PATENT RIGHTS. :\(\:> 



from America, called at Scorrier House in a very threaten- 

 ing attitude on 31st October, 1827, when Mr. Williams, 

 sen., said his reason for not continuing the payment was 

 from his belief that the term of the patent had expired. 

 Then came the following lawyer's letter : 



" SIR^ " PENZANCE, 1th November, 1827. 



" I was at Captain Trevithick's yesterday, who observed 

 to me he saw you at Scorrier a few days ago, and requested you 

 would be good enough to settle the arrears on the savings on 

 sonic of the engines in the mines for which you acted, none 

 having been paid for a year or two, when you stated that the 

 payment had been discontinued on account of the patent having 

 expired. I find on a reference to the patent that it will not 



expire till May, 1830. 



" I am, Sir, 



4< Your obedient servant, 



"Bo. EDMONDS. 



" JOHN WILLIAMS, Esq., Scorrier. 

 " SlR, " HAYLE, January 24*A, 1828.- 



" Yesterday I called on Mr. Williams, and after a long 

 dispute brought the old man to agree to pay me ISO/, on giving 

 him an indemnification in full from all demands on Treskerby 

 and Wheal Chance Mines in future. He requested that you 

 should make out this indemnification. I could not possibly get 

 them to pay more, and thought it most prudent to accept their 

 offer rather than risk a lawsuit with them. 



"1 remain, Sir, 



" Your obedient servant, 



" KICHARD TREVITHICK. 

 " RD. EDMONDS, Esq." 



" Treskerby and Wheal Chance were, I believe, the only 

 mines that paid for the use of the pole patent. Mr. John 

 Williams, sen., of Scorrier, was purser of those mines. The 

 agreement was that patentees should have one-fourth part of 

 the savings of coal above twenty-six millions. The one-half 

 of this fourth part from these two mines for some years was 

 about 150Z. per annum. This did not relate to the boilers ; 



