328 BRIXDEEY AS MASTER WHEELWRIGHT 



lever, whose axis was at the angle, and the lift at the 

 other extremity. In course of time, as improvements 

 were introduced in the grinding of flints, the stamping 

 apparatus was detached from the machinery ; but this 

 water-wheel continued its constant and silent operation 

 of pumping out the mines for full forty years after the 

 death of its inventor ; and when it was at length broken 

 up, about the year 181 2, the pump-trees, which consisted 

 of wooden staves firmly bound together with ashen hoops, 

 were found to be lined with cow-hides, the working- 

 buckets being also covered with leather a contrivance 

 of which the like, it is believed, has not before been 

 recorded. 1 



About the same time Brindley was requested by Mr. 

 John Wedgwood to erect a windmill for a similar pur- 

 pose on an elevated site adjoining the town of Burslem, 

 called the Jenkins ; this being one of the first, if not the 

 very first, experiments made of the plan of grinding the 

 calcined flints in water, which in this case was pumped 

 by the action of the machinery from a well situated 

 within the mill itself. This invention, which was of 

 considerable importance, has by some been attributed 

 to Brindley, whose ingenious mind was ever ready to 

 suggest improvements in whatever process of manufacture 

 came under his notice. It was natural that he should 

 closely watch the operation of flint-grinding, having to 

 construct and repair the greater part of the machinery 

 used in the process ; and he could not fail to notice the 

 distressing consequences resulting from inhaling the fine 

 particles with which the air of the flint-mills was laden. 

 Hence the probability of his suggesting that the flints 

 should be ground in water, as calculated not only to 

 prevent waste and preserve the purity of the air, but 

 also to facilitate the operation of grinding, a simple 

 enough suggestion, but, as the result proved, a most 

 valuable one. With this object he invented an improved 



1 ' History of the Borough of Stoke-up.n-Tivnt.' I'.y .John Ward. 1853. P. 164. 



