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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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James Watt
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(1736–1819) Scottish inventor who made important advances in the development of the *steam engine. He was instrument-maker to the university of Glasgow in 1764 when he was given a model of *Newcomen's engine to repair. He was struck by its wasteful consumption of steam, which he solved by separating the condenser from the cylinder, allowing the temperature in the condenser to be low while that in the cylinder remained high. In partnership with Matthew *Boulton, Watt developed this principle in an engine which used a quarter of the fuel previously required.
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The firm of Boulton and Watt was able to prosper by charging a royalty of 33% of the money saved. Watt's many later improvements included the double-action engine and a brilliantly simple self-regulating device, the centrifugal governor. His engines had made the transition from simple pumping machines to adaptable sources of rotary power, suitable for the mechanical requirements of mills and factories. They thus made possible a major advance in the *Industrial Revolution.
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