To Thomas Jefferson from John Nancarrow, with Drawing by Jefferson, [1792–1793]
From John Nancarrow, with Drawing by Jefferson
[1792–1793]
On the second plate following page 233, Fig. 3. Dessein d’une machine pour elever l’Eau par le moyent du Vent.
This machine is simple, easily constructed and capable of raising water to any height provided the pumps are made in the Jack-head form.
J. N. thinks he has seen one of these Engines with wooden sails instead of Cloth.
N.B. This book may be kept 3 weeks unless J. N. be called on to go into the Country sooner.
[Drawing by TJ on a separate sheet:]
RC (MoSHi: Bixby Collection); undated; endorsed by TJ, with his drawing on a separate sheet.
This note seems to be a sequel to Nancarrow’s letter to TJ of 27 Dec. 1792 and was probably written at the very end of the month or early in 1793 (see Nancarrow to TJ, 9 Feb. 1793). Evidently working from the plate in the volume sent by Nancarrow, which has not been identified, TJ sketched in ink on a separate sheet a machine for lifting water hydraulically through wind power.