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S.B. to Sir James Harris
N. Tagil H. May 18th 1781
Sir
As at my coming to this place I was in want of a Carriage
for the Summer Roads & under some difficulty
about the procuring one, I was very glad to accept of the
Offer which Mr Davidoff's Intendants made of building
me one in consequence of a Letter I brought them from
their Master. Finding some very good workmen I determined
to put it into execution an idea I had of an Amphibious
carriage which might serve me as a boat to go down
the rivers in, & as an easy wheel Carriage by land. The
construction of such a Machine being entirely different
from any work the Men had been accustomed to, it was necessary
that I should not only inspect the whole of it, but
also that I should work myself at such parts which as I could
not make the Workmen understand. This has detained me
such a length of time as had I had the least apprehension
of it at first would have prevented my engaging in it. As
however I have got so far in it, I certainly now will compleat
it. The tediousness with which this work has gone on owing
to the of the Instruments in use here, at the same
time that it brought me in mind of an invention of mine
which I spoke of to you before I left Petersbourg
it gave me a further opportunity of judging of the
than such a Machine would be of in all kinds of working
in wood. As the idea of the Machine first occur'd to me
since I have been in Russia & as it is so particularly adapted
to a Country where there is so much building going
forward, I all along wished to introduce it before I left
this Country. I intended to have waited till my return
to Petersburg partly indeed on the Supposition that from
time to time I might consider the insinuation more than
what I have however within these few days brought it
entirely to my satisfaction. The obligations I consider
myself to Mr Davidoff for the Work which I shall
have had done at his Fabrick had set me upon considering
for some way in which I might acknowledge it, now nothing
could be better for that purpose than a Machine for the
doing in future such work as has cast most trouble in getting
done for me. I therefore wish to take this opportunity
of putting this said Machine in practice. But as all who
have occasion for the Work of such Machines cannot but
find great advantage from the extraordinary accuracy
as well as cheapness of the Work, (done by it, I see no reason why the
Inventor should not have his profit also. In England you
know I am any one who has invented something new which
is likely to be of Public benefit can obtain for the expence
of 60 or 70£ a patent or exclusive priviledge of making
one of is inventions for a certian number of years.
This term is usually confined to 14 years. In France
the King's Patent to the like effect is as easily obtained: & I
believe in Holland there is a something for the same purpose
I know not if this be the case in Russia, now though I would
wish to give the preference to this Country yet I am
reason why I should not receive the Benefit from it here
which I could obtain in other Countries.
1781 } S.B. Nagri Taghil
May } to
13 } Sir James Harris Petersbourg
Plane Engine
Copy.
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Identifier: | JB/539/189/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 539.
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1781-05-18 |
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539 |
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189 |
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001 |
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Correspondence |
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"James Harris, 1st Earl of Malmesbury" |
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