"The public until now called me a scheming fellow, but their tone is much altered. An engine is ordered for the West India Docks, to travel itself from ship to ship, to unload and to take up the goods to the upper floors of the storehouses.
"Boulton and Watt have strained every nerve to get a Bill in the House to stop these engines, saying the lives of the public are endangered by them, and I have no doubt they would have carried their point, if Mr. Homfray had not gone to London to prevent it; in consequence of which an engineer from Woolwich was ordered down, and one from the Admiralty Office, to inspect and make trial of the strength of the materials."[63]
After a week or two another letter states,[64]—
"We are preparing to get the materials ready for the experiments by the London engineers, who are to be here on Sunday next. We have fixed up 28 feet of 18-inch pumps for the engine to lift water.
"These engineers particularly requested that they might have a given weight lifted, so as to be able to calculate the real duty done by a bushel of coal.
"As they intend to make trial of the duty performed by the coal consumed, they will state it as against the duty performed by Boulton's great engines, which did upward of twenty-five millions, when their 20-inch cylinders, after being put in the best order possible, did not exceed ten millions. As you were consulted on all those trials of Boulton's engines, your presence would have great weight with those gents, otherwise I shall not have fair play. Let me meet them on fair grounds and I will soon convince them of the superiority of the 'Pressure-of-steam engine.'"
Watt left no stone unturned to prevent the use of high-pressure steam-engines, and fortune favoured him, for after four or five days Trevithick again wrote:—
"I am sorry to inform you that the experiments that were to be exhibited before the London gents are put off, on account of an accident which happened to Mr. Homfray. I find myself much disappointed on account of the accident, for I was desirous to make the engine go through its different work, that its effect might be published as early as possible."[65]
While constructing those numerous high-pressure engines for rolling mills, winding engines, and pumping engines, the Welsh and Newcastle locomotives were being made and worked, yet he found time to teach the people of Stourbridge.
"Stourbridge, July 5th, 1804.