XVI. NORMAN SELFE. 



were built was more to blame than the shrinking of the cogs, 

 because that would throw the whole gear out of truth. 



One of the prisoners who came to the colony in 1790, named 

 James Wilkinson, was found to possess abilities as a millwright. 

 Acting-Governor Grose, who sent for him, expressed surprise that 

 his knowledge as a millwright had lain dormant so long. Wilkinson 

 soon let it be known that his opinion of Thorpe's abilities was a 

 very poor one, and that he was desirous of entering into competi- 

 tion with the official artificer. The Governor thereupon determined 

 to give him a chance of shewing what he could do, and promised 

 to well reward him if he turned out a workable mill on a fairly 

 large scale. Wilkinson went to work, and after some time pro- 

 duced a "walking machine," the principal wheel of which was 

 15 ft. in diameter. This was operated by two men walking inside 

 it, and was probably similar to the wheels of the old cranes at the 

 London docks, before they were superseded by mechanical power. 

 When the author used to visit these docks some fifty years ago, he 

 has been in these wheels and been allowed to have a "walk" through 

 the good offices of his guides. In the construction of Wilkin- 

 son's walking mill, the heavy part of the labour, such as cutting 

 and bringing in the timber and preparing it, was performed by 

 his fellow prisoners without charge, they being delighted that one 

 of their own class was being brought into competition with Thorpe, 

 the official millwright. 



Some idea may be formed of the amount of labour expended on 

 this experiment from the fact that it took three months and five 

 days to perfect the work. When the time arrived for its first 

 trial, early in October, 1793, there was quite a ceremony. It was 

 found, however, to be anything but satisfactory, the old excuse 

 being repeated that the timber was not properly seasoned. In 

 grinding, its efficiency was very variable ; at first it only ground 

 two bushels, but afterwards with some alterations it produced four 

 bushels of meal per hour. Governor Grose, however, was at the 

 outset delighted with the result, and under date 12th October, 

 1793, in writing to the Secretary of State, on the subject of the 



