PETITION TO PAKLIAMENT. 311 



important inventions and improvements will not be suffered to 

 go unrewarded by the English nation, particularly as he has 

 hitherto received no compensation for the loss himself and his 

 I an n'ly have sustained by his having thus consumed his property 

 for the public benefit. 



" Your petitioner therefore most humbly prays that your 

 Honourable House will be pleased to take his case into consider- 

 ation, and to grant him such remuneration or relief as to your 

 Honourable House shall seem meet. 



" And your petitioner, as in duty bound, will ever pray, &c. 



"KD. EDMONDS, 



" Solicitor, Penzance" 



From the Patent Office to the House of Commons 

 was, for a petitioner, as bad as out of the frying-pan 

 into the fire. Trevithick solicited the support of Mem- 

 bers of Parliament until tired of running after friends, 

 and the petition became a dead letter, though the 

 mining interests of Cornwall had in twelve years saved 

 500,000^. by his unrewarded inventions. 



" LAUDERDALE HOUSE, HIGHGATE, December 24th, 1831. 

 " MK. GILBERT, 



" Sir, I find that Mr. Spring Eice cannot get the Lords 

 of the Treasury to agree to remunerate or assist me in any way. 

 He appeared to be much disappointed, and said that he would 

 write to the Admiralty Board on Thursday last, recommending 

 them to adopt this engine. As yet I have heard nothing respect- 

 ing it, nor do I expect to during the holy days ; but in the 

 interim I wish to look out for some moneyed man to join in 

 it, otherwise I fear I shall lose the whole. Can you assist in 

 recommending anyone you. know ? I wish Mr. Thompson would 

 come into it, he would be a good man. Can you furnish me 

 with a copy of your report to Mr. Spring Rice, or something 

 relating thereto? It would be a great assistance in getting 

 some one to join. 



"The sum required is small, and the risk is less; but the 



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