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Beauchamp Tower (1845-1904), English inventor and railway engineer, discoverer of full-film or hydrodynamic lubrication [Sir RicBiblio.com

Beauchamp Tower inventor describes his 'yachting cruises during the past season' in the Gwynfa to Sir Richard Harington. Nineteen-page Autograph Letter Signed to 'Dick' comprising extracts from his diary including a pair of hand-drawn diagrams.

rif. 20884Warley Mount Brentwood 30 October 1901. 19pp foolscap 8vo. On five bifoliums. Neatly and closely written. In good condition lightly aged and worn. Tower's letter begins: 'My dear Dick I enclose a chart not present which will show you at a glance my yachting cruises during the past season'. The rest of letter consists of extracts from Tower's diary 4 April to 12 September 1901 describing with the care one would expect from an engineer 'one of the best long vacation cruises on record' and ending with a table of 'Distances sailed by me in Gwnfa' from Brightlingsea to Harwich Antwerp 'Abortive attempt from Flushing' Flushing Dover Portsmouth Dieppe Maestrand Copenhagen Kiel Brunsbutell Hamburg Cuxhaven Lowestoft' totalling 2135 miles. Tower adds this to the total steamed in another ship 'Ingani' 'making a grand total for the seaon of 1901 of 3508 miles'. In businesslike fashion Tower notes times position weather and significant incidents. A representative entry reads: 'Tues 13th. Very fine weather Lat 54.40 N Long 6.22 E by obs. At noon Wind dropped at 4.pm. We were amongst a fleet of German steam trawlers. Sent a boat to one of them and got a bucket full of fine Plaice becalmed all night'. See Tower's obituary in Minutes of the Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers vol.162 1905 pt 4 which describes his connection with the sea his 'principal work' being 'the gyroscopic “steady platform” for guns and searchlights … The device was submitted to the Admiralty and after being thoroughly tested was fitted to two gunboats on which it answered very well; but ultimately the Admiralty rejected the apparatus on account of the extra weight involved … Mr. Tower nevertheless proceeded to adapt the platform for passenger-seats on cross-channel steamers'. The recipient Sir Richard Harington 12th Baronet 1861-1931 would not succeed to the baronetcy until the death of his father in 1911. Himself a keen yachtsman he was a Puisne Judge in the High Court of Justice at Fort William in Bengal between 1899 and 1913. From the Harington family papers. Warley Mount, Brentwood, 30 October 1901. unknown

Richard M. Ford Ltd · Regno Unito200,00 £≈ 238,02 €

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