Itj2 president's address. 



From the earliest ages man had kno^u that a closed vessel 

 containing a little water and put upon the fire would explode with 

 great violence, and thousands of years ago earthquakes were 

 attributed to a similar cause. The ancients also knew that steam 

 issuing from an orifice would produce a recoil or re-actionary 

 movement such as we see in a Catherine-wheel firework, or if 

 directed against a cogged-wheel would cause it to rotate just as if 

 you blew upon it with your breath. But so far as we can learn 

 this knowledge only led to the production of scientific or amusing 

 toys and was never apj^lied to any really practical purpose. 



But from the commencement of the seventeenth century 

 numerous inventors in various parts of Europe proposed to make 

 use of steam for the service of man. Still, however, no practical 

 commercial result was actually achieved until Thomas Savery 

 invented his engine for which he took out a patent No. 356 on 

 25 July, 1(398. "A new invention for raising of water and 

 occasioning motion to all sorts of Milhvork by the impellent force 

 of fire, which will be of great use and advantage for drayning 

 mines, serving townes with water and for the working of all sorts 

 of Mills, when they have not the benefit of water or constant 

 winds." In the following year (1699) an act of parliament was 

 passed "for the encouragement of a new invention by Thomas 

 Savery for raising water and occasioning motion to all sorts of 

 Millwork by the impellent force of fire." 



The preamble says, "Savery having by much care and 

 expense, since the grant of letters patent, greatly improved his 

 invention, which is likely to be of great use to the Public, but 

 which probably will require many years of time and much greater 

 expense to bring to full perfection, for which its Author deserves 

 better encouragement, it is enacted therefore, that at the expira- 

 tion of the term of fourteen years granted by the letters patent, 

 Savery shall for a term of twenty-one years, receive and enjoy 

 the sole profits of his invention." 



Savery, having protection under the patent of 1698 and 

 under the act of parliament of 1699, extending therefore over 35 

 years, did not try to make any mystery of his invention, but 

 published a very clear account of it in 1702 under the title of 

 "The Miners' Friend." I myself possess an original copy of 

 this work and if possible I intend to procure one for the Royal 



