LIFE OF TREYITHICK. 



CHAPTER XVII. 



VAEIOUS INVENTIONS. 



" ABOUT 1804 Captain Trevithick put up in Dolcoath Mine a 

 stone-crushing mill, having large cast-iron rollers, for breaking 

 into small pieces the large stones of ore ; it was spoken of as 

 the first ever used for such a purpose ; the same form of crusher 

 is still used in the mines. It caused a great saving compared 

 with breaking by a hand hammer." l 



"I saw at the Weith Mine in 1805 a portable high-pressure 

 engine, made by Captain Trevithick. 



" It was Called a puffer ; the cylinder was in the boiler ; the 

 steam about 30 Ibs. on the inch above the atmosphere. A 

 wooden shed sheltered the engine and man. 



" The facility of manufacture and cheapness of those engines 

 caused them to be much used in the mines, and also elsewhere." 2 



Mrs. Trevithick, about the time we are speaking of, 

 accompanied her husband through one of the Stafford- 

 shire china manufactories. Trevithick said to the 

 manufacturer, "You would grind your clay much better 

 by using my cast-iron rolls and high-pressure steam- 

 engine." The manufacturer begged him to accept a set 

 of china. Mrs. Trevithick was disappointed at hearing 

 her husband say " No ! I have only told you what was 

 passing in my mind." 



Driving rolling-mills was among the early applica- 

 tions of the high-pressure steam-engines; but pulverizing 



1 Recollections of the late Captain Charles Thomas, manager of Dole-oath, 



2 Captain Samuel Grose's recollections. 



VOL. II. B 



