| Description | Boulton used the outside of the sheet for notes on the performance of the Chelsea engine, 11 May.
Letter. James Watt (Birmingham) to Matthew Boulton (6 Green Lettice Lane, London). 10 May 1777. This letter was removed from this bundle by George Tangye and presented to the American Institute of Mechanical Engineers in 1910. For photographs of the letter see the Samuel Timmins albums. The letter reads as follows:
"Birmingham 10 May 1777
Dear sir,
Yours of the 8th before me. Salmon’s man is making Wheel Virgin boiler & seems to do tolerably well.
I am astonished how Joseph deceived himself and us in the effect of Bow boiler – I have not seen him since – but I remember he told me that there was a prodigious odds in the quality of some of their coals by others. Did you try whether pushing in the damper to a certain degree did not produce a better or as good an effect as opening the holes in chimney - & was you absolutely certain that no feed got into the boiler during time of experiment.
I think that you are in a good train at Shadwell and recollect no more sanctions on that head.
I have made the best apology I could to Mrs. B. Though she talks the words of wrath she is in very good humour & all are well.
When I see the table I can reason upon copper boilers.
I saw the battering ram or devil incarnate go today above 60 strokes pr. minute & work its own regulators. All the stampers were assembled, they thanked God that Webb could not make feeders in, he told them he had one of these under hand. Moore wants a score of large ones for his own a/c. The story is all over Birmingham & I expect we shall have customers by the dozen, I imagine that they may be made to work forges & tilts fast enough for any purpose.
Cleobury Iron has turned out damned bad. The piston rod for Huel Bussey was very well forged by Dixon and upon heating it to float it fell in two at their shouting & Joss rejoiced in his heart thereat but neither Joss nor Joseph could weld it again – nor would it weld to any other iron by no trick. Dixon is faggotting one out of Swedish small barr’d.
The branch of battering rams may turn out very considerable as I dare say no body will attempt them with common engines & I don’t know if they could be made to do.
I have invented an admirable thing for opening the regulators which acts by a spring and does it quicker than thought. All Webb’s fears are that when a large one goes at the rate that this does that no body will come near it.
It has demolished all the fixtures many times already and I suppose must be wholly made of cast iron.
Dangerfield has been here and sett Joss to growling and drinking for two days this week.
I should make myself easy about profits if any were coming in at all but a total stagnation as has been hitherto cannot do at all. I am clear that you should make your bargains sure before you leave London & lett us know what we are to get with some probability at least.
As to the Cornish affair it has also struck me that I should go first & that something should [? Be done] before you came.
Adieu.
I wish you a clear head and a firm heart on Tuesday – pray weigh the coals & observe the quality – keep well with Rothwell. I think he deserves it.
Yours, J. Watt." |