AGRICULTURAL ENG1NKS. 55 



have been obliged to send to one of the farmers at Padftow for 

 thrashing, instead of one of those engines that I ordered from 

 you. I expect that the people who ordered the engine for the 

 West Indies are also tired of waiting. I have two other appli- 

 cations for engines for the West Indies, and the Messrs. Fox 

 will want a great many engines of that size for the Plymouth 

 Breakwater. They are to provide machinery, with every other 

 expense, and I am to have a certain proportion of what I can 

 save over what it now costs them to do it by manual labour. I 

 think I have made a very good bargain, for if the plan succeeds 

 I shall get a great deal of money, and if it fails I shall lose 

 nothing. They have engaged with the Government to deliver 

 3,000,000 tons, for which they have a very good price, even if 

 it was to be done by men's labour. I hope I shall get the 

 engine soon on the spot, and will then let you know the result. 

 As the boiler that was intended for the ploughing engine is to 

 be sent to Exeter, I w r ish you to finish that engine with boiler, 

 wheels, and everything complete for ploughing and thrashing, 

 as shown in the drawing, unless you can improve on it. There 

 is no doubt about the wheels turning around as you suppose, 

 for when that engine in Wales travelled on the tramroad, 

 which was very smooth, yet all the power of the engine could 

 not slip around the wheels when the engine was chained to a 

 post for that particular experiment. 



" That new engine you saw near the seaside with me is now 

 lifting forty millions 1 foot high with 1 bushel of coal, which is 

 very nearly double the duty that is done by any other engine 

 in the county. A few days since I altered a 64-inch cylinder 

 engine at Wheal Alfred to the same plan, and I think she will 

 do equally as much duty. I have a notice to attend a mine 

 meeting to erect a new engine equal in power to a 63-inch 

 cylinder single, which I hope to be able to send to you for. I 

 have also an appointment to meet some gentlemen at Swansea, 

 to erect two engines for them, one to lift water, the other coal, 

 which you will hear more about, I expect, soon. If I can spare a 

 few days when at Swansea, I will call to see you at Bridgenorth. 

 I have not seen Mr. Kichard since you left, but will call on him 

 in a few days and do as you request. If you think the fly-wheel 



