Page:Report from the Select Committee on Steam Carriages.pdf/104



John Farey, Esq. 10 August, 1831. a piece of expensive work, it will prove too slight or too heavy when set to work, and he may have to make it over again as expensively. The copyists, who will afterwards come into competition with him when his machine is brought to bear, will have no such difficulties.

You conceive that a grant of public money as a premium would call forth the necessary degree of skill?—I have no doubt of it; we have had very few instances of invention being stimulated by the offer of public reward; but the instances of ascertaining the Longitude is a most brilliant example. The facility and accuracy with which the Longitude is now determined at sea, is the result of one of the greatest efforts of human genius and perseverance. The stimulus of reward has occasioned both modes of it to be perfected; viz. by astronomical observations and by time-keepers; we should very soon have Steam Carriages brought into full use if such a reward were offered.

Have you ever ascertained the duty or performance of work done in respect to the fuel consumed by locomotive Engines?—They vary so greatly, that it is difficult to make a statement. The common locomotive Engines which have been used for several years to draw coal-waggons on railways, have remained without material improvement for a long time, and their performance is very low, being only equal to raising about four millions pounds weight one foot high by the consumption of a bushel of coals, their boilers evaporating about four cubic feet and a half of water into steam with each bushel of coals. Such Engines exert six to eight horse power. Mr. Stephenson's new quick-going Engines on the Liverpool and Manchester Rail-way are more improved in duty, and are in a progressive course of improvement; but as they burn coke instead of coal, the established mode of computation is inapplicable. Mr. Stephenson's small Engine, called The Rocket, which gained the prize of 500l. offered by The Liverpool and Manchester Rail-way Company, and which was the model for succeeding Engines, exerted abouabout [sic] six horse power