Gent., who proves the Creation to be the works of God, in conference with an Atheist. The Author shews that before his works appeared in view, the value of 100,000 per annum was cast into the Streets as Waste Water. The second work of mercy, established from the Author's thoughts, is a Sacrifice of Charity offered up every Sabbath day in the morning, for the support of the Sick, the Aged, and the Naked. The third work of mercy is founded from an Example the Author gives of a single Gentleman, an instance never before printed. This Gentleman, having an Income of 300l. per annum, drew up a Bond or obligation to assign over one-third part of his yearly Income, to be given or distributed the first day of every month to objects worthy of Charity, and after his Decease he bequeathed his whole estate for the same uses. Povey in his will said : "That Jesus before whom I am to appear at his Tribunal can witness that I never invented or sett up any Undertaking whatsoever with any intent to inrich myself by fraud or injustice." In connection with Povey's schemes we must mention 1711. Scheme for Fire, Life and Marine Insurance, issued from Bourne's Coffee House. See p. 94. 1720. Hand and Sun Fire Office. See p. 141. Walford ascribed these to Povey; but, as already stated, we do not believe that he was concerned with either of them. IN CHAPTER V. POVEY AND HIS INVENTIONS. N the Account of the "Discovery of Indirect Practices in the Coal Trade," Povey gives the following description of his machine or ENGINE FOR CLEARING A COAL SHIP quickly, without the use of Lighters or "Porters backing the Coals" At first I lowered my Wharf about two feet, and planckt it the whole Breadth, then I caused two rows of planks of 160 feet in length to be laid, as also a ground plot in the River about 16 or 18 feet from the wharf, with two mortises and four Iron hoops now there are two upright pieces about 10 feet high, two tenons, four iron hooks, four plates of Iron full of holes with two Iron pins and Chains, and these are fixt in the aforesaid plate; there is also a Cross Beam with two mortises bound round with two Iron plates and these mortises are put into the upright pieces with two Braces. To these are added 4 small beams 18 feet in length with Irons and large mortises at one end; which are put over the Cross Beam and the other end is pinned to the Wharf. Then they are covered like a platform and fenced with rails on each side, but it ought to be observed That the whole frame may be raised higher or lower as occasion requires. Besides this there is another platform of the nature of a Bridge 22 feet long and 6 feet broad with Rails on each side and three great Chains at one end. These Chains are hung to the Ship and in the other end lye on the Cross beam above described, so that this Fabrick is in motion with the Ship or vessel, for as she rises and falls, comes nearer to the Wharf, or goes farther into the River, or goes a head or a stern, it is in a continual motion as the Vessel itself without any manner of trouble. For sometimes the Ship is within 10, 15, 20 feet of Wharf, at other times as far again, and yet the work is not hindred. Lastly there are 2 boxes running on Coach wheels which hold a fat of coals each and serve to convey them from Ship into the Yard. To conclude, every thing is so ordered that the whole Engine may be removed in the space of a quarter of an hour, and this is a true description of it in every particular which any person may see for further satisfaction. Povey built a warehouse at his wharf to hold 3,000 chaldron of coals. ORGAN. Povey by his Will bequeathed a certain organ to the Church of St. Mary's, Newington Butts, of which instrument he said:" Mr. Aaron Davis, an organ maker, having contracted and agreed with me to make or cause the said Organ to play six several Psalm tunes and 4 Voluntaries, etc." We had a suspicion that this organ might have been designed by Povey, but had no evidence respecting it. In the course of our enquiries as to the present existence of the organ, we obtained through the kind assistance of Mr. H. Syer Cuming, F.S.A., a copy of an advertisement which appeared in a number of Daily Advertiser, 1742 (23rd November), as follows:— Any person that will undertake to set 8 or 10 Psalm Tunes upon an Organ to perform on pleasure without playing upon the keys, are desir'd to send what the charge will be, directed to Mr. Povey at his house No. 3 in Little Ayliffe Street, Goodman's Fields; and if the Terms are agreeable he will come to them to have the work accomplish'd. The said Organ is near five feet deep, Six feet 3 inches in front, and nine feet and a half in height; it has three sets of keys. After the decease of the Proprietor this Instrument is given to the Parish Church of Newington Butts, Southwark, in the County of Surry. We think this is confirmatory of our opinion that this self-acting organ owed its origin to Povey's inventive genius. Walford says:— FIRE ANNIHILATOR. 1706. The first inventor in England of a machine falling within the designation of a Fire Annihilator was Charles Povey, who, it was said, was led to consider the subject of Fire Insurance in connection therewith. He was Founder of the Sun Fire Office, which Office he is said by some of his contemporaries to have founded really in view of bringing his invention into use. We find no detailed description of his machine. Again, it has been stated that— In addition to his endeavours to remove the evil consequences resulting from Fires, Povey invented a machine to extinguish them, long known as Povey's Fire Annihilator, yet no description thereof has been traced. Post Magazine, 5th January, 1885 A week or two ago a paragraph went the round of the Insurance Press, showing the fabulous prices at which the shares of the Sun Fire Office at present stand. 1 Value of Sun Fire Shares. 22 Shares. 1 We presume the following statement is what is above referred to :-- There were 4,800 Shares, and the whole Sum paid thereon had been returned. The Annual Dividend is a Yearly Gift to the Proprietors. No actual money investment was involved in consideration of the Dividend. The Shares were most desirable, and secure Investments were now much sought for, as the Rate of Interest on Consols had been reduced. 11 Lots of 2 Shares each realised from 432. to 437%. per Share. The Dividend for the year was 227. per Share. At the Institute of Actuaries the other day, Mr. Walford mentioned an amusing fact which is perhaps quite unknown even to the Directors and Managers of this Ancient Institution. The Founder of the Sun Fire Office, Mr. Charles Povey, shortly after his Venture was floated, sold for 4,000l. a Fire Annihilator, and threw in as a matter of small value the whole of the Shares of the Sun Fire Office. Usually a father over estimates the worth of his own children, but the opposite appears to have been the case with Mr. Povey and his offspring. We have no evidence in support of Mr. Walford's statements, nor have we the slightest idea from whence he derived his information. Facts, however, are entirely against him. I. In all the negotiations, deeds, minutes, and discussions relating to the transfer of the Exchange House Fire Office to the Company of London Insurers, there is no reference to a Fire Annihilator. 2. As Gardyne said, "Povey was not one that put his Candle under a Bushel." If there had been any truth in the above statements, Povey would doubtless have taken good care to refer to the Fire Annihilator in some of his writings, particularly in connection with the Sun Fire Office; but there is not an allusion of any kind to such a machine. 3. We can confidently assert that no such machine was bought by the Company of London Insurers for 4,000l., or any other price. 4. The history of the Fire Annihilator has been discovered in the course of our researches, and the date is clearly defined as 1723. (a) Povey's version is contained in the following abstracts of advertisements. (b) Godfrey's version is contained in a work published by him in 1724, giving an account of his invention, a "Narrative of Povey's behaviour," and a full description of Povey's machine. As Walford quotes the title of this book, we are rather surprised that he should have stated that he could not find any detailed description of Povey's Engine. Francis, Annals of Insurance, says that Povey's Fire Annihilator was a feature of the time. In British Museum Catalogue we found— Povey, C., and Godfrey, Ambrose. An account of the new method of Extinguishing Fires, 1724, with a reference to Godfrey 717 g 21 (2) of the new method of Extinguishing Fires Ambrose Godfrey,1 of Covent Garden, Chymist, 1 It is said that this Godfrey was a German named Gottfried Hackwitz, and that he changed his name. He was the founder of the celebrated firm of chemists, Godfrey & Cooke. Wherein a description is given of the several machines and their uses, together with plain and sufficient Directions for the proper application of them. A method easily practicable, certain in its effects, and so universally useful to the publick that His Majesty has been moved to authorize and incourage this happy discovery for the general advantage of his subjects by his most gracious letters patent. To which is added a short narrative of Mr. Povey's behaviour in relation to this useful invention, by which it will appear that the said Mr. Povey's pretended Watch Engine is at best a precarious and often dangerous remedy imperfectly stolen from Ambrose Godfrey's method, published with a design to rob the right owner of the just reward of his close application and considerable Expences, by imposing upon the Publick, in suppressing an Invention of real and universal benefit, and substituting an imperfect and dangerous one in its room. By the Introducer. Tunc tua res agitur Paries cum proximus ardet. The description and use of the Machines. The Constituent Parts of the Machines are The Shell and The Powder Magazine. The Shell is a small Wooden Barrel with wooden Hoops; in the middle of the Top an opening is left for a Fuze to pass through. This Barrel is cased without, and well lined within, the better to hold the Liquid,' which is a Mixture that never corrupts or alters; when, on the contrary, meer Water would soon putrify and stink. The Powder Magazine is a Vesica of Sphæroidal Figure, either of Pewter or some other lasting Substance, filled with Gunpowder, having on one end a Pipe which pierces the Top of the Shell in the middle, and serves to guide the Fuze to the Main Magazine. This Powder Magazine is fixed in the center of the Shell incompassed with the above-mentioned Liquid. The Fuze is garnished with Wild Fire, secured with a Tin Cover lined, to be taken off when the Machine is to be used. Let him who throws this Machine first take his Aim at a convenient place before he lights the Fuze. Weekly Journal or British Gazetteer, 6 April, 1723. An Experiment was made on Tuesday last in Bellsize Park near Hampstead of a new Invention for Extinguishing Fire upon a house erected and set on fire for that purpose; which in all likelihood would fully have answered the Design of the Projector had he had but two or three Firemen to assist him. There were present on that occasion the Right Hon. the Lord Chancellor, the Count de Lippe, Sir Hans Sloane, Mr. Lawes and many others of the nobility and gentry. And at the desire of several of them another house is ordered to be erected forthwith for making a second Experiment, and the Lord Chancellor was 1 Water impregnated with a certain preparation an Enemy to Fire. |