D, the small
boyler, quite full. Then skrew in the said pipes again as fast and tight as possible.
Then light the fire at 13, No. 1. When the water in I boyls the handle of the regulator
mark'd must be thrust from you as far as 'twill go, which makes all the steam
rising from the water in L pass with irrisistible force through O, No. 1, into P, No. 1,
pushing out all the air before it through the clack R, No. 1, making a noise as it
goes. And when all is gone out, the bottom of the vessel P, No. 1, will be very
hot. Then pull the handle of the regulator to you, by which means you stop
O, No. 1, and force your steam through O, No. 2, into the P, No. 2, until that vessel
has discharged its air through the clack R, No. 2, up the force-pipe. In the mean-
time, by the steam's condensing in the vessel P, No. 1, a vacuum or emptiness is
created. So that the water must and will necessarily rise up through T the sucking
pipe, lifting up the clack R (No. 3), and filling the vessel P, No. 1.
In the meantime, the vessel P, No. (2), being emptied of its air, turn the handle of
the regulator from you again, and the force is upon the surface of the water in P,
No. (1), which surface being only heated by the steam, it does not condense it, but
the stream gravitates or presses with an elastick quality like air, still increasing its
elasticity or spring till it counterpoises, or rather exceeds the weight of the water
ascending in S, the forcing pipe, out of which the water in P. No. (1), will be
immediately discharged when once gotten to the top, which takes up some time to
recover that power; which having once got, and being in work, it is easie for any ono
that never saw the engine, after half an hour's experience, to keep a constant stream
running out the full bore of the pipe S. For on the outsides of the vessel 1', No. (1),
you may see how the water goes out as well as if the vessel were transparent. For
as far as the steam continues within the vessel, so far is the vessel dry without, and
so very hot as scarce to endure the least touch of the hand. But as far as the water
is, the said vessel will be cold and wet where any water has faln on it; which cold
and moisture vanishes as fast as the steam in its descent takes place of the water.
But if you force all the water out, the steam, or a small part thereof, going through
R, No. (1), will rattle the clack, so as to give sufficient notice to pull the handle of tho
regulator to you; which at the same time begins to force out the water from P, No.
(2), without the least alteration of the stream; only some times the stream of water
will be somewhat stronger than before, if you pull the handle of the regulator
before any considerable quantity of steam be gone up the clack R, No. (1). But it
it much better to let none of the steam go off (for that is but losing so much strength),
and is easily prevented by pulling the regulator somo little time before the vessel
forcing is quite emptied. This being done, immediately turn the cock or pipe of the
cistern Xon P, No. (1), so that the water proceeding from X through Y (which is
never open, but when turned on P, No. (1), or P, No. 2, but when between them, is
tight and stanch), I say, the water falling on I, No. (1), causes by its coolness the steam
(which had such great force just before) to its elastick power, to condence, and become
a vacuum, or empty space. So that the vessel P, No. (1), is by the external pressuro
of the atmosphere, or what is vulgarly called suction, immediately refilled, while 1',
No. (2), is emptying; which being done, you push the handle of the regulator from
you, and throw the force on 1, No. (1), pulling the condensing pipe over 1, No. 2,
causing the steam in that vessel to condense, so that it fills while the other empties.
The labour of turning these two parts of the engine, viz. the regulator and water-
cock, and tending the fire, being no more than what a boy's strength can perform for
a day together, and is as casily learn'd as their driving of a horse in a tub-gin; yet,
after all, I would have men, and those too the most apprehensive, imployed in work-
ing of the engine, supposing them more careful than boys. The difference of this
charge is not to be mention'd or accounted of when we consider the vast profit which
those who use the engine will reap by it.
The ingenious reader will probably here object, that the steam being the cause of
this motion and force, and that steam is but water rarefied, the boyler L must in some
certain time be emptied, so as the work of the engine must stop to replenish the
boyler, or indangor the burning out or melting the bottom of the boyler.

page_text: To answer which, please to observe the use of the small boyler D. When it is
thought fit by the person tending the engine to replenish the great boyler (which
requires an hour and a half, or two hours time to the sinking one foot of water),
then, I say, by turning the cock of the small boyler E you cut off all communication
between S, the great force pipe, and D, the small boyler, by which means D grows
immediately hot by throwing a little fire into B, No. 2, and the water of which boyls,
and in a very little time it gains more strength than the great boyler. For the force
of the great boyler being perpetually spending and going out, and the other winding
up or increasing, it is not long before the force in D exceeds that in L; so that the
water in D being deprest in D by its own steam or vapour, must necessarily risc
through the pipe H, opening the clack I, and so go through the pipe K into L,
running till the surface of the water in D is equal to the bottom of the pipe H.
Then steam and water going together, will, by a nose in the clack I, give sufficient
assurance that D has discharged and emptied itself into L to within cight inches of
the bottom. And inasmuch as from the top of D to the bottom of its pipe H is
contained about as much water as will replenish L one foot, so you may be certain
Lis replenished one foot of course. Then you open the cock I and refil D imme-
diately, so that here is a constant motion without fear or danger of disorder or
decay. If you would at any time know if the great boyler L be more than half
exhausted, turn the small cock N, whose pipe will deliver water if the water bo
above the level of its bottom, which is half way down the boyler; if not, it will
deliver steam. So likewise will G shew you if you have more or less than eight
inches of water in D, by which means nothing but a stupid and wilful neglect, or
mischievous design, carried on for some hours, can any ways hurt the engine. And
if a master is suspicious of the design of a servant to do mischief, it is casily dis-
covered by those gauge pipes; for if he come when the engine is at work, and find
the surface C of the water in L below the bottom of the gauge-pipe N, or the
water in D below the bottom of G, such a servant deserves correction, tho' threo
hours after that the working on would not damage or exhaust the boylers; so that,
in a word, the clacks being in all water-works always found the better the longer
they are used. And all the moving parts of our engine being of like nature, the
furnace being made of Sturbridge or Windsor brick, or fire-stone, I do not see it
possible for the engine to decay in many years; for the clacks, boxes, and miter-
pipe, regulator and cocks, are all of brass; and the vessels made of the best hammered
copper, of sufficient thickness to sustain the force of the working the engine. In
short, the engine is so naturally adapted to perform what is required, that even those
of the most ordinary and meanest capacity may work it for some years without any
injury, if not hired or imployed by some base person on purpose to destroy it. For
after the engine is once fixed and at work, I may modestly affirm that the adven-
turer or supervisor of the mine will be freed from that perpetual charge, expence,
and trouble of repairs which all other engines ever yet imployed in mines for the
raising of water are continually liable unto.
IT may be supposed that there are few people among us so ignorant but must
necessarily know of what value the falls of water are in most places as being
applicable to mills, which are made after various kinds and forms, according to the
different genius and abilities of the millright; for mill-work being in a manner
infinitely diversified, and had I leisure to comment thereon, and give you an account
not only of the vast variety that I have seen and heard of, but (when encouraged)
what may yet be brought to work by a steady stream, and the rotation or circular
motion of a water-wheel, it would swell these papers to a much larger volume than
was at first designed and frustrate my intended brevity. I only just hint this to

page_text: Show what
ise is engine
coals are cheap.
I have only this to urge that water in its fall from any determinate height has
simply a force answerable and equal to the force that raises it. So that an engine
which will raise as much water as two horses working together at one time in such
a work can do, and for which there must be constantly kept ten or twelve horses
for doing the same, then I say such an engine will do the work or labour of ten.
or twelve horses; and whereas this engine may be large enough to do the work
required in imploying eight, ten, fifteen, or twenty horses to be constantly main-
tained and kept for doing such a work, it will be improper to stint or confine its uses
and operation in respect of water-mills.
2. ft may be of great use for palaces, for the nobilities or gentlemen's houses;
for by a cistern on the top of a house you may with a great deal of ease and little
charge throw what quantity of water you have occasion for to the top of any house;
which water in its fall makes you what sorts of fountains you please, and supplies
any room in the house. And it is of excellent vsc in case of fire, of which more
hereafter.
3. Nothing enn be more fit for serving cities and towns with water, except a
crank-work by the force of a river. In the composing such sort of engines, I think
no person hath excelled the ingenious Mr. George Sorocold. But where they are
forced to use horses, or any other strength, I believe no ingenious person will deny
this engine to have the preference in all respects, being of more vniversal use than
any yet discovered or invented.
4. As for draining fens and marshes, &c., I suppose I need say no more than this,
that that force which will raise great quantities of water a height of above 80 foot,
must necessarily deliver a much greater quantity at a lesser height. And that it is
much cheaper and every way easier, especially where coals are water-borne, to
continue the discharge of any quantities of water by our engine, than it can be done
by any horse-engines whatsoever.
5. I believe it may be maile very useful to ships, but I dare not meddle with that
matter, and leave it to the judgment of those who are the best judges of anaritain affaire.
6. For draining of mines and coal-pits, the use of the engine will sufficiently
recommend it self in raising water so easie and cheap, and I do not doubt but that in
a few years it will be a means of making our mining trade, which is no small part
of the wealth of this kingdom, double if not treble to what it now is. And if such
vast quantities of lead, tin, and coals are now yearly exported, under the difficulties
of such an immense charge and pains ns the miners, &c., are now at to discharge their
water, how much more may be hereafter exported when the charge will be very much
lessen'd by the use of this engine every way fitted for the use of mines? For the far
greater part of our richest mines and coal-pits are liable to two grand inconveniences,
and thereby rendered useless, viz.: The eruption and execes of subterranious waters,
as not being worth the expence of draining them by the great charge of horses or
hand labour. Or, secondly, fatal dlamps, by which many are struck blind, lame, or
dead in these subterraneous cavities if the mine is wanting of a due circulation of
nir. Now both these inconveniences are naturally remedied by the work of this
engine of raising water by the impellant force of fire.
For the water. Be the mine never so deep, each engine working it 60, 70, or 80
foot high, by applying or setting the engines one over another, as shall be shew'd at
large hereafter in the following pages, you may by a suflicient number of engines
keep the bottom of any mine dry, and when once you know how large your feeder or
spring is, it is very casie to know what siz'd engine or what number of engines will do
your business.
The coals used in this engine is of as little value as the conls commonly burned on
the mouths of the coal-pits are. For an engine of a three-inch bore or thereabout,
working the water up 60 foot high requires a fire-place of not above twenty inches
deep, and about fourteen or fifteen inches wide, which will occasion so small a con-
sumption, that in a coal-pit it is of no account, as we have experienced. And in all

page_text: parts of England where there are mines, coals are so cheap that the charge of them
is not to be mentioned when we consider the vast quantity of water raised by the
inconsiderable value of the coals used and burnt in so small a furnace. What the
quantity of coals used for one engine in a year is cannot easily be ascertained,
because of the different nature of the several sorts of coals.
As for the cure of damps by this engine, the air perpetually crowding into the
ash-hole and fire-place, as it is natural for it to do, and with a most impetuous force
discharged with the smoak at the top of the chimney, the contigious air is successively
following it, so that not only all steams or vapours whatsoever that may or can arise
must naturally force its way through the fire, and so be discharged at the top with
the smoak. But this motion of the fire will occasion the fresh air to descend from
above down all the pits, and every where else in the mine but down the chimney, pro-
vided you have a heading drift or passage from all the shafts or pits in the work to
that place where the engine stands, whether the mouth of the said pit and chimney
be lower or higher than the mouths of any of the rest of the pits or shafts in the
same work, it matters not, for here will be a perpetual circulation of the air, and with
that swiftness as is hardly to be believed. This I have tryed, and know to be true;
so leave the ingenious miner to his own judgment whether, when all the air is in a
swift motion, that any stagnation of air (which has always been adjudged the cause of
damps) can happen in any pit.
The Manner of fixing the Engine for Water-mills, Palaces, and Gentlemen's Seats, and
dreining Fens, and supplying Houses with Water in general.
1. For mills. The engine must be made and proportioned according to the
quantity of water required to drive the mill you would make use of. Now suppose
you would make a mill on a plain place, where you will have only a pond, and a
smail spring of water no bigger than a quill; then you must build your mill-house
thirty-six foot high, in which you may make what motions and what sort of mills you
please. By the side of which house without may be placed your water-wheel of
thirty-two, thirty-three, or thirty-four foot diameter. For the height of either house
or wheel I would confine no person too exactly, but I guess that a convenient height
and no more then what is common enough. Under the wheel I would have a pond,
and on the top of the house a cistern of wood lined with lead. The engine may be
fixed in any corner of the mill-house, 20, 21, 22 feet or more from the level of the
pond; there two boylers must be fixed, as shewn you in the draught for fixing the
engine; and round cach of them it is convenient to have a hoop of iron, with straps
coming from them to rest on the brickwork, to support and strengthen them. Your
clacks and pipes in the front being supported by wood, and the vessels standing on
pedestals of wood, it is convenient that the flew or chimney be so contrived as to
draw very sharp, and the flew to circulate round both the boylers, so that you may
lose no part of your strength.
2. For palaces, or the nobilities or gentlemen's houses, you may fix the engine in
any remote or out-room, whose floor is not above twenty foot from the level of your
water, and you may continue your force-pipe to the top of your house, with a con-
venient cistern to hold your water. Into which lay the pipes which may convey the
water as you want it, either for pleasure or common occasions. This way of cisterns
on the top of your houses or palaces would be of singular vse in case of fire, as is said
before; for in every staircase a pipe may go down the corner, or behind the wain-
scot, so as to be no blemish even to the finest of staircases. At every floor there may
be a turn-cock with a skrew. At the utmost end have likewise a small leather-pipe
kept well oyled in a cup-board or cavity in your wall, which may not be seen, but
on the opening some part of the wainscot, or such other contrivance as the ingenious
builder shall think fit to make use of. This pipe of leather must be long enough to

page_text: reach from the landing-place or stair-head. in all rooms depending thereon. One end
of this pipe has a skrew to fit the cock in the other pipe; and at the other end a pipe
like the nose of a pair of bellows. So that wherever, tho' under a bed, or the re-
motest part of any room in the house, the fire breaks out or is discovered, any
servant having skrewed the pipe to the cock, stops the nosle with his thumbs, till he
comes to the place where the fire is, when taking away his thumb, he by directing the
nosle to the fire, immediately extinguishes it, which being liable to be instantly used,
I think a house, palace, &c., that has this invention may be said to be morally out
of danger of being destroyed, or so far injured as Whitehall and Kensington have been
within a few years. This command of water must be allowed to be of vast advantage
to any house whatsoever. Where brewing, washing, &c., is used, the copper standing
high may be filled as easie as if it stood low, by which means the hot liquor may lo
contrived to go to all your coolers and other vessels, either by a cyphon, stop-cock,
&c., without the hand labour of pumping or bailing with buckets. But more con-
veniences then we can at present foresee will be discovered in the vse of this engine
for palaces, houses, &c.
3. For fens and the like it is convenient that these engines be made very large;
for at all small heights a small quantity of fire will deliver prodigious quantities of
water. For suppose we force but thirty foot, and suck twenty foot, if the boyler does
but fill the vessels called receivers with steam strong enough to counterpoise or exceed
the force of the atmosphere or epring of the common air, it will discharge them at so
small a height as thirty foot force in a very little time; and the steam having very
little force or spring, is immediately condensed, so that it will presently suck full in
one of the vessels, while the other is discharged. Now, inasmuch as the fire, heing
more or less, adds nothing to the suction, I think such lifts, being seldom above thirty-
six foot, or under six foot, all the directions farther needful for fixing the engine for
this vac is, in all lifts under twenty-four foot, to place your engine so, as a little above
your force clacks may be the place of the delivery of your water into a convenient
trough or lander to be carried off at the most proper place for its discharge. If it bo
any height above twenty-four foot, you have nothing to do but to continuo the
length of your force-pipe to the height required: It ought to have a shed or covering
round it, and to be placed at the lowest place of your fenn or bogg, as other engines
designed for that purpose commonly are.
As for fixing the engine in ships, when they may be thought probably useful, I
question not but we may find conveniency enough for fixing them.
In mines and coal-pits the manner of fixing the engines is this:-Your pit being
sunk, and a sump or proper well or bottom cistern made to receive the water
coming from the several feeders or springs, supposing an engine carrying 3 inch
bore is to be fixed to deliver water about seventy foot high, constant running a
full bore; in such case you make a small room in your shaft or pit, which, together
with your shaft or pit, is nine foot square every way. As for example: Suppose
your shaft six foot by four, take three foot out of one side and five out of
another perpendicular nine foot, making a small floor or platform of boards over that
part of the shaft which goes down to your sump or bottom cistern, so you have a
complent room big enough for your engine where ten or twelve people may stand
on occasion. This floor may be about eighteen, nineteen, or twenty font from the
water at the lowest you ever will draw the water into the sump or bottom cistern.
If your ground be loose, 'tis convenient to line this room with brick; if rock, it may
support itself. But in this the miner's judgment must direct him. That the engine.
will stand best in the side of the pit, where most is digged away, you may see in the
second figure of the engine, being fixed in a mine. Your pipes, &c., must be fixed
with cramps of iron, wood, or such materials as are convenient, to the side of the pit
or shaft, so as to make it stand as firm as the very shaft itself. Your furnace must
be so contrived that your flame take a turn or two round each of the boylers, which
any bricklayer used to furnaces can do, it being performed by running, a row of
bricks round them both like a skrew or worm, which being contigious to the wall of
the furnaces and the boylers, makes it as it were a worm funnel round them both;

page_text: from whence you may continue your chimney to the top of your work, which you
fasten to the sides of your shafts in the corners as you please, either with iron or
wood, or both, according to the nature of the ground. And wherever you make a
sudden bent or nook near a right angle in the chimney, have a loose brick or stone,
to take out the soot, if any should settle in such place, which in long working it
SEVERAL OBJECTIONS
AGAINST THE WORKING THIS ENGINE
ANSWERED IN A DIALOGUE BETWEEN A MINER AND THE AUTHOR.
Miner. Sir, having been some time concerned in the engines now used for drawing
water out of our mines, and hearing so much talk of this wonderful invention of
yours of raising water by fire, I was very desirous to enter into some discourse with
you concerning the nature, use, and application of your engine so strangely differing
from all other engines ever yet invented for our works, and which you positively
affirm will every way tend so much to our advantage in the vse of them, and
I do not doubt of meeting with that plainness, freedom, and good humour
that your discourse is generally accompanied with. And with the same freedom
resolve me in such questions as the general sense of us miners may naturally propose
to object against the use of your engine, especially such of us as are yet ignorant
of its vse and operation, who are more capable to judge of fact than of the nature
and power of that force which raises your water.
Author. Sir, I am extremely obliged to you for your freedom, and shall readily
imbrace all opportunities to inform and explain to you the true use and nature
of my engine; and therefore desire you with all imaginable freedom to proceed
and ask what questions you please, either as to your own thoughts as well as what
has been suggested to you by others, and you may be assured of a plain and canded
answer to all your objections.
Miner. Then, Sir, which way will you go to work with your engine to clear an
old work full of water?
Author. Why, Sir, to deal plainly with you, if your shafts are or may be cut
streight, your tub-engines or chain pumps may draw forth the water. And the
charge in that respect is not to be accounted for, because no mine would be thrown
up or neglected, but on account of the feeders or springs, which being certain, and
constantly to be carried off winter and summer. The prospect of being likely
to succeed makes your mine worth working or emptying within twenty foot of the
bottom; if ever they were worth sinking, though you work or drain by the common
ways of tubs or chain pumps. And could the constant charge of those engines be
afforded, numbers of them will empty and keep under any work; but it is the
constant charge of carrying off what the springs bring in, is the chief thing to be
considered in the business of mines, which constant charge is what we lessen very
much by this engine of mine.
Miner. What signifies your engine then, Sir, if it be not capable of sinking or
forking an old mine?
Author. Hold, my good friend, a little patience; I have dealt plainly and impartially
with you about the vse of your old engines; and for my engine, it will clear an old
work, if full of water, as readily as your tub-gins or chain-pumps, provided the shafts
are good. The method I propose to clear an old mine, if sixty foot deep, and full
of water, the feeders not above two-inch bore, which is done at a very small charge
after this manner, viz.:-I fix my engine on the top of the mine, and only suck and
deliver a 31-inch bore; as soon as we have sunk the water as far as our suction will
go, which will be some 22, 24, or 26 foot deep below the surface, there I make a
room fit to receive another engine, which I fix with his force-pipe to go up to the top
of the pit; and when I have sunk about 24 or 26 foot more, then I fix a smaller engine
of two inches borc, which sucking twenty and forcing forty, does your work and

page_text: keeps all safe; or let your small engine be kept at work while you remove the larger
engine from the top to the middle station, and then you will have occasion for no
more than two engines, the greatest of which may be removed as soon as the smaller
is fixed in the lowest or proper station. And that you may be convinced of my
impartiality, it is my opinion that in gaining an old work or sinking a new one, you
use your old engines of tub or chain-pumps; this engine of mine being most proper
when you are come fairly to the bottom either of the oar or coal, for then if you
have but one lift, one station or engine-room will be sufficient. And by having two
sumps or bottom cisterns your water may in some measure settle in one of them
in its pasenge to the other; so that the miners working tolerable clean and suffering
as little dead or loose coal or oar as is possible to mix with the water, you may have
the water to draw only a little discoloured, for you know as well as I, that generally
the water coming from mines or coal-pits while they work by the gins now in use
is almost clear water.
Miner. Sir, I thank you for your candor in relation to the clearing of an old work.
But supposing that our water arises thick and muddy, which you know will some-
times happen, what shall we do with your engine then?
Author. What you say, Sir, I know to be very true, that sometimes you have thick,
muddy gravel, and nasty water. To prevent which from coming into, or offending
our pipes, we have a frame of board made full of holes round about the bottom of our
pipe that receives the water; for sluge or fine dirt, it will do my engine no injury:
Indeed the clearer our water is in our boylers, the better it is for our work; but for
our receivers and their clacks, you may clear them as you work it, from stones, coal,
car, or any other anoyance, though hung in the very clack; for by emptying of one
or both the receivers of their water you cause the motion, either of suction or force,
immediately to be so strong as to clear and blow out all before it to the top of the pit.
Insomuch that I have found filings of copper, large bits of metal, considerable quan-
titics of coal and stone, delivered and thrown up with the water out of my engine
above sixty foot high. However, clear water is preferrable before the dirty water in
the work of mine engine.
Miner. But, dear Sir, if 60, 70, or 80 foot be the determinate height for raising
of water by your engine, how shall we use your engine in a mine or pit that requires
water to be raised three times 80 foot, as you know some of our works do?
Author. I heartly thank you, Sir, for this last proposal, because I have now an
opportunity to acquaint you that the force used in my engine is in a manner infinite
and unlimited, and will raise your water 500 or 1,000 foot high, were any pit so deep;
and that you could find us a way to procure strength enough to support such an
immense weight as a pillar of water a thousand foot high must certainly produce.
However, to give you an answer, I must intreat you to give my engine as kind
entertainment and fair quarter as you do to your engines now in vse; for I am sure
you are not ignorant of a custom used in every deep mines (in several parts of
England) of raising their water by several lifts, from cistern to cistern, to a very
great height; although some of their lifta may not be above twelve, sixteen, or twenty
foot a lift at the most. And suppose that your engine now in vse at twenty foot
the lift, and my engine at sixty, seventy, or eighty foot, for at any of these lifts we
raise a full bore of water with much ease; then one lift of my engine at sixty foot
answers to three lifts of your engines at twenty foot, and also to four of your lifts at
cighty foot, &c., which you may please to take for a sufficient answer to your last
objection. I have known in Cornwall a work with three lifts of about eighteen foot
each lift, and carrying a 34-inch bore that cost forty-two shillings per diem, reckon-
ing twenty-four hours the day for labour, besides ware and tare of engines; each.
pump having four men working eight hours at fourteen pence a man, and the men
obliged to rest at least part of that time.
Miner. You have, Sir, hitherto given me undeniable answers to my former objec-
tione, for which I thank you; but I fancy I shall puzzle you, when I ask you how you
will manage your engine to draw up our water where the shafts are not direct,
but turn and wind to and fro ?

page_text: Author. Sir, this last question is so far from being any hardship put upon my
engine, that no engine over yet invented was so naturally adapted to work in these
crooked shafts as mine is: for let the windings or turnings of the shafts be what
they will, the perpendicular weight of water is all that my engine has to account for,
and is the same as if it made the figure of a distiller's worm, and went through the
straightest pipe imaginable, except a little inconsiderable friction of the water
against the side of the pipe that is crooked, more than is in the straight pipe, which
is so small a matter, that a very nice judge would hardly be able to distinguish
whether the crooked or straight pipe carried off most water in the working. For
the flew that carries the smoak, experience sufficiently instructs you that you may
turn and wind it any way you please, and that such windings, in their drawing most
air, do rather improve than prejudice your flew, as any one experienced in building
of furnaces can inform you.
Miner. Well, Sir, I find that our crooked shafts will not any way incommode your
engine; but what think you of accommodating your engine to the service of the lead
mines, whose shafts are many times so narrow that it will be very difficult to get your
engine down?
Author. I perceive, Sir, you are yet much a stranger to the nature of my engine,
which is so furnished with brass skrews, and as strong as the very metal itself, that
you may take it to pieces, and with ease put it together again, fit to work in a few
hours' time; and so contrived, that where a man can well go down, there I can put
down my engine, in several pieces, and fix them below; for the greatest boyler
belonging to my engine is between twenty-four and thirty inches diameter, and may,
if occasion require, be made yet much narrower and deeper. And that if it be
difficult to bring the shaft of the mine to fit my. engine, I can with much ease make
my engine to fit the shaft of any mine.
Miner. But will not these brass valves that you speak of in your engine speedily
ware ont and stop your work?
Author. No; they cannot fail me, because experience shews us that brass valves.
improve rather than grow worse by twenty or thirty years' use in any force-work
where constantly worked, and where they riso and fall twenty times ofiner than my
valves will do.
Miner. But what think you, Sir, if you should meet with such corrosive water in
some of our mines as will in a little time cat through your copper vessels?
Author. Truly, Sir, this question does a little startle me, because I never expected
to meet any water of such a corrosive quality in any mine; and could I find out a
mine whore water abounds with such acid particles as to destroy or injure the copper
vessels of my engine, I would drain that mine for nothing but the water I shall
take up; because the water would be more valuable than any oar (I believe) iu
England. And were there even a tenth part of aquafortis to nine-tenths of common
water, which is impossible to suppose it should be, I say, such a water could have
no effect on the coppers were that water to lodge some time in the copper vessels,
much less in passing through them with that celerity and rapid motion that always
accompanies it.
Miner. But, Sir, will not such a continual fire, as must be kept under your boylers
burn them out in two or three months time, and spoil the work of your engine?
Author. I can assure you they will not decay in some years (unless some fellow
be hired or imployed on purpose to do it). And should any villain be imployed to
burn, break, or destroy any of the engines now used in your works for raising of
water, we are then on the same level with you in that point. But I will give you
one reason why my engines will not casily decay, and I am sure that will go
further with you than all the affirmation I can make. For, first of all, although
a white heat will melt copper, and a red heat and sudden cooling it again will scale
the copper, yet such a heat as is possible for it to have or suffer while water is ir the
boyler can have no ill effect, or cause any alteration in our copper. A friend of mine
has coppers used in sugar boyling of twenty years' standing. They may be a small
matter worn with cleaning on the inside, whereas on the outside there does not appear

page_text: the least visible decay; for as soon as the fire has thrown a thin coat of soot on the
outside of the boyler, the flame has no other effect on it than to cause the water in
it to boyle.
Miner. But we lave often combustable vapours in our mines, which, taking fire
from the calles used there, do by a sudden explotion destroy both the mine and
the miner; and therefore I am afraid that the fire used in your engine will be very
dangerous, and apt to kindle those combustables more than our candles.
Author. To answer this objection, I will desire leave to give you my notion of
those combustables, which, in short is this: that when your miners come into a
close place, where there is no circulation of air to carry off the effluvia or attoms
constantly rising like fine dust in a powder-mill, they, by knocking and working, do
increase to be very numerous, like to those loose particles in a powder mill. But it
is the work of some time for those vapours to come to perfection; for I have heard
several experienced miners say that it is common to avoid the danger of those
vapours by retiring as soon as they see the flame of their candles burn longer than
ordinary; which may be discerned some times long before the air is thick enough of
this combustable matter to take fire at once, and like gunpowder to destroy all.
I did once hear say, that from an inch and half, once the flame of his candle did gra-
dually increase to two foot long, and yet he escaped, which makes it very plain
that stagnation of air is the sole cause of this inconvenience in mines, which may be
totally prevented by a pipe going from the ash-pit of our furnace to any part of
the mine liable to stagnation. For the air will press with great violenco through
the pipe into the fire before the combustable matter can be ready to do any hurt, and
passing through the fire, make way for fresh air to descend in the room of it. So
that our fire, instead of blowing up of your works, is the best means that can be
used to prevent so fatal an accident; and will likewise carry off all unwholesom
vapours, damps, or steams which may proceed from corruption of air by stagna-
tions, or vapours arising from any poysonous earth or mineral.
Miner. This notion of yours carries reason and demonstration along with it, which
pleases me wonderfully. But Sir, is not your price too great for these engines of
yours?
Author. By what I shall offer to you, as to my price, I am sure to have you a friend
to me and my engine for ever. For I must tell you, that I would never have sent
my engine into the world if it would not raise your water with more case and con-
veniency to you and your servants, and also much cheaper than any other engine ever
used in your works, without which I could never propose any advantage to myself
by it. And to convinco you of the truth of my assertion, I dare undertake the engine
shall raise you as much water for eightpence as will cost you a shilling to raise the
like with your old engines in coal pits. By this one article the miner will save one-
third part of his former charge, which is thirty three pounds six shillings and eight-
pence saved out of every hundred pound,-a brave estate gained in one year out of
such great works, where three, six, or it may be eight thousand pounds per annum
is expended for clearing their mines of water only, besides the charge and repair of
gins, engines, horses, &c. I hope you will not now account my engines dear under
such conditions as I now offer; 'but if I should with you suppose my engine propor
tionable dear, or as dear as the engines you now use for drawing up your water, which
is impossible, my engine will be preferrabel before yours in many respects, insomuch
as mine prevents your damps and the evil effect of them. And as it will be my
interest to allow those that first set my engine at work considerable advantages, so I
hope I may assure my self of due incouragement from the ingenious, who are ever
studious to promote all inventions useful and beneficial to the publick; for they must
conclude, that an engine which for some time has daily imployed the best artificers
to work on it was not to be brought forth in one day; and to bring it to that per-
fection you now find it must have cost me and my friends not a little inoney i make
the workmen capable of their work with that certainty and exactness they now do.
And for working the engine, any person may have his servant taught it, it being to
be learnt in a very short time by one of an ordinary capacity.

page_text: Miner. But there are people who pretend to do great things in the improvement of
engines to work by hand or horses, the hope and expectation of which has hindered
some of us in our work and tired others, so as to make them out of love with all
engines, and almost with the trade of mining. And though I wish the contrary, I
fear this may prove some hinderance to the promoting your interest.
Author. True, Sir, I own that time out of mind there have been mountebanks and
impostors in all faculties, who pretend to great things, but do perform nothing
effectually. And it would be hard if that should be drawn into consequence, that
because some are knaves therefore none are honest. I know the notions of the per-
petual motion or self-moving engine, and many such like whims are pretended to by
designing men and believed by ignorant ones,-but the judicious man who considers
the laws of motion knows it is an infallible rule, that whatsoever matter is to be
removed upward must have a force superiour to the weight to be lifted up if its
motion be required as swift as the motion of the moving cause; if slower, propor-
tionably less strength will do; if swifter then the moving cause, as men's hands,
horses, or dead weight, then must the strength of the moving cause be increased pro-
portionably, or no motion can be produced. And the experience of ages shows us
this to be a most sure rule, allowing for friction, which is larger the more wheels or
parts an engine consisteth of, and of consequence the fewer parts or wheels an engine
consisteth of, the easier it works, so that by barely looking on a pump, if it has more
parts or wheels then the common crank-work, you may conclude it worse; if a chain-
work or tub-work the same. So that all that can be expected is to make those go
easier then they are now made to go by ingenious workmen expert in making them.
And if you try how small a matter will move those engines, when not loaded with
water, you will find the friction so small as not worth any mending, could it be done,
especially the tub-gin, whose friction increases the least in being loaded of any, but
the others are vastly encreased by the leathers of their suckers being forced broader,
and rubbing with much greater force against the barrel they work in, according to the.
height the pipes are raised.
And I hope, when it is considered how far this engine of mine differs from the
bare pretensions of ignorant or designing men, and that any persons may see what
my engine will perform before they contract for it, there will be found no ground for
the least suspicion in any person concerned to imploy them in mines, but to the con-
trary, afford us a generous incouragement in a business so condusive to the increas-
ing the mining trade, and thereby inrich themselves and the nation, and increase the
king's revenue.
I could heartily wish all miners, for their own as well as their countries interest,
were good mechanicks, and truly understood the nature, use, and application of all
kinds of engines, for I am sure those that do will be my best friends, without expect-
ing that horses, or men, or any other strength can or will do more then what nature
and the laws of motion has allow'd them.