A history of the growth of the steam-engine . es Watt, was the son of a Birmingham silver stamperand piecer, and succeeded to his fathers business, buildingup a great establishment, which, as well as its proprietor,was well known in Watts time. Watt, writing to before the final arrangement had been made,urged him to close with Boulton for the following consid-erations : 1st. From Mr. Boultons own character as an inge-nious, honest, and rich man. 2dly. From the difliculty andexpense there would be of procuring accurate and honestworkmen and providing them with proper utensils, andget
A history of the growth of the steam-engine . es Watt, was the son of a Birmingham silver stamperand piecer, and succeeded to his fathers business, buildingup a great establishment, which, as well as its proprietor,was well known in Watts time. Watt, writing to before the final arrangement had been made,urged him to close with Boulton for the following consid-erations : 1st. From Mr. Boultons own character as an inge-nious, honest, and rich man. 2dly. From the difliculty andexpense there would be of procuring accurate and honestworkmen and providing them with proper utensils, andgetting a proper overseer or overseers. If, to avoid thisinconvenience, you were to contract for the work to be done 94 THE DEVELOPMENT OP THE MODERN STEAM-ENGINE. by a master-workman, you must give up a great share ofthe profit. 3dly. The success of the engine is far frombeing verified. If Mr. Boulton takes his chance of successfrom the account I shall write Dr. Small, and pays youany adequate share of the money laid out, it lessens your risk,. Matthew Boulton. afld in a greater proportion than I think it will lessen yourprofits. 4thly. The assistance of Mr. Boultons and ingenuity (if the latter engage in it) in improvingand perfecting the machine may be very considerable, andmay enable us to get the better of the difiiculties that mightotherwise damn it. Lastly, consider my uncertain health,my irresolute and inactive disposition, my inability to bar-gain and struggle for my own with mankind : all whichdisqualify me for any great undertaking. On our side,consider the first outlay and interest,, the patent, the presentengine, about £200 (though there would not be much loss JAMES WATT AND HIS INVENTIONS. 95 in making it into a common engine), two years of my time,and the expense of models. Watts estimate of the value of Boultons ingenuity andtalent was well-founded. Boulton had shown himself a goodscholar, and had acquired considerable knowledge of thelanguages and of th
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, bookidc, booksubjectsteamengines
