A HISTORY OF CORNWALL Anglesey mines, which were reopened in The competition of the two districts, eagerly fanned by the Welsh smelters, sent the price of copper down to a point 20 per cent, below the cost of production, 1 and was stopped after seven years of rivalry, only by a combination formed among the mine owners to regulate the supply, 2 which lasted until the speedy exhaustion of the Anglesey deposits removed all danger of com- petition. In 1800, the Cornish mines produced 55,000 tons of copper ore, yielding about 5,000 tons of metal. In 1810 the latter figures had increased to 5, 680, in 1820 to 7,500, in 1850 to 10,700, and in 1856 to 13, 274.' This last figure proved to be the maximum. Directly following upon it came the growing competition of the American and Australian districts. As the price of copper fell lower and lower, mine after mine in Cornwall was forced to the wall, production fell off from year to year, and to-day, although a few large mines still earn good dividends, the Cornish copper industry, like that of tin, represents but a small fraction of its former importance. FOUNDRIES AND ENGINEERING WORKS The origin, progress, and decline of the foundry industry of Cornwall, and the important services it has rendered in the development of the mines are closely connected with the mining industry. The first attempt to use steam in Cornish mines was made by Captain Thomas Savery at the end of the I7th century, though his engine was of little practical utility. Thomas New- comen's 'Atmospheric' engine, which quickly followed, was the first piece of machinery in which steam was used with any measure of practical success. But notwithstanding the various improvements by Smeaton and the Cornish en- gineers the Newcomen engine was slow working, cumbrous, and excessively wasteful of fuel, and the limits of its utility were soon reached. As a consequence, at the end of the i8th century mining was very much hampered, and in many instances suspended. There were no iron foundries in Cornwall until the i8th century was well advanced. The art of iron founding was in a backward state up to the time of the introduction of Watt's engine, in 1770. The castings for Trevithick's steam- carriage, about the year 1800-1, were made at the Hayle Foundry, and there was much trouble in getting the parts to fit together. The high- pressure whim-engine erected at Wheal Crenver and Abraham by Trevithick in 1806 was made at Neath Abbey, South Wales. Writing to Mr. Pengilly of that place as late as 22 May, 1813, relative to the engines for the Peruvian mines, Richard Trevithick says : ' All these castings (for the engines and pitwork) must be delivered in Cornwall in four months ' ; he also says, ' A great part of the wrought-iron work and the boilers I have arranged for in Cornwall.' The cylinder of Trevithick's 76-inch Dolcoath engine, erected in 1 8 16 (ceased working in 1869), 1 Thomas Williams, Letter to Lord Uxbridge ; printed in Hunt, British Mining, 105. 1 Geo. Unwin, Letters and Remarks, 37. Thomas Williams, Letter to Lord Uxbridge ; printed in Hunt, British Mining, 105. was cast in South Wales (very probably at Neath Abbey) ; the beam (still working in the new engine of 1869) was cast at Perran Foundry. At Tarrandean, Perranarworthal, there was a small foundry in existence before the Perran Foundry ; and as that was originated in 1791, it is evident that the old Tarrandean Foundry, established by a Mr. Read, ranks as one of the earliest in Cornwall. The little maritime town of Hayle owes what- ever of importance it has possessed to the exist- ence of the two large foundries, the Hayle Foundry and the Copperhouse Foundry, which for many years were engaged in the manufacture of mining and other machinery. The Hayle Foundry was situated in the parish of St. Erth, and had the advantage of commodious waterside premises. It appears to have been founded between 1765 and 1775, and became ultimately the largest and most important of the engineering works of the county, though at first it probably comprised only a forge and a fitting shop. The founder was Mr. John Harvey, who lived at Carnhell, in the parish of Gwinear. He was evidently an enterprising and a somewhat remarkable man, who, finding no scope for his energies in his native village, re- moved to Hayle, the nearest seaport, and there- fore the most likely place for developing his business. The first authentic reference to John Harvey occurs in the account-book of Richard Trevi- thick, sen. In the items of ' Dolcoath New Engine Cost Account,' 1775, is the following: 'John Harvey and partners for putting in the boiler and building the shed- wall, &c., 33 is. <)d.' The following further reference in the same work, Francis Trevithick's Life of Richard Trevithick, is of interest : ' The John Harvey who worked to fix the improved boiler in its house was then a country smith at Carnhell Green, a small village a few miles from Dolcoath. He established the now famous Harvey & Co.'s engineering foundry at Hayle.' 3 Hunt, British Mining, 830. 57
