388 PETITION TO PARLIAMENT. 



tubular boiler are very similar to Trevithick's patent 

 drawing and specification of 1832; even tbe variable 

 blast-pipe was used by him in 1802. 1 



The last years of Trevithick's eventful life were che- 

 quered with hopes and disappointments when, in the 

 early part of 1830, he wrote to his friend Gerard: 



" This morning I called here for the purpose of forwarding 

 my information to the committee of the House. I called on 

 Mr. Thompson to inform him what Mr. Gilbert said respecting 

 it. His answer was, that the direct method would be by for- 

 warding a petition in the way proposed when at the lobby. In 

 consequence, I have forwarded the petition to Sir Matthew 

 Kidley. Yesterday I took the coach to Highgate, by way of 

 Camden Town, and of course had to walk up Highgate Hill. 

 I found I was able to walk up that hill with as much ease and 

 speed as any of my coach companions. However strange this 

 maggot may appear in my chest and brain, it is no more than 

 true. I wish among all you long-life-preserving doctors you 

 could find out the cause of this defect, so as to remedy this 

 troublesome companion of mine." 



His health was breaking down, and his petition for a 

 gift from the public purse, so hopefully commenced 

 two years before, was doomed, after another year's 

 bandying from pillar to post, to be forgotten and un- 

 answered. 



" DEAR TREVITHICK, " EASTBOURNE, December 26th, 1831. 



" I am sorry to find that you have not any prospect of 

 assistance from Government. I have not any copy or memo- 

 randum of my letter to Mr. Spring Kice, but it was to the effect 

 of first bearing testimony to the large share that you have had 

 in almost all the improvements on Mr. Watt's engine, which 

 have altogether about trebled its power ; your having made a 

 travelling engine twenty-eight years ago ; of your having 

 invented the iron tanks for carrying water on board ship. 1 



1 Trevithiek's letter, 22nl August, 1802, vol. i., 



