fome of thofe who have been intrufted with experimenting their effects, been guilty of the most indefenfible partiality, in the accounts they have given of thefe trials? Indeed, it must be confeffed, that many diftinguifhed perfons, both in the direction and command of our fleets, have exerted themselves on thefe occafions with a judicious and difpaffionate examination, becoming the interefting nature of the inquiry; but the wonder is, that any could be found irrational enough to act a contrary part, in defpite of the strongest dictates of prudence and humanity. I must however own, that I do not believe this conduct to have arifen from motives fo favage, as the first reflection thereon does naturally fuggeft: but I rather impute it to an obftinate, and in fome degree fuperftitious, attachment to fuch practices as have been long established, and to a fettled contempt and hatred of all kinds of innovations, especially fuch as are projected by landmen, and perfons refiding on fhore.

Testimonials of the advantages and fuccess of my machines for purifying the air in fhips, and other clofe places.

NUM B. I.

Extract of a letter from Rear-Admiral Bofcawen te Mr Corbett, dated in Table-bay, 9th April 1748..

HE fquadron, as well as the troops, who are with me, are furprisingly healthy, and have been fo in general our whole paffage which I attribute in a great measure to our having touched at the iflands, where I procured refreshment.-But at the

:

fame

fame time I cannot help thinking, the air-pipes fixed in the men of war have been of great fervice in this particular, by purifying the air between decks, and thereby preventing the fcurvy.

In addition to what I have faid above of the airpipes, I cannot help observing to their Lordships, that the bulge-water on board the Namur in particular, has not been the leaft offenfive the whole paffage ; though it was fo bad when we last went into Portfmouth harbour, that three or four men were like to be fuffocated, by only coming near the well; and therefore I cannot but recommend them as things highly ufeful on board his Majesty's fhips.

MR.

NUM B. II.

R Jofeph Hatton, carpenter of the Warwick man of war, during her voyage to Guinea, and the West Indies, mentioned above, p. 211. declared at the navy-board, that on the accident of breaking the chain of their pump, it fell with a kink in the chain, fo that it could not be got up or down ; wherefore he was obliged to go into the well, in order to cut a fcuttle in the pump to clear the kink : that he remained in the well near five hours in a confiderable depth of water, without any ill effect on his health; which he imputes to the pipes being fixed on board the faid fhip, for extracting the foul air.

CA

NUM B. III.

Aptain Petre, commander of the Sandwich, in the fervice of the Eaft-India company, on board of which fhip Mr Sutton had conftructed one of his

machines,

machines, declared at the navy-board, that on his return from a China voyage in 1747, when he put in at Ireland, he ordered fome of the bulge-water to be brought up; and it differed not in fmell from other common fea-water, but differed in colour as the liquor of bohea from green tea.

Extract of a letter from Captain William Lisle, commander of his Majesty's fhip the Vigilant, at the Cape of Good Hope, April 10. 1748.

I

Gave you an account of all that occurred till I left Madeira, in a letter from thence: however, that you may form a better idea of the tedious passage to this place, I fhall juft mention the dates of our departure from the several ports we touched at in our paffage. We left Spithead the fecond of November, Lisbon the twenty-fourth of January, and arrived at the Cape of Good Hope the twenty-fecond of March; by which you may obferve, that our paffage from Madeira to this place was just eleven weeks, and our whole voyage from England full five months, if we fix each month at twenty-eight days: which is a long time to be getting but little more than half-way to our journey's end; but though long, yet it has been attended with very few bad circumstances and particularly in regard to the health of the feveral ships companies, and all the troops in general, never were people more healthy; which I cannot but fuppofe is entirely owing to the new-invented ventilators, and

* N. B. These are Mr Sutton's air-pipes.

the

the large quantity of muftard-feed allowed by the government to the feamen by way of experiment. The Dutch who refide here, speak of it as a miracle, and make it the chief fubject of their converfation.

An abstract of the letters patent, granted by his Majefty, for the aforefaid invention.

G

EORGE the Second, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the faith, &c. To all to whom thefe prefents fhall come, greeting. Whereas our trufty and well-beloved Samuel Sutton, of our city of London, brewer, hath, by his petition, reprefented unto us, that he has, after long ftudy, much pains, great expenfe, and repeated experiments, found out, and brought to perfection, a new invention or method for extracting foul air out of fhips by means of fire, and will equally contribute to the removing of all noxious air whatsoever, and may be conveniently applied to mines and caverns in the earth, dungeons, prifons, and all infected places; that the faid invention may be used in hot-houses and walls, which will greatly warm the carth, for the speedy production of its fruits, and alfo in granaries for the prefervation of corn and grain; that the faid invention will greatly tend to the prefervation of the lives of great numbers of our subjects, and be of public use and benefit to this our kingdom in general and as the petitioner is the firft and fole difcoverer of the faid invention, or method, and alfo, in regard to the great expenfe of money and time the petitioner has fuftained, in making fo valuable a discovery;

he

he therefore moft humbly prays us, that We would be pleafed to grant him our royal letters patent, for the fole use and benefit of his faid new invention, within that part of our kingdom of Great Britain called England, and the dominion of Wales, and town of Berwick upon Tweed, and in our plantations in America, for the term of fourteen years, according to the ftatute in fuch cafe made and provided: We being willing to give encouragement to all arts and inventions, which may be for the public good, are graciously pleased to condefcend to the petitioner's requeft. Know ye therefore, that We, of our efpecial grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, have given and granted, and by these presents, for us, our heirs and fucceffors, do give and grant unto the said Samuel Sutton, his executors, adminiftrators, and af figns, our efpecial licence, full power, fole privilege, and authority, that he the faid Samuel Sutton, his executors, adminiftrators, and affigns, and every of them, by himself, and themfelves, or by his and their deputy or deputies, fervants or agents, or fuch others as he the faid Samuel Sutton, his executors, adminiftrators, or affigns, fhall at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time, and at all times hereafter, during the term of years herein expreffed, fball and lawfully may make, ufe, exercife, and vend his faid invention, within that part of our kingdom of Great Britain called England, our dominion of Wales, and town of Berwick upon Tweed, and our colonies and plantations in America, in fuch manner, as to him the faid Samuel Sutton, his executors, adminiftrators, and affigns, or any of them, fhall in their difcretions feem meet: and that the faid Samuel Sut

ton,