Credit: ©The Royal Society
    Image number: RS.17486

    Engine for raising water for irrigation

    Date
    29 June 1681
    Creator
    Unknown, Artist
    Object type
    Archive reference number
    Manuscript page number
    p517
    Material
    Dimensions
    height (page): 150mm
    width (page): 176mm
    Subject
    Description
    Sketch of a device apparently used in China to raise water for irrigation, described by Sir Christopher Wren. The drawing appears on a slip of paper bound with draft minutes of a meeting of the Royal Society on 29 June 1681, at which Wren 'gave a description of and conjecture about the way of raising water in China for watering ground' (Birch 4:93). The minutes were taken by Robert Hooke, and are now part of the 'Hooke folio' (MS/847).
    Transcription
    China water engine. Sr. C Wren for watering Ground
    Transcribed by the Making Visible project
    Object history
    At the meeting of the Royal Society on 29 June 1681, 'The president gave a description of and conjecture about the way of raising water in China for watering ground; which it was desired might be farther explained' (Birch 4:93).
    Related fellows
    Robert Hooke (1635 - 1703, British) , Natural philosopher
    Christopher Wren (1632 - 1723, British) , Architect
    Associated place
    <The World>
       > Asia
          > China
    <The World>
       > Europe
          > United Kingdom
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