282 EETU11N TO ENGLAND. 



through for tendering it for payment. Perhaps in a day or two 

 I shall hear something about it ; I would thank you to inform 

 me should you know anything about it. The unfavourable 

 result of the gun I attribute in a great measure to the change 

 in the Ministry and my not being present to explain the prac- 

 ticability of making the machinery about it simple. When 

 Lord Cochrane has seen it, and a meeting takes place with 

 him, my return to London may again revive its merits. This 

 unfavourable report does not lessen its merits, neither will it 

 deter me from again moving forward to convince the public 

 of its practicability. I shall make immediately a portable 

 model of the iron ship and engine, as they will be applicable to 

 packets, which have been attempted at Falmouth, but found 

 that the consumption of coals was so great that the whole of 

 the ships' burthen would not contain sufficient coals to take 

 them to Lisbon and return again, and on that account it was 

 discontinued. That insurmountable object will now be totally 

 removed, and I think that Lord Cochrane will make a very 

 excellent tool to remove many weak objections made by persons 

 not having sufficient ability to judge for themselves. His 

 Lordship, being a complete master of science, is capable of 

 appreciating their value from theory and from practice. I 

 should not be surprised to see him down here to inspect it. It 

 will be very agreeable if his Lordship conies here at the same 

 time as yourself; he is a remarkably pleasant companion. My 

 hearty thanks for your mother's good wishes towards me. 



" Your humble servant, 



" ED. TEEVITHICK. 



" MR. JNO. GERARD, 

 " No. 42, St. Mary Axe, London." 



Grerard and Trevithick believed in the great value of 

 the Costa Rica mines, and in the feasibility of working 

 them profitably could capital sufficient be obtained. 

 After a year or two passed in fruitless attempts to 

 form a mining company in England, Mr. Gerard visited 

 Holland and France with no better success ; and while 

 on this mission died in poverty in Paris, though brought 



