--TO CHARLES THOMSON, April 22, 1786
TO CHARLES THOMSON.
London, April 22, 1786.
Dear Sir,
In one of your former letters, you expressed a wish to have one of the
newly invented lamps. I find them made here much better than at Paris,
and take the liberty of asking your acceptance of one, which will
accompany this letter. It is now found, that any tolerable oil may be
used in them. The spermaceti oil is best, of the cheap kinds.
I could write you volumes on the improvements which I find made, and
making here, in the arts. One deserves particular notice, because it
is simple, great, and likely to have extensive consequences. It is
the application of steam, as an agent for working grist-mills. I have
visited the one lately made here. It was at that time turning eight pair
of stones. It consumes one hundred bushels of coal a day. It is proposed
to put up thirty pair of stones. I do not know whether the quantity
of fuel is to be increased. I hear you are applying the same agent in
America to navigate boats, and I have little doubt, but that it will
be applied generally to machines, so as to supersede the use of water
ponds, and of course to lay open all the streams for navigation.
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25