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early train. Went down to the Mill, found that neither Robert, nor Wilson was there & Mick had charge of the fires. When I went in the governors were right down the steam at 50.
At night I took some more diagrams of Railway Mill engine, to find in what ratio the friction of the engine & shafting(,) increased at different speeds. The result was that the resistance was almost constant, showing that the power increased with the speed.
Sep 29. Tues[day]. Wilson came back yesterday at breakfast time & got the third door on by night.
At about ¼ to 12 today
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I happened to go down to the Mill, & there I found(,) all the fires drawn, the hands off but the engine running.
The case was this. Mick came & told Jack the fireman that it was now Fearnley’s wish that he should go & clean the shafting, whilst he (Mick) minded the engine. Well, by some awful stupidity he let the water in the boilers run down below the glasses, then in a fright told Wilson who immediately set him to draw the fires, which they had just done when I went in. There was nothing the matter with pumps or cistern, both were in operation. I am convinced it was nothing but carelessness[.] I immediately questioned the men. Wilson
