a|6 the effect of water on machinery. Oct. ly 



wheel must be turned round with the same velocity *. 

 In this case none of the power would be lost, because 

 its whole force is perpetually applied at the very 

 point of the lever (h. fig. 2d.) where it must produce 

 its greatest eiFect. The apparatus is so simple, and 

 the conclusions so indubitable, that mere inspection 

 of the figure is sufficient to convince every person 

 of the most tnoderate understanding, so that farther 

 illustrations are perfectly needlefs. I ftiall only just 

 make one remark, here, which is indeed sufficiently 

 obvious, that, were a moving power of this sort 

 adopted, it would be as easy to apply it to a wheel 

 placed in the top, as in the bottom of a building, or to 

 one in every stage of it, if necefsary. 



In this way may be obtained the full benefit of the 

 greatest height of any fall of water, without losing 

 the smallest portion of its weight as amoving power ; 

 a thing that is altogether impracticable by any other 

 means that has ever yet been adopted. Even with 

 regard to falls of moderate height, where a wheel 

 could be made of such a size as to receive the v/ater 

 into buckets, at its full height, much power would be 

 gained by hanging the buckets to a chain in this man- 

 ner, and making the water, by this means, act always 

 by its whole weight nearly, upon the horizx)ntal oc 

 longest lever of the wheel, as at h ?ig. 2. and no 

 where else. It was from a contemplation of the in- 

 finite force that might thus be obtained in the High- 

 lands of Scotland, for turning machinery, that I have 



• E, represents that whfel, with the pins h. Fig. 3d, Ihows a front 

 view of the chain, with the catch pins^ b, b^ and a section of the edge 

 ef the v.hte\ at A, with its forked pins to catch the pinj of the chain a» 

 it moves. 



