The three persons contracting to drain the Peruvian mines agreed
that no other should be allowed to join them in the contract; two
steam-engines were to be purchased, and if convenient a third engine
might be ordered on credit. One or two English mechanics were to
accompany the engines which the contractors engaged should be in Lima
within eighteen months. Ten months had passed before Uville reached
Trevithick, and when in May, 1813, he communicated to the Cornish
engineer the same wants that he had made known to Watt two years
before, how different was the answer received. "I engage to supply in
four months six 24-inch cylinder high-pressure steam pumping engines,
with pumps and all necessary apparatus complete."[124] This promise was
nearly fulfilled,[125] but want of money, the ordering of additional
machinery, and difficulty in finding a ship,--for Spain was then at
war, or on the verge of it, with the South American republics,--delayed
for a time the completion of the order; but within eight months even
the additional work seems to have been ready, and the following
agreement was entered into, though the ship with her freight of _nine_
steam-engines did not leave England until September, 1814, fifteen
months after Uville's first meeting with Trevithick.
[Footnote 124: See Trevithick's letter, 22nd May, 1813, vol. ii., p. 198.]
[Footnote 125: See Trevithick's letters, 22nd Sept. and 23rd Oct., 1813,
vol. ii., pp. 206, 209.]
"_Agreement dated the 8th January, 1814._
"The said persons from whom he (Uville) would have received supplies,
not being at that time in London, the said Francisco Uville has
agreed to admit the said Richard Trevithick to be a partner in the
concern, upon his advancing and paying a proportionable part of the
expenses necessary for carrying on the same. Now these presents
witness, that in consideration of the said Richard Trevithick having
paid, and agreeing by those instruments to pay certain bills for
machinery ordered by the said Francisco Uville to the amount of
3000_l._, and also in consideration of the services which the said
Richard Trevithick hath already rendered, and of the future benefits
which he is expected to perform, doth agree to admit the said Richard
Trevithick a partner therein, as nearly as can be ascertained to
one-fifth share of the whole.
"He hath planned and directed the particular construction of three
steam-engines, and hath for that purpose taken many journeys to
manufacturing towns and other places.
"He hath given to the said Francisco Uville a general knowledge of
English mining, miners' tools, winding and crushing engines, &c., &c.,
and for that purpose hath taken him to various mines in England, to
which the said Richard Trevithick, through his interest, had access.
He hath instructed the said Francisco Uville in the art of making
drawings of mines, and in engineering.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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