[ [27] The absurd story is told by Dr. Desaguliers (‘Experimental Philosophy,’ ii. 465) that Savery, having read the Marquis’s book, “was the first to put in practice the raising of water by fire, which he proposed for the draining of mines;” and having copied the Marquis’s engine, “the better to conceal the matter, bought up all the Marquis of Worcester’s books that he could purchase in Paternoster-row and elsewhere, and burned ’em in the presence of the gentleman, his friend, who told me this!” It need scarcely be said that it was very unlikely that Savery should have attempted thus to conceal an invention recorded in a printed book which had been in circulation for more than forty years.
[ [28] Switzer, ‘System of Hydrostaticks and Hydraulicks,’ London, 1729.
[ [29] The patent is dated the 25th July, 1698, and is entitled, “A grant to Thomas Savery, Gentl., of the sole exercise of a new invenc̃on, by him invented, for raiseing of water, and occasioning moc̃on to all sort of mill works, by the impellant force of fire, which will be of great use for draining mines, serving towns with water, and for the working of all sorts of mills when they have not the benefit of water nor constant winds; to hold for 14 years; with usual clauses.”
[ [30] ‘Philosophical Transactions,’ No. 252. Weld’s ‘Royal Society,’ i. 357.
[ [31] ‘The Miner’s Friend, or an Engine to Raise Water by Fire, described, and of the manner of fixing it in Mines, with an account of the several uses it is applicable unto; and an answer to the objections made against it. By Tho. Savery, Gent.’ London, 1702.
[ [32] Two boilers, a large, A, and a smaller, B, were fixed in a furnace, and connected together at the top by a pipe, C. The larger boiler was filled two-thirds full, and the smaller quite full of water. When that in the larger one was raised to the boiling-point, the handle of the regulator, D, was thrust back as far as it would go, by which the steam forced itself through the pipe connected with the vessel E, expelling the air it contained through the clack at F. The handle of the regulator being then drawn towards you, the communication between the boiler and the vessel, E, was closed, and that between the boiler and the second vessel, G, was opened, which latter was also filled with steam, the air being in like manner discharged through the clack, H. Cold water was then poured from the water-cock, I, on to the vessel E, by which the steam was suddenly condensed, and a vacuum being thereby caused, the water to be raised was drawn up through the sucking-pipe, J, its return being prevented by a clack or valve at K. The handle of the regulator D being again thrust back, the steam was again admitted, and pressing upon the surface of the water in E, forced it out at the bottom of the vessel and up through the pipe L, from which it was driven into the open air. The handle of the regulator was then reversed, on which the steam was again admitted to G, and the water in like manner expelled from it, while E, being again dashed with cold water, was refilling from below. Then the cold water was turned upon G, and thus alternate filling and forcing went on, and a continuous stream of cold water kept flowing from the upper opening. The large boiler was replenished with water by shutting off the connection of the small boiler with the cold water pipe, M, which supplied it from above, on which the steam contained in the latter forced the water through the connecting pipe, C, into the large boiler, and kept it running in a continuous stream until the surface of the water in the smaller boiler was depressed below the opening of the connecting pipe, which was indicated by the noise of the clack, when it was refilled from the cold water pipe, M, as before.
[ [33] Switzer, ‘Introduction to a General System of Hydrostaticks and Hydraulicks,’ 237.
[ [34] Dr. Wilkes in ‘Shaw’s History of Staffordshire,’ i. 85, 119.
[ [35] Bradley, ‘Discourses on Earth and Water, &c.’ Westminster, 1727.
[ [36] We are informed by Quartermaster Conolly, R.E., who has given much attention to the early history of the Royal Engineers, that the book of Warrants and Appointments, anno 1712, No. 172½, in the Tower Record-room, contains the following memorandum in pencil on the inside cover:—[Thomas] “Savery, Engineer officer, 1702–14.”