14 
THE CORNISH PUMPING ENGINE. 
that the very existence of their mines depended on the developement of the newly 
discovered power. 
They accordingly proceeded to petition Parliament for the redress of the grievance, 
which had then for the first time more prominently come into view. Sir Charles 
Lemon has now in his possession a memorial from the county, the date of which he 
thinks must have been before 1730, praying that facilities might be given for the 
importation of coals, on account of the distressed state of the mines and the necessity 
of working them to a greater depth. Through the kindness of Sir Charles Lemon, 
this document is here presented entire. It runs as follows : 
“ The Case of the Gentlemen Adventurers in Tin and Copper Mines in the County of 
Cornwall, and the Inhabitants of the said County. 
“ For these many years past, there have been no new lodes or veins either of tin or 
copper discovered; and by the extraordinary and indefatigable labour of the miners, the 
county has been so entirely tried, that there is not the least reason to expect there will 
be any, so that unless some means can be found out to work the old mines to advantage, 
there is the greatest probability that the commodities of tin and copper will in a few years 
greatly decrease. 
“ This has obliged us humbly to desire the Parliament to encourage fire engines by 
granting a draw-back of the duties upon all coals consumed in working them, the only 
method we know of by which the old mines can be worked, the greatest and most con 
siderable part of them being so deep that all other means for draining the water out of them 
have already proved ineffectual. 
“ The advantage is so apparent that we humbly hope this will meet with no opposition. 
It is evident the revenue cannot be lessened by it, because there are at present no coals at 
all consumed in that way; but on the other hand, if the mines remain unworked, the revenue 
must greatly suffer, since the duties on coals consumed in making tools and engine materials 
for working the mines, on iron, candles, gunpowder, foreign timber, and deals, great quantities 
of which are consumed in the mines, will be considerably diminished, as well as his Majesty^s 
duties arising from tin exported. 
“ It is therefore humbly desired, in consideration of the great expense the adventurers 
must necessarily be at, that this encouragement may be given, (as well as a further encourage 
ment by a draw-back of the duties on all coals used in the calcining tin ore,) to preserve the 
said valuable commodities so very advantageous to the public, and without which thousands 
of families now employed in the several branches of these manufactures will be thrown out of 
business, and the greatest part of the county entirely ruined; or that such other methods be 
taken as the Parliament in their great wisdom shall think most meet.” 
Some years appear to have elapsed before this petition was attended to, during 
which interval exertions were made by parties interested, 23 to bring the matter 
23 Mr. Lemon, of Carelew, seems to have taken the most active part in this matter. Mr. Davies 
Gilbert, in his ‘ History of Cornwall’ (vol. ii. p. 84) remarks, “Mr. Lemon obtained from Government a