423

Chap. 5.] Motive Engine in 1651.

Some remarkably ingenious experimentalists flourisbed about the middleof the 17th Century, whose names have perished; and of their labors no-thing is known, except an enumeration of the uses to which some of theirinventions could be applied. An example of this is furnished by an ano-nymous pamphlet, a published in 1651, from which the following extract istaken. The device referred to seems to have possessed every attributeof a modern high-pressure engine, and the various applications of the latterappear to have been anticipated. “ Whereas, by the blessing of God ,who only is the giver of every good and perfect gift, while I was search-ing after that which many, far before me in all humane learning, havesought but not yet found, viz. a perpetual motion, or a lessening the dis-tance between strength and time ; though I say, not that I have fully ob-tained the thing itself, yet I have advanced so near it, that already I

can, with the strength or helpe of four men, do any work which is done inEngland, whether by winde, water or horses, as the grinding of wheate,rape, or raising of water; not by any power or wisdome of mine own,but by God ’s assistance and (I humbly hope, after a Sorte,) immediate di-rection, I have been guided in that search to treade in another pathe thanever any other man, that I can hear or reade of, did treade before me;yet, with so good success, that I have already erected one liüle engine, orgreat model, at Lambeth, able to give sufficient demonstration to eitherartist or other person, that my invention is useful and beneficial, (let otherssay upon proof how much more,) as any other way of working hithertoknown or used.” And he proceeds to give “ a Hst of the uses or applica-tions for which these engines are fit, for it is very difficult, if not impossi-

ble, to name them all at the same time. To grind malt, or hard corne ;to grind seed for the making of oyle ; to grind colours for potters, painters,or glasse-houses; to grind barke for tanners; to grind woods for dyers;to grind spices, or snuffe, tobacco ; to grind brick, tile, earth, or stones forplaster; to grind sugar-canes ; to draw up coales, stones, ure, or the like,or materials for great and high buildings ; to draw wyre ; to draw waterfrom mines, meers, or fens ; to draw water to serve cities, townes, castles;and to draw water to flood dry grounds, or to water grounds; to draw orhale ships, boates, fyc. up rivers against the stream ; to draw carts, Wagons,4 c, as fast without cattel: to draw the plough without cattel to the samedespatch f need be; to brake hempe, flax, &c.; to weigh anchors with lesstrouble and sooner; to spin cordage or cables; to bolt meale faster andfine; to saw stone and timber; to polish any stones or mettals; to turneany great works in wood, stone, mettals, fyc. that could hardly be done be-fore ; tofile much cheaper in all great worhs; to bare wood, stone, mettals;to thrashe corne, if need be; to winnow corne at all times, better, cheaper,&c. For paper mills, thread, mills, iron mills, plate mills; cum multisaliis.” If this extraordinary engine of motion, observes Mr. Stuart, towhom we are indebted for the extract, was not some kind of a steam-engine, the knowledge of an equally plastic and powerful motive agenthas been utterly lost.

Steam is not here indicated, but it is difficult to conceive any otheragent, unless some explosive compound be supposed, by which the pres-sure of the atmosphere was excited. That the engine consisted of aworking cylinder and piston, and the latter moved by steam, must we

a Invention of Engines of Motion lately hrought toperfection; “ whereby may be despatch-ed any work now done in England, or elsewhere, (especially works that require strengthand swiflness,) either by water, wind, cattel, or men, and that with better accommoda-tion and more profit than by any thing hitherto known and used.” London , 1651.