398 JAMES WATT. 



become the most useful school in practical mechanics for 

 all England. The construction of draining pumps of 

 very large dimensions was soon undertaken there, and 

 repeated experiments showed that, with equal effect, 

 they saved three quarters of the fuel that was consumed 

 by Newcomen s previous engines. From that moment 

 the new pumps were spread through all the mining 

 counties, especially in Cornwall. Boulton and Watt 

 received as a duty the value of one third of the coal 

 saved by each of their engines. We may form an 

 opinion of the commercial importance of the invention 

 from an authentic fact ; in the Chace-water Mine alone, 

 where three pumps were at work, the proprietors found 

 it to their advantage to buy up the inventor s rights for 

 the annual sum of 60,000 francs (2,400). Thus in 

 one establishment alone, the substitution of the condenser 

 for internal injection, had occasioned an annual saving 

 in fuel of upwards of 180,000 francs (7,000).* 



Men are easily reconciled to paying the rent of a 

 house, or the price of a farm. But this good-will disap 

 pears when an idea is the subject treated of, whatever 

 advantage, whatever profit, it may be the means of pro 

 curing. Ideas ! are they not conceived without trouble 

 or labour ? Who can prove but that with time the same 

 might not have occurred to everybody ? In this way 

 days, months, and years of priority would give no force 

 to a patent ! 



Such opinions, which I need not here criticize, had 

 obtained a footing from mere routine, as decided. Men 

 * Here it must be borne in mind that a principal method of insur 

 ing a return for their outlay, was their manufacturing steam-engines . 

 on the most extensive scale, with a degree of accuracy never before 

 applied in the production of large machinery ; and this was so fully 

 accomplished, that all other engines were superseded. Translator. 



