224 PERU. 



Uville was sent on a mission of inquiry, and in 1811 

 consulted Boulton and Watt at Soho, who gave an 

 opinion that their engines were not suitable to so 

 elevated a position where the atmosphere was so much 

 lighter than in England, and the difficulties of transit 

 so great. On his return to Lima he carried with him a 

 small model of Trevithick's high-pressure steam-engine. 

 The Spaniards on seeing it work had the good sense 

 arid courage to put aside the Watt report and adopt 

 the principle of the small but active high-pressure steam- 

 puffer engine. 



An influential company was formed, which sent 

 Uville again to England to seek out the high-pressure 

 engineer and purchase his engines. What stronger evi- 

 dence could be given of the great difference between 

 the rival engineers and their engines ? The one with 

 low-pressure steam and vacuum, the other with high- 

 pressure steam and without vacuum. 



The three persons contracting to drain the Peruvian 

 mines agreed that no other should be allowed to join 

 them in the contract ; two steam-engines were to be 

 purchased, and if convenient a third engine might be 

 ordered on credit. One or two English mechanics were 

 to accompany the engines which the contractors engaged 

 should be in Lima within eighteen months. Ten months 

 had passed before Uville reached Trevithick, and when 

 in May, 1813, he communicated to the Cornish en- 

 gineer the same wants that he had made known to 

 Watt two years before, how different was the answer 

 received. "I engage to supply in four months six 

 24-inch cylinder high-pressure steam pumping engines, 

 with pumps and all necessary apparatus complete." 1 



1 See Trevithick's letter, 22nd May, 1813, vol. ii., p. 198. 



