Wilkinson’s relations with Boulton & Watt became very intimate. He showed his confidence in the new engine by ordering the first one built at Soho to blow the bellows of his iron works at Broseley. Great interest was felt in the success of this engine. Other iron manufacturers suspended their building operations to see what the engine could do and Watt himself superintended every detail of its construction and erection. Before it was finished Boulton wrote to Watt: Pray tell Mr. Wilkinson to get a dozen cylinders cast and bored from 12 to 50 inches in diameter, and as many condensers of suitable sizes; the latter must be sent here, as we will keep them ready fitted up, and then an engine can be turned out of hand in two or three weeks. I have fixed my mind upon making from 12 to 15 reciprocating, and 50 rotative engines per annum.[14] [14] Smiles: “Boulton & Watt,” p. 185. London, 1904. This letter is interesting as showing Boulton’s clear grasp of the principles of manufacturing. Later, when Boulton & Watt were hard pressed financially, Wilkinson took a considerable share in their business and when the rotative engine was developed he ordered the first one. He consequently has the honor of being the purchaser of the first reciprocating and the first rotary engine turned out by Watt. Later, when Watt was educating his son to take up his work, he sent him for a year to Wilkinson’s iron works at Bersham, to learn their methods. Fig. 7, taken from an old encyclopedia of manufacturing and engineering, shows the boring machine used for boring Watt’s steam cylinders. On two oaken stringers _SS_, frames _FF_ were mounted which carried a hollow boring bar _A_ driven from the end. The cylinder to be bored was clamped to saddles, as shown. The cutters were carried on a head which rotated with the bar and was fed along it by means of an internal feed-rod and rack. In the machine shown the feeding was done by a weight and lever which actuated a pinion gearing with the rack _R_, but later a positive feed, through a train of gears operated by the main boring-bar, was used. Two roughing cuts and a finishing cut were used, and the average feed is given as ¹⁄₁₆ inch per revolution. While this machine may seem crude, a comparison with Smeaton’s boring machine, Fig. 1, will show how great an advance it was over the best which preceded it. Wilkinson was a pioneer in many lines. He built and launched the first iron vessel and in a letter dated July 14, 1787, says: Yesterday week my iron boat was launched. It answers all my expectations, and has convinced the unbelievers who were 999 in a thousand. It will be only a nine days wonder, and then be like Columbus’s egg.[15] [15] “_Beiträge zur Geschichte der Technik und Industrie_,” 3. Band. S. 227. Berlin, 1911. In another letter written a little over a year later, he says: