Chapter XX

THE WATT AND THE TREVITHICK ENGINES AT DOLCOATH.

Early steam-engines--Semicircular boiler, 1775, net power 7 lbs.
on the inch--Watt's statement in 1777--Engines in Dolcoath--Watt's
engine, 1778--Watt's engine at Herland, 1798--Trevithick's tubular
boiler, 1799--Reconstruction of the Carloose 45-inch, 1799--Gross and
net power of engines--Comparison of Newcomen, Watt, and Trevithick
engines--Boiler explosion, 1803--Strong rivalry with Watt--Locomotive
at Coalbrookdale, 1803--Watt's proposed locomotive--Competition in
Wales--Numerous high-pressure engines, 1803--Patent difficulty--Watt's
opposition, 1804--Government inquiry--Competitive trials in
Wales--Tramway locomotive, 1804--The bet--Opposition because of saving
of labour--Worcester engine--West India Docks engine--High-pressure
steam condensing engines--One or two cylinders for expansion--Sirhowey
boilers--Mr. Homfray's opinion of the Watt opposition--Mr.
Whitehead makes engines in Manchester--Cylindrical tubular boiler
in Wales for large engines, 1805--Watt contests at Dolcoath,
1805--Steam-blast--Superiority of high-pressure whim-engines--Proposed
boiler for the large pumping engine, 1806--Steam pressure--The Watt
boiler--Comparison of size of fire-place and coal used--Dredger
contract--Theory of steam--Trevithick's Dolcoath boiler when
applied to the Watt engine, with expansive gear, to save 300l.
monthly, 1806--Momentum of pumping engine--Continued tests of high
and low pressure whim-engines at Dolcoath--Watt engine put aside,
1806--High-pressure engines ordered, 1806--High-pressure pumping
engine for Wheal Abraham, 1806--Disputed patent right--Expansion
reduces heat--Boiler for the Watt 63-inch engine, 1806--Cost of
Trevithick's boiler--Advantage of small tubes in boilers--Trinity
Board--Watt's steam-cylinder unsuitable for high steam, 1806--Sims'
trial of engines--Little fight--Tubular boilers, 1806--High-pressure
steam pumping engines, 1818--Reporter of engines--Application to
Government, 1810--Dolcoath engines and boilers--High steam to the Watt
engine--Duty of engines, 1812--Watt's boiler thrown out--Expansive
valve--Dolcoath manager--Saving by boilers and expansive working,
1812--Lean's reports--Increased duty of the three old Dolcoath
engines, 1814--76-inch engine, 1816--80,000l. a year saved--Durability
of engine--Its removal--Cylindrical boilers--Hornblower and Watt
engines--Davies Gilbert's report, 1798--Lean's report, 1816--Watt's
views of expansive working--Watt's steam of 1 or 2 lbs. to the
inch--Pole's statement--Engine at Marazion, 1804--Woolf in
Cornwall--Rees' Cyclopædia--'Encyclopædia Britannica'--Application to
Parliament--Wheal Towan--Newcomen and Watt engines--Pompe-à-feu 'La
Belle Machine,' Dolcoath Page 114-194

CHAPTER XXI.

ENGINES FOR SOUTH AMERICA.

Engines for Lima, 1813--Uville's application to Watt--High-pressure
model--Cerro de Pasco mines--Uville's return in search of
Trevithick--Engines ordered--Pump-work--Modern pumping engines--Money
difficulty--Weight of pieces--'Sanspareil' of 1813--Expansive
working--Quartz crusher--Locomotive for South America, 1813--Sketch
of winding engine--Their simplicity of form--Power and cost of
engines--Trevarthen and Bull to accompany the engines--A third
man recommended--Boilers put together at Cerro de Pasco--Uville's
arrest--Trevithick a shareholder--Vivian's application--Departure of
machinery, 1814--Uville's agreement--Invoice of engines sent
Page 195-220

CHAPTER XXII.

PERU.

Agreement for working the Peruvian mines, 1812--Uville and
Watt, 1811--Uville and Trevithick, 1813--Uville's opinion of
Trevithick--Estimated value of the mines--Machinery reached Peru,
1815--Trevithick's departure from Penzance, 1816--Mr. Edmond's
statement--Cerro de Pasco mines in 1850--Report from the Viceroy of
Peru, 1816--Report from the Magisterial Deputation of Yauricocha,
1816--Despatch from the Governor of the Province of Tarma,
1816--Pumping engines at work--The Viceroy's reply--Report in the
'Lima Gazette,' 1816--Trevithick's reception at Lima--Trevithick's
report, 1817--Differences between Trevithick and Uville--Trevithick's
thoughtless acts--His visit to the nunnery--The Lord Warden proposed
to erect a statue in silver to Trevithick--Bust of Trevithick
in Cornwall--Quicksilver--Sunk ship--Chili--Copper and silver
mine--Departure from Lima--Cerro de Pasco mines Page 221-259