Its principal
parts.
Its profit to
the publiek.
Iy4. N A T U R A L H I S T i o R Y
Explication of the principal members of the fire or fteatn-engine,
Plate xix. Eig. i. and n. tt : ' ' _
A, fouth front o f the fire-engine houfe ; B, triangleJ for tending
the engine pumps, Me. C, arch for the main 'bob toplay in ;
D, coal-houfe and fire-place; E, capftan,and cable for the triangle
■ F, Balance-bob to affift the draught ; G, the bell.
Fio-. xi, H feftion from the weft; I, fouth end of the main
bob; K, main, chain to. draw up the water from the bottom ; L,
end of the balance-bob, marked F, in Fig. i ; M, a final! chain
drawing from the adit to a ciftem, a ; N, force-pump to fupply
the ciftern, b, for the boiler T , Me. ; O, north end of the main
bob; P, the cylinder; Q , the planehings .of-the hoiafe j R, the
eaftern door; S, pipes to let,out the air and ftearti from the cylinder
; T , the boiler which fupplies the fteam ; U, the damper, to
moderate the fire ; W, the fire-place ; X, the afhes p it; Y , the
axis of the main bob.
Before we conclude this fefiion, let it be obferved, that the people
of Cornwall are not the only gainers by the introduction of this
ufefiil engine; the government participates the- profit, rimd indeed*
without hazard : it may not be^amifs therefore here to take a fhoa^
view of the advantage to the publkk revenue arifing- from the no-’
cefiary materials ufed in our Comifii mines worked now by the fire-
engines, fuch as_ ropes, candles, timber, powder, iron, coal, Me.
the duties of which, together with the profit- of four fhillings per
hundred weight lor all tin railed in the three following mines, Hand
as follows :
The neat gain to the government from the mine (moftly of copper)
called the North-Downs, in the parilh of Reddruth, in one
month, (the drawback of the duty on coals confirmed in the two
fire-engines, amounting to forty-nine pounds fifteen fhillings and
fix-pence, being firft deducted) amounts to four hundred and feventy-
nine pounds five fhillings and fix-pence.
In the mine called Pitt-louarn, Refnorth, and metal-works, the
neat gain to the government (the drawback on coals confirmed in
two fire-engines, amounting to fixty-two pounds four fhillings and
five-pence, being firft deducted) is two hundred and eighteen pounds
and four-pence per month.
In Polgooth mine, in the parilh of St. Mewan, the neat gain
to the government (the drawback on coals confirmed in one
fire-engine, amounting to twenty-feven pounds eighteen fhillings
and four-perfee, being firft deducted) amounts, in one month,
to two hundred and twenty - fix pounds feven fhillings and
four-pence.
“ Thefe
O F C O R N W A L L . i | |
£t Thefe calculations have been lo faithfully extracted from the
account-books belonging to thefe mines, that the whole may be
attefted by affidavits, if occafion Ihould require\”
Hence it appears that, the conlumption of coals in the fire-engine
is very great, the duty, of coals confirmed by thefe mines at five
{hillings per chaldron, amounting, in one month, to one hundred
and thirty-nine pounds eighteen fhillings and three-pence. The
government prudently remits the duty on coals To expended, by
which' bounty, befides repaying itfelf for the duties remitted, it
gains clear by. thefe works, when in full working, .five hundred and
twenty-three pounds thirteen fhillings and two-pence in one month;
whereas, without this bounty, fire-engines, would not have been
■ ereCted, nor could thefe mines, nor many others in the county, ever
have been worked, i and confequently the lofs to the ‘government
would be as their prefent gain. There are feveral other very confi-
derable mimes noVv worked by the fire-engirió in Cornwall'b, by a !
which the government gains in proportion to the materials ufed, and
the metal railed.
•^, The tin-org being railed out of the mine, is then divided into* as sect.xv.
many lhares, as there are Lords and adventurers. The Lord ufuallyDividingtin-
hath a fixth-part clear o f coft, but in cofifideration o f draining the°re‘
mine, and otherwife encouraging the adventure, is oftentimes content
with an eighth, and fometimesa tenth. If the lands are bounded %
then the bounder has the right of Jetting, or giving authority to
fearch and work, and has the fixth clear, or as he agrees, and the
Lord of the foil has only a fifteenth. The adventurers have in
proportion to the part of the work which they carry om Thefe
lhares (which they term doles) are parcelled out, being firft mea-
fured by barrows, and then carried into lo many different heaps;
every mine having the privilege ( to the great regret oftentimes of
the hulbandman) of diftributing and dividing the ore, on any the
molt adjacent parts o f the field. As the barrows are carried off to
their feveral divifions, one perlon, who is the reckoner, keeps an
.account by notching a flick at every barrow : if there be any
fractions in the numbers to be divided, they then divide the whole
into five or fix or.more parcels, according to the proportion of the
Lord’s and bounder’s lhares, and leaving thole lhares untouched, proceed
to throw the remainder of the parcels all together into one heap,
and then divide it eafily among the adventurers; and it is lurprizing-
1 Letter from William .Lemon, Efq; May 8,
b Huel-rith in G odolphin-ball. Herland, Bullen
17,56, to whole accuracy and .univerfal knowledge,
garden, Dolcooth, the Pool, Bofproual, Huel-
in the art of mining, I am indebted forthefe and,
rôs, and; forne others.
other obferv&tions.
c See before, page 167.
to