Page:Memoir upon the negotiations between Spain and the United States of America which led to the treaty of 1819.djvu/68

58 of dollars per annum. I cannot omit, however, to speak of some machines invented or used in the country; for they deserve the attention of every nation that desires to promote and facilitate the progress of their manufactories. The one is for making nails, and the other for making wool and cotton cards. The first is worked by water, and makes 140 nails in a minute; the head and shaft of the nail are made by a single motion. A child may work the machine, and it requires a very small volume of water to give it the requisite motion. It is so constructed, that its motion may be stopped at pleasure in one part, without interrupting thereby the play of the other parts.

The card machine is still more ingenious: to form every double tooth in the card, the machine moves the metal plate, stops it and perforates it, draws the wire, cuts it, stops and doubles it; carries it to the frame, introduces it into the little holes previously made in it, and doubles it again: these ten distinct operations are repeated 143 times in a minute, and may be continued at that rate for the whole day, with but little labour. A little boy or girl may set two machines to work at the same time, and make 25 cards a day. The cards are superiour to those made by hand, as their teeth are more regular, stronger, and more elastick.

The Steamboat is also an invention of that country; but it is already too well known in Spain,