an old and perfect
machine. Its novelty of action reminded one of seeing the first engine
run on the Liverpool and Manchester railway in 1830. Its perfection
depended on its being new only in England; but in America the result of
repeated disappointments and untired perseverance, etc."

[Sidenote: English Claims]

We propose to prove, and by better evidence, and disinterested too, than
he then had, that in 1833, near the date of "the first engine run on the
Liverpool and Manchester railway in 1830," the American machine cut the
"corn" just as perfectly, with equal "neatness and certainty" as did the
"Novelty" or "Rocket" pass over the Liverpool and Manchester railway. We
shall again recur to English authority. John Bull is a right honest and
clever old gentleman in the main; but he is rather prone to claim what
he has no title for--inventions, as well as territory. We are willing to
give him what he can show a clear deed for, but no more. He beat us by
one year only in the Locomotive; but we fairly beat him eighteen or
twenty in the Reaping Machine; and yet some of his writers contend to
this day that we "_pirated_" from Bell and other English inventors
all we know!

[Sidenote: English Inventors and Their Mistakes]

The excitement and sensation thus produced by the American Reapers,
caused renewed efforts on the part of English inventors; some who had
near a quarter of a century previously, been endeavoring to effect this
"great desideratum," to use an English editorial; and the most
conspicuous of these was one invented by the Rev. Patrick Bell, of
Scotland. Of the half a score or more and previous inventors in Great
Britain--Boyce, Plunknett, Gladstone of Castle Douglass, Salmon of
Waburn, Smith of Deanston in Perthshire, etc., etc.--none were waked up
from their Rip Van Winkle slumbers; or if they were, the world is not
advised of it. They all used revolving scythes, revolving cutters, or
shears instead. Several trials were made with Bell's in 1828 or 1829;
and a very full and minute description with plates, was published some
24 or 25 years ago, and may be found in Loudon's Encyclopedia of
Agriculture.

It was, however, too complicated, too cumbersome and expensive,
performed too little service, and required too much tinkering and
repairs to be viewed as a practical and available implement.--The
English farmer found the sickle or reap hook preferable, for it was
everywhere resorted to.--The cutting apparatus o