The Life, Times, and Scientific Labours of the Second Marquis of Worcester / To which is added a reprint of his Century of Inventions, 1663, with a Commentary thereon.

by Henry Dircks

If we are correct in this conjecture, the principle involved would easily account for the inventions couched in the terms of articles No. 22, An ebbing and flowing river; and No. 23, An ebbing and flowing Castle Clock.

The present article, viewed in any other light than as illustrative of the peculiar properties of the great principle with which he was operating, and which he was incessantly investigating, and varying its applications, is altogether incomprehensible. But it was very natural for him to preserve in this simple but striking form the sure signs of greater applications. In the present example, we have no attempt, in this philosophical demonstrative model, to cater to the popular taste, although the fertile genius of the noble inventor could not permit the suggestion to escape his pen that the rise and the fall of the water might be made to operate—shall we say bellows, mills and the like, and cause birds to chirp, and fountains to play? Thus “working some little effect besides its own motion” of soberly ebbing and flowing. But this is a mere parenthetical, gratuitous offer to dash the concealed purpose, and give colour to the supposition that it had no higher design. There is generally something to serve for amusement, or to answer some practical purpose, observable in all the 100 articles, but who could assign the use of two globes, in two vessels of water, causing the same to flow and ebb? Viewed independent of the object here suggested, it bears a most purposeless character; and in no other way than as illustrative of the results of the condensation of steam, set forth in a merely experimental apparatus, can we conceive it possible of receiving either a scientific or any other reasonable explanation.

For adjusting the apparatus it would be necessary to fill the troughs or cisterns until the water was level with the perforated false bottom, and next to add as much more water as would be equal to the contents of one globe, when the water altogether would cover the false bottoms. The globes should be heavy enough not to overturn either on the admission of the steam, or the expulsion of steam and air from beneath. While steam is entering, the top spring-valve is kept closed by the float-weight, but when condensation commences, the external pressure performs the same duty; so soon, however, as the rising water has elevated the float to the underside of the spring-valve, its pressure against it and the action of the spring, cause it to open, and then the column of water will at once commence descending. As a matter of detail, the float would require a guide rod, or some similar contrivance to direct and keep its course uniformly under the valve, so as to open it.

The whole experiment is one of mere matter of fact and not of excellence. It is simply to develope a principle and not to carry out any express piece of curious workmanship; there is not, therefore, any statement of its possessing surprising qualities, the utmost proposed is “a constant water-flowing and ebbing motion,” without any condition as to degree, quantity, or extent of its effect. This and no more would the apparatus here described demonstrate on its trial.

This article of the “Century” strikingly illustrates how truly the Marquis wrote it as he says—“in a way, as may sufficiently instruct me to put any of them in practice;” or, rather to repeat the practice of them, for he has only a line or two before told us, they are such of his inventions as “I can call to mind to have tried and perfected;” and what he wrote he meant, let sceptics and superficial critics pervert his words as they may to uphold their own narrow conceits. The reader of articles, Nos. 22 and 23, is informed of effects without the least intimation of a means; he is then amused with springs, weights, levers, portable bridges, fortifications, stenography, keys, automata, stairs, ladders, cochlea, and so forth, to the number of 33 inventions, and then, after losing sight of No. 22, and No. 23, he is invited to examine the machine by which the “ebbing and flowing” effects are produced. All this is perfectly legitimate, but, nevertheless, well worthy of notice, as opening to view the peculiar tact and skill of the writer; and the extreme necessity of exercising cautious judgment in our estimate of “The treasures buried under these heads, both for war, peace, and pleasure.”

It is when we refer back to No. 22, that we become convinced, beyond what No. 57 alone might persuade us of, that by no means short of the condensation of steam could the proposed ebbing and flowing be effected on a river “twenty feet over,” and be managed by “a child’s force,” as in article No. 100.

58.

How to make a Pistol to discharge a dozen times with one loading, and without so much as once new Priming requisite, or to change it out of one hand into the other, or stop ones horse.

[An often-discharging Pistol.] About the year 1575, a description was given of the operation and advantages of a certain newly invented engine of war, whereby twenty-four bullets could be discharged from one piece at a time. And it appears that at that period there were in the Tower 200 of the engines and 3000 bullets.—Cal. State Papers, Vol. 106.

About 1580 (?) John the Almain wrote to Walsyngham, recommends one of his countrymen, who had invented an harquebuse, “that shall contain ten balls or pelletes of lead, all the which shall go off, one after another, having once given fire; so that with one harquebuse one may kill ten thieves or other enemies without recharging.”—Cal. State Papers, Vol. 146.