"The celebrated battle of the Ganges hardly excited more interest in the
railway world than the battle of the Reaping machines has lately created
in the agricultural world; nor is the result perhaps very much less
important in the latter case than in the former.
[Sidenote: Hussey's by Far the Best]
"Of the recent inventions for diminishing the cost of production, the
most remarkable are undoubtedly the Reaping machines of Messrs. Hussey
and McCormick. Perhaps it would be more accurate to call them
importations than inventions, since both have been in use for a
considerable time in America; and amongst the benefits arising from the
Exhibition, it is certainly not the least that it has introduced to the
agriculturist of Great Britain implements of the highest practical
utility, which might otherwise have remained forever exclusively in the
hands of their brethren across the Atlantic. It will be remembered that a
trial of the two rival machines took place last summer, at Mr. Mechi's
model farm in Essex, having been directed by the royal commissioners,
with the view of determining the comparative merits of the two
instruments, whose patentees were competitors for the forthcoming medal
prizes. At that time Mr. Hussey, the American inventor of the machine
called after his name, had not arrived in the country. The weather, too,
was very unpropitious for the trial, notwithstanding which a very large
number of gentlemen were present. The machines were tried upon a field of
wheat, and the result was such as to convince all present of the
superiority, in every point of view, of McCormick's machine--a conviction
which was subsequently confirmed by the fact of the Exhibition medal
being awarded exclusively to the patentee of that machine. The tables,
however, were soon to be turned. Mr. Hussey arrived in England; a
challenge having been given by the agents of Mr. McCormick, it was
accepted by Mr. Hussey, and his English agent, Mr. Dray; and, after a
fair contest before the Cleveland Society, at Middlesbro', near
Stockton-on-Tees, on the 25th and 27th of September, a jury of twelve
agriculturists pronounced a verdict in favor of the unmedalled machine.
They decided that of the two machines, Hussey's had the preponderance of
advantages--that it cut corn in the best manner, caused the least waste,
did the most work in a given time, left the cut corn in the best order
for gathering and binding, was the best adapted for ridge and furrow, was
the least liable to get out of repair, and was the least price at first
cost. On the two other points submitted to them, namely, which machine
required the least amount of horse labor, and which the least amount of
manual labor, the jury declined to express a decided opinion, in
consequence of the state of the weather."
[Illustration: Bronze medal won by Mr. Hussey with his Reaper in England
in 1851.]
[Sidenote: Arrival of the Prince]
"There have been many other trials of Hussey's machine in different parts
of the country, and the result has been so far uniformly satisfactory.
Amongst these we have now to mention a very interesting one which took
place by appointment last Saturday, at Windsor, in the presence of his
Royal Highness, Prince Albert, originating in a correspondence between
General Wemyss, on behalf of the Prince, and Messrs. Dray & Co. of
Swan-lane, the agents for Mr. Hussey. The spot selected for the trial was
behind the statue of George III, at the end of the Long Walk, fern--of
which there is an abundance in that locality--being the article on which
the machine had to operate. The Prince having from an early hour in the
morning been engaged in shooting in the vicinity of the statue, at
half-past twelve, resigned his gun, and proceeded on horseback, in
company with General Wemyss and Col. Seymour, to the spot appointed for
the trial of the machine. Dismounting from his horse, his Royal Highness
saluted briefly and gracefully the assembled company, and especially Mr.
Hussey and Mr. Dray. He then asked a few general questions respecting the
history of the machine, and observed that as the ground selected was very
uneven (it was in fact remarkably so) the trial would be a good one.
After a brief delay, the gear being declared in order, on went the
machine, drawn by two strong horses, and heedless of ruts and hillocks in
its course, which was very rapid, bringing down every thing it
encountered cleanly and completely, including two or three slices of turf
at least a foot long, and more than an inch thick.
"The performances of the machine were not confined to one single course.
A considerable amount of work was performed in the most satisfactory
manner, Mr. Hussey himself sitting on the box at the side, and throwing
aside what was cut down in the manner best adapted for gathering and
binding. Indeed the work was not confined to the fern; a rabbit which was
not accustomed to this species of interference was startled and cruelly
lacerated before it had time to escape.
[Sidenote: A Royal Order]
"At the close of the trial, his Royal Highness gave a practical proof of
his favorable opinion by ordering two of the machines for himself, one
for Windsor and the other for Osborne. He then, after expressing his
gratification, rode back to the game-keepers and resumed his gun. After
he had left, the machine operated well upon some rushes.
"It may not be out of place to state here that Mr. Dray's explanation of
the failure of the Hussey machine at Tiptree Hall (Mr. Mechi's farm) is
that it was entirely owing to its not being properly managed. On that
occasion, he says, the person in charge of it was simply a porter at the
Exhibition, who, not understanding the matter, neglected to clear away
the wheat as it was cut down, in consequence of which the action of the
machine was unavoidably and fatally impeded. We witnessed the result at
Mr. Mechi's, and certainly there was no such fault on Saturday. The
progress of the machine was notwithstanding the unevenness of the ground,
rapid and satisfactory; and it was stated as a fact that on a level
ground the horses used in drawing may trot, not only without weakening or
impeding the action of the knives, but even with advantages, as by that
means the cutting requires increased precision and force."
[Sidenote: A Royal Verdict]
The following is Prince Albert's certificate:
"Windsor Castle, Nov. 13, 1851.
"Sir--In answer to your letter addressed to Gen. Wemyss, I have
received the commands of his Royal Highness, Prince Albert, to say,
that so far as he could judge of Mr. Hussey's Reaping Machine, from
its performance in the high fern at Windsor Park, his Royal Highness
is disposed to form a very favorable opinion of it, and has ordered
one[10] in consequence for the use of his own farm. His Royal
Highness can however give no opinion as to the relative merits of
this machine in comparison with those of others which he has not
seen at work.
"I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
"GREY."
[10] The Prince ordered two Machines, one for Windsor and one for
Isle of Wight.
From Maidstone & South Eastern Gazette, October 21, 1851.