ANNUAL ADDRESS. XXIII. 



started in business on his own account and erected a horse power 

 flour mill at Black Creek, and afterwards designed and constructed 

 a novel arrangement of bullock power motor. This consisted of 

 a circular platform on a large bevel-wheel thirty feet diameter, 

 which geared into the pinion of the driving shaft. The axis of 

 the large wheel and circular platform was inclined about fifteen 

 degrees from the perpendicular, and the bullocks being yoked up 

 in such a position that they were always walking up hill, the 

 platform revolved under their feet and gave motion to the 

 machinery, just as it does in more modern horse powers which 

 have endless chain platforms. Mr. Portus went to Morpeth in 

 1838 and started the erection of the well known steam mill in 

 that town, with which he and his sons were for so many years 

 associated, until he gave up business in 1855. 



It may be interesting to note that the castings for this steam 

 mill were made by Mr. William Bourne, of Sussex-street, the 

 engineer who brought out the "Sophia Jane" with Lieutenant 

 Biddulph in May, 1831, and who afterwards opened a machine 

 shop near the Market Wharf; but Mr. Portus, senior, fitted up 

 and erected all the more important parts of the machinery with 

 his own hands. Unlike many other names herein referred to, and 

 which have died out, the name of Portus is still well known in 

 Australian engineering circles. 



By the year 1838, there were, on the authority of the "Picture 

 of Sydney," eight flour mills working in Sussex-street alone. 



The First Australian Foundry. — The first foundry of which any 

 record has been found was carried on by Mr. James Blanch, who 

 originally had a grant near to Dickson's mill at Darling Harbour, 

 where he was established in 1821. In 1823 he had an engineer's 

 shop and foundry on a grant of one rood nineteen and a half perches 

 next to the Royal Hotel, George-street. From information, accom- 

 panied by a photograph, which has been obtained by the author, 

 it appears that there is at Dapto, in the remains of an early flour 

 mill, a very old beam steam engine made by Blanch. This pioneer 

 was succeeded by the enterprising engineer who is now so well 



