The Miner's Friend; Or, An Engine to Raise Water by Fire — John Shaqi
The Miner's Friend; Or, An Engine to Raise Water by FireSavery, Thomas
Science
The Miner's Friend; Or, An Engine to Raise Water by Fire
Savery, Thomas
Mine pumps -- Early works to 1800
3. Nothing can be more fit for serving cities and towns with water,
except a crank-work by the force of a river. In the composing such
sort of engines, I think no person hath excelled the ingenious Mr.
George Sorocold; but where they are forced to use horses, or any other
strength, I believe no ingenious person will deny this engine to have
the preference in all respects, being of more universal use than any
yet discovered or invented.
4. As for draining fens, marshes, &c. I suppose I need say no more
than this, that that force which will raise great quantities of water
a height of above eighty feet, must necessarily deliver a much greater
quantity at a lesser height; and that it is much cheaper, and every
way easier, especially where coals are water-borne, to continue the
discharge of any quantities of water by our engine, than it can be
done by any horse-engines whatsoever.
5. I believe it may be made very useful to ships, but I dare not
meddle with that matter, and leave it to the judgment of those who are
the best judges of maritime affairs.
6. For draining of mines and coal-pits the use of the engine will
sufficiently recommend itself in raising water so easy and cheap; and
I do not doubt, but that, in a few years, it will be a means of making
our mining trade, which is no small part of the wealth of this
kingdom, double, if not treble to what it now is. And if such vast
quantities of lead, tin, and coals, are now yearly exported, under the
difficulties of such an immense charge and pains as the miners, &c.
are now at to discharge their water, how much more may be hereafter
exported, when the charge will be very much lessened by the use of
this engine every way fitted for the use of mines? For the far greater
part of our richest mines and coal-pits are liable to two grand
inconveniences, and thereby rendered useless, viz. the irruption and
excess of subterraneous waters, as not being worth the expense of
draining them by the great charge of horses, or hand labour. Or,
secondly, fatal damps, by which many are struck blind, lame, or dead,
in these subterraneous cavities, if the mine is wanting of a due
circulation of air. Now, both these inconveniencies are naturally
remedied by the work of this engine, of raising water by the impellant
force of fire.
For the water, be the mine ever so deep, each engine working it sixty,
seventy, or eighty feet high, by applying or setting the engines one
over another, as shall be showed at large hereafter in the following
pages, you may, by a sufficient number of engines, keep the bottom of
any mine dry; and when once you know how large your feeder or spring
is, it is very easy to know what sized engine, or what number of
engines will do your business.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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