Acknowledges Wheels over the Sides to have been Proposed by Roosevelt
and rejects them.
Clermont, _18th Sept., 1798_.
Dear Sir,
Mr. Mouchette is just returned. I sincerely congratulate you upon the
success of the engine of which he gives the most favourable report &
fully justifies yr. confidence in your engines. I am sufficiently
sanguine to hope that all difficulties are now vanished. Knowing our
power nothing remains but adapt the vessel to it. In attempting this
hitherto we have deceived ourselves by wandering into the field of
conjecture rather than adhereing to plain calculations & we shall
still do so if we expect that the present engine will turn the wheels
we now have 80 times in a minute, as will appear from this
calculation. Our wells contain exactly 60 cubic feet of water. The
whole of this is set in motion at every revolution of the wheels with
a rapidity equal to the main motion of the arms, that is if the wheels
make 80 revolutions in a minute at the rate of 8 miles an hour. Now as
the boat will not remove more than 20 feet of water if she goes 8
miles an hour, if it was possible to move the wheels as they are now
constructed 80 rounds in a minute we should throw away one half of our
power, for the boat could not move faster than the water in the wheels
& the power would be uselessly expended in throwing out water
unnecessarily.
But it will be found on experiment that however perfect our engine is,
it cannot turn the present wheels 80 times in a minute. The wheels
then must necessarily be altered or the motion rendered still slower.
To make the motion slower is to diminish our chance of moving the boat
fast because she will at no rate move faster than the water in the
wheels though she may be made to move as fast as I have found on
actual experiment. The wheels then must be altered, not by making the
arms shorter for this would diminish their motion, besides that it
would require an alteration in the boat—but by diminishing their
depth. They are now if I recollect 18 Inches deep, let them be reduced
to nine Inches.
Let the motion of the wheels by no means exceed 80 nor be lower than
70 turns in a minute and I will answer for the success of the
experiment, & upon the whole it will turn out a fortunate discovery
since we shall find that our wells need not be above half the size we
have made them & of course much room and much weight of water be saved
in future. That we have erred hitherto should not discourage us. It is
the fate of all new undertakings and it is happy when the error can be
so easily discovered & detected. Another circumstance of considerable
moment must be attended to. If the diminution of the motion is brought
about by changing the sun and planet wheels, one half the motion of
the flys will be lost & they rendered almost useless from this
circumstance. If they are made heavier they will overload the boat.
I would propose as the best mode of altering the motion of the wheels
to alter the cog wheels & to leave the sun and planet wheels as they
were—this will give the proper motion to the fly & diminish the
friction. Let the cog wheels be made smaller and have no more cogs
than the trunnel rounds, or only so many more as will serve to give
the motion we require. Nor will this alteration be attended with more
trouble than the one at first proposed; but even if it is, it is so
essential to give the flys a rapid motion that we must, now we have
gone so far, submit to this trouble and expense to have this
experiment properly made. _I say nothing on the subject of_ WHEELS
OVER THE SIDES _as I am perfectly convinced from a variety of
experiments of the superiority of those we have adopted_. I expect to
be down the last of this month when I shall see you & make such money
arrangements as we may find necessary.
In the meantime I hope to hear how you go on. I flatter myself no
delay will be incurred which can possibly be avoided, every moment
being precious. Mr. Mark will I hope forward this to you the moment it
arrives, so that the necessary alterations may be made before you
proceed far on any difficult plan.
I am very much hurt that you should construe any part of my former
letters into a reflection on your candour. I am sure that nothing of
this kind was ever intended & I flatter myself that if you attend a
little more to the expressions (tho: I cannot now recollect them) that
they will not bear this harsh construction.[4]
I am dear Sir, with esteem, your most ob: hum: servt:
ROB. R. LIVINGSTON.