| Description | [He sends thanks for the description of the separate condenser, which is ingenious. Description of his engine and its state of readiness. The engineer, Jabez Carter Hornblower, speaks no Dutch, so gives instructions by interpreter. He advises getting an exclusive privilege if engines are to be erected abroad].
to James Watt Rotterdam, 10 August 1775
I am much obliged for your Kindness in answering my letter so circumstantially; so far as I can judge of your improvement by your description; I own I have a very good opinion about it, The Keeping the Cylinder of the same heat with the steam must undoubtedly have a good effect long time ago I had that thought; but your thought of not condensing the steam in the cylinder but in a separate vessel is certainly an ingenious one, and must give a great advantage to an engine constructed upon that principle, but the contriving such an engine appears to me not an easy matter, how open your description is, for which I give you my hearty thanks, or are always some material circumstances , which when nor known, makes th' understanding very difficult nor is it to be exacted that you should discover to me all th' essential parts of an invention which has cost you so much trouble and time of which I wish with all my heart you may reap all th' advantages such a noble improvement deserves. I sollicit you earnestly to keep your word in informing me of the particulars sise and power of th' engine which will have double the power of ours, which you are about in erecting now when completed.
I think our boiler will be built properly up he will not be set under the cylinder, bur next to the same, having a communication pipe and receptacle for the steam between them. this construction brings our Cylinder between fore and six feet lower as otherwise it must have been, which is a great advantage for our whole building here. our fuel will be Sunderland not Newcastle coals. Our Engine is now so far advanced that the walls to Support the Cylinder are built up and in a few days he will be suspended upon them. the lever wall and chimney are about the same height, th' ashpit is made and the fireplace begun. the smiths are busy in nailing th' upper part or dome of the boiler with red hot nails, all these things go not so forward as in a country where all the people employed is used to every part, that she take in hand, which is not at all the case here. OurEngineer Mr Jabes Carter Hornblower speaks no Dutch att all; so that he give his direction by an interpreter when I am not on the spott.
I should never advise you to erect out of Brittain any of your Engines without an exclusive priviledge of the State where they are to be erected; in this country such a priviledge would easily be obtained without being liable to great Expenses.
I offer you my ready service in this Country and remain .. |