Drawing of contrivance described by the Marquis of Worcester

Drawing of contrivance described by the Marquis of Worcester, 1663

Edward Somerset, second Marquis of Worcester, in his Century of Inventions, which was written in 1655, although not published till 1663, included descriptions of ‘An admirable and most forcible way to drive up water by fire’, and of a ‘water work’; in 1663 the benefits of a "water commanding engine" were secured to the Marquis for ninety-nine years by Act of Parliament. In 1663 and 1669 eye-witnesses saw one of these engines, which had been erected by the Marquis at Vauxhall, London, raise water to a height of 40 ft.; this drawing is a speculative attempt to represent that engine. It shows a high pressure boiler, and two vessels into which the water to be pumped was forced by atmospheric pressure after the contained steam had condensed; this water was afterwards discharged by steam pressure on the system subsequently extensively practised by Thomas Savery.