t to taking out any further
patents, being still engaged in contesting with the Cornish mine-owners
his father's rights to the user of the condensing steam-engine.
Nothing definite was done at the time. Murdock returned to Cornwall
and continued his experiments. At the end of the same year he
exhibited to Mr. Phillips and others, at the Polgooth mine, his
apparatus for extracting gases from coal and other substances, showed
it in use, lit the gas which issued from the burner, and showed its
"strong and beautiful light." He afterwards exhibited the same
apparatus to Tregelles and others at the Neath Abbey Company's
ironworks in Glamorganshire.

Murdock returned to Soho in 1798, to take up his permanent residence in
the neighbourhood. When the mine owners heard of his intention to
leave Cornwall, they combined in offering him a handsome salary
provided he would remain in the county; but his attachment to his
friends at Soho would not allow him to comply with their request. He
again urged the firm of Boulton and Watt to take out a patent for the
use of gas for lighting purposes. But being still embroiled in their
tedious and costly lawsuit, they were naturally averse to risk
connection with any other patent. Watt the younger, with whom Murdock
communicated on the subject, was aware that the current of gas obtained
from the distillation of coal in Lord Dundonald's tar-ovens had been
occasionally set fire to, and also that Bishop Watson and others had
burned gas from coal, after conducting it through tubes, or after it
had issued from the retort. Mr. Watt was, however, quite satisfied
that Murdock was the first person who had suggested its economical
application for public and private uses.

But he was not clear, after the legal difficulties which had been
raised as to his father's patent rights, that it would be safe to risk
a further patent for gas.

Mr. Murdock's suggestion, accordingly, was not acted upon. But he went
on inventing in other directions. He thenceforward devoted himself
entirely to mechanical pursuits. Mr. Buckle has said of him:--"The
rising sun often found him, after a night spent in incessant labour,
still at the anvil or turning-lathe; for with his own hands he would
make such articles as he would not intrust to unskilful ones." In 1799
he took out a patent (No. 2340), embodying some very important
inventions. First, it included the endless screw working into a
toothed-wheel, for boring