Talk:Thomas Newcomen/Material from Wikipedia user Dr. Gabriel Gojon/The Newton-Leibniz Controversy

The "Newton-Leibniz Controversy" Although Leibniz and Papin had succeeded in bringing modern dynamical technology into being, making possible the industrial transformation of society, they were working within an increasingly aversive environment. Leibniz's persistent international efforts on behalf of what he called the "Grand Design"-- an alliance of sovereign nations for economic development through scientific and technological progress-- had brought him into increasing conflict with his employer, George Ludwig, the Elector of Hanover, and future British King George I. Whereas George Ludwig was in the pay of the British financial oligarchy based in the City of London, his mother, the brilliant Electress Sophie, was Leibniz's dedicated philosophical protege. Until her untimely death in 1714, Sophie was next in line to become Queen of England! The massive Royal Society attack against Leibniz on the false charge of plagiarism of the Calculus from Newton, which erupted in 1711, was a politically-motivated slander campaign designed to destroy Leibniz's influence in England. Yet, the influence of Leibniz's ideas grew on the European continent, and, significantly, in America as well. [see EIR, Dec. 1, 1995, "The Anti-Newtonian Roots of the American Revolution...."]

During this period, even before the publication of his treatise, Papin had reported a sharp escalation in harassment by his unnamed enemies in Hesse. As a result, the relative tranquility of London again became attractive to him, and he resolved to go to England to demonstrate before the Court and the Royal Society the incontestable superiority of his steam engine over Savery's device.

Papin's plan was to travel to London in his paddlewheel boat, rowing it by conventional means up the Weser River, through Hanover to Bremen, and across the North Sea. Once in London with his model boat and with sufficient means to build an adequate steam pump, Papin planned to operate the world's first steam-driven ship and navigate it up the River Thames. In fact, the main reason which Papin gave to the Landgrave for his desire to leave for London, was that only such a seaport had sufficient depth to apply his engine to a ship.

In a letter to Leibniz Sept. 15, 1707, Papin reported on the first successful test of his paddlewheeler:

"At present I will tell you that the experiment of my boat was made and that it succeeded in the manner that I had hoped of it. The force of the river's current was such a little thing in comparison to the force of my oars that it was difficult to recognize that it went faster in descending the current than in climbing it. Monseigneur had the goodness to testify to me of his satisfaction in having seen such a good effect. I am persuaded that if God gives me the grace to arrive safely in London and to make vessels there of this new construction which have enough depth to apply the fire engine to give movement to oars, I am persuaded, I say, that we may produce those effects which will appear incredible to those who will not see them." In the same letter, Papin renewed a request to Leibniz to help obtain the required permission from the Elector of Hanover for passage up the Weser. Leibniz could expect no cooperation from George, but he tried to intervene with his friends among local magistrates along the river. However, Papin got no further than Munden before encountering the ignorant opposition of the Boatmen's Guild, no doubt incited by elements of George's Court. Leibniz received the following report from an official of Munden, Sept. 27, 1707:

"Having been informed by the Doctor Papin, who, coming from Cassel, passed by this town the day before yesterday, that you are presently to be found in this Court [Berlin], I give myself the honor to advise you, Sir, that this poor man of medicine, who gave me your letter of recommendation for London, had the misfortune to lose here his little machine of a paddlewheel vessel, . . . the Boatmen of this town having had the insolence to stop him and to take from him the fruit of his toil, with which he thought to introduce himself a before the Queen of England ...." Despite the tragic encounter with this "mob of boatmen," Papin continued on to London, only to encounter an even more vicious mob--the British Royal Society, at the time headed by president-for-life Isaac Newton, and by Newton's secretary Hans Sloane.