34 Mr Kenwood's account of the 



whole hemisphere was shrouded in gloom, presenting a strik- 

 ing contrast to the liveliness and beauty which had characterized 

 all the former part of the day. 



A very gentle breeze prevailed from the E. S. E. The ba- 

 rometer at 3 o'clock stood at 301 ; and the temperature in the 

 shade was 55°. 



Plymouth, Nov. 1, 1828. 



Aet. VII. — Account of the Steam-Engines in Cornwall. By 

 W. J. Kenwood, Esq. F. G. S., &c. &c. Communicated 

 by the Author. 



Shortly after the expiration of Messrs Boulton and Watt's 

 patent right, they relinquished the superintendence of the 

 steam-engines which they had erected on the Cornish mines ; 

 and they were consequently committed to the care of those 

 who had been convicted of infringements on the patent, or to 

 that of the mine-agents. None of those persons having been 

 acquainted with the reasons which had influenced Mr Watt's 

 operations, in avery short time, theduty, which had been advan- 

 ced to an average of above twenty millions of pounds weight, 

 lifted one foot high by the consumption of a bushel of coal, sub- 

 sided to an average not exceeding fourteen millions ; and the 

 performance of many engines was not more than siw millions. 

 Some of the pirators who were intrusted with the erection 

 of new engines, having, during the continuance of the patent, 

 found it of importance to get their engines into operation as 

 speedily as possible, without regard to accuracy or proportion, 

 with the sanction of the miners, still continued to pursue the 

 same practice ; the consequence of which was, that the scien- 

 tific precision which had been introduced by Mr Watt was 

 regarded as an object of secondary consideration. Some of 

 those erections (for they were scarcely worthy of being termed 

 machines) could only have been viewed as caricatures of the 

 original. Others followed Mr Watt's steps, as closely as, with- 

 out the assistance of science, they were enabled to do, and 

 produced some tolerable imitations. But all fell more or less 



