1803. On T'hrajlxing Machines, 13! 



wick, and orckrcd a model tliereof to be made for Iils ufe, upon 

 whieh he afterwards formed a number of improvements. Several 

 of the models, exeeiited under Sir Francis'i> infpedtion, are Itill 

 preferved ; and one of them, tolerably perfedl:, 1 examined in the 

 ware-room or depot of the Board of Agriculture at London. As 

 Sir Francis had no opportunity of trying a large model which he 

 caufed to be made, it was fcnt by him to Mr Andrew IMeiUe, ci- 

 vil engineer at Houflon-mill near Haddington, in order that its 

 efFecSls might be afcertained by the water-wheel of Mr Meikle's 

 barley mill ; but in making this trial, the model was torn to 

 pieces ; and the like fate befel a machine of full fize, creeled at 

 the cxpence of Sir Francis, feveral years afterwards, upon the 

 principles of the model fent to Mr Meikle. Whether Mr Meikle 

 had prcvioully iketehed out a plan of a perfect machine, or whe- 

 ther the light of Sir Francis's model llimulated his inventive ge- 

 nius, are problematical circumltances •, indeed, they are immate- 

 rial to the main point ; for if it can be ihown, that no machine 

 had been erected prior to that of Mr Mcikle's, capable of execut- 

 ing the work intended, or undergoing the neeeliary velocity, then 

 I prefume the merit of the invention muil be given to him, evsn 

 were I to allow, which after all is a difputable point, that his 

 attention was excited by the attempts of others, which, at all 

 hands, are now acknowledged to have been imperfecl and incom- 

 plete. 



Mr Meikle, after trying Sir Francis Kinloch's model, as al- 

 ready faid, was induced to apply a principle entirely new, and 

 which had not hitherto been ufed by any other. It is evident 

 that the force required to thrafli perfectly, or even in any quanti- 

 ty, muft be confiderable ; for no machine is capable of doing the 

 work in a perfe£l: manner, that does not move with a velocity ex- 

 ceeding two thouland feet of the circumference of the drum in 

 a minute. This occurred to Mr Meikle ; and he could difcover 

 no furer method of executing the worl:, than to btiat out the corn 

 from the ear by means of a itrong drum or cylinder, upon Vv-hich 

 fixed heaters fhould be pL}ce(L Experience fanclions the juftice 

 of the principle adopted by him \ for every machine nov/ in ufe 

 has been copied from, thofe he firfl ereded, though, no doubt, 

 many variations upon the fize of the drum, and other matters to- 

 tally diitin61: and unconne61:cd with the original principle, have 

 fmce been adoptetl, both by himfelf and others. The machine ii 

 fo generally knov/n, that it would be a v/ork of fupererogation, 

 were I to take up your time in defcribing it. I may only add, 

 that one of the chief advantages of the machine is, that it is ca- 

 pable of being fafely v/rought with greater velocity than I have 

 mentioned j and, without velocity, corn cannot be thrallied in a 

 perfect manner, ' 



