SIR ,

THIS serves only to acquaint you , that since I have been on board , in our Passage to the Downs , I have us'd the Engine off the Long-Sand-Head , and we made as much fresh Sea-water as boil'd Pease for the whole Ships company , they being boil'd as well as ever I see any ; I find we can make above one hundred Gallons in 24 hours , if the Ship have no great motion , but if it hath much motion , then it will not make full so much Water . I believe it will prove a very useful thing at Sea . This being all needful from

Downs , Octob . 22. 1684. Your very humble Servant , John Kempthorne .

From on board the Elizabeth at Barbadoes , January 27th 1684.

THESE are to acquaint you of our proceeding with our Engine . I will give you a good Account of it , I find no otherwise by it ; the Water we find very wholsom and beneficial , and the Engine works as well in foul Weather as in fair . We find that the more it is wrought the better it worketh , and the Water is the better . It is much esteemed on here , and abundance of People of all sorts resort daily to see it , and drink of the Water ; and we have wrought it most of the way hither .

Jonathan Martin .

From on board the May-flower at Mevis , 21th of February , 1684.

AS for the Engine , it works very well , and I have made use of it in my Passage near the Tropick in the Long Reach ; and I find I can make above forty Gallons in twelve hours after it begins to work . I made in the Long Reach two Casks beside what I used , thinking to have brought one of them home ; but the Gentlemen of Antegoe , and the strangers that came on board , desired so much to drink , and to have some in Bottles , that I spent them both . And since I came here , I have caus'd it to be wrought three several days on purpose for Merchants and Planters to see it , and a great many of them approved of it very well .

Simon Corbin .

From the said Ships again after their return .

WE Jonathan Martin , Master of the Pink Elizabeth , and Simon Corbin , Master of the Pink May-flower , having aboard each of our said Ships an Engine bought of the Patentees for making Salt-water fresh , do certifie that we have made use of the said Engine going to and coming from the West-Indies , viz. Barbadoes , Mevis , and Antego , and have found the Water prepared by them very wholsom , pleasant and useful , and resolve for the future to continue the Use of such Engines .

Jonathan Martin . Simon Corbin .

I Evan Seyes , Master of the Jane of London , having sailed a long time in Company with a Ship furnish'd with an Engine for making Saltwater fresh , do hereby testifie , that having frequently drunk of the Waters so prepared aboard that Ship , and in several Climates , found the Men of the Ship in perfect good Health , and much pleased with the Water , which they made Use of , having no Meat or Drink , but what was prepared by the said Water .

Dated February 2. 1684. Evan Seyes .

Extract of a Letter to a Merchant in London .

I desire that you will acquaint the Patentees that we have made Use of their Engine ever since we left the Coast of England , and that we find our Men very well pleased with the Use of it , being all in very good Health . Sign'd by John Clive , Supercargo of the Spanish Merchant .

John Clive .

I Do hereby certifie , that in the time of my being in the Leeward Islands , I did several times drink of Sea Water made fresh by the Patentees Engine , on board some Ships that came into those Parts ; and found not only the Men who sailed in the said Ships , but those Persons on Shore , who drank frequently of the said Water , in good Health , notwithstanding the heat of the Climate , and great change of the Air , in which the Water was prepar'd : and am of Opinion that the use of the said Water is of great Advantage , not only to Ships , but to several parts of the World lying near the Sea , where the Water is Brackish , or there is no fresh Water .

August 21. 1685. Signed by Sir William Stapleton Knt. Governour of the Leeward Islands .

I John Frost , Captain , Master , and part Sharer of the Aleppo Factor , having receiv'd an Engine from the Patentees , for making Salt water Fresh , do hereby certifie , that many Months in the Streights and other places , I made use of Sea-water prepar'd on board my Ship by the Engine and Ingredients received from the Patentees , which Water I found by my self , Sea-men , and several other Persons , to be very good and wholesome ; and the Engine to answer all that was promised in the Books printed by the Patentees .

Octob . 2. 85. John Frost .

I Do hereby certifie , that having put on board a Ship , bound out on a long Voyage , an Engine bought from the Patentees for making Salt-water fresh , I receiv'd Letters from on board the said Ship four Months after her departure , dated in April last past , which gives an account that the said Engine makes the Sea-water fresh in great quantities ; and answers all the good Effects undertaken by the Patentees , and has been of great Use and Advantage to the said Ship , without any Inconveniencies .

Witness my Hand , this 25th of November . Geffery Nightingale , Merchant .

HAving the Honour to command his Majesties Ship Tiger , the last Year in the Streights , meeting with a Merchant-man trading in those parts , I had the Curiosity to go and see his Engine , which he receiv'd from Mr. Fitz-Gerald , and the rest of his Partners , for turning Salt-water into fresh ; which I found so well disposed of , before the Fore-mast in the Fore-Castle , that its Room was inconsiderable and out of Danger : and from the Captain , and the Men in particular , ( in which I took some pains to ask Questions ) I was well assured that the prepared Water was very good , and that they liked it as well as Thames Water , and had as good Health as ever they used to have . To which I set my Hand this 10th of Decemb . 1685.

Signed by Sir Francis Wheler .

I Peter Pickard , Commander of the Hunter , did furnish my self with a Salt-water Engine from the Patentees , in Decemb . 1684. and do hereby certifie , that having made use several times of the said Engine in my last Voyage , I found it to make the Sea-water very fresh , and good for dressing Victuals , and Drinking ; which occasion'd me to recommend the same to be useful for the Royal African Company , in their Castle on James's Island in Gambo River ; they accordingly agreed with the Patentees for an Engine to send along with me to the said Place . Witness my Hand this 20th of Decemb . 1685.

P. Pickard .

I Matt . Tennant , having lately commanded His Majesties Ship the Guernsey , do hereby certifie , That in the time of my being at Sea , I met with several Ships , furnish'd by the Patentees with an Engine for making Salt water fresh , and there received Account from the Persons who sailed in the said Ships , that the said Engines did make fresh very great quantities of Water , and were very useful and convenient ; and that the Persons in the said Ships , who had lived upon the Water so prepar'd , had very good Health , and were freet from the Scurvy than they used to be .

Decemb . 20. 85. Matt . Tennant .

THese are to certifie , that in February last : by His Majesties Commands , the Patentees for making Salt-water fresh sent down , and for present Use fix'd in this place two of their Engines ; which made such good and acceptable water , that it was chosen rather than our Rain o● Thames Water , for any Use ; especially to drink simply , or make Punch withall .

Given under my Hand in His Majesties Fort Sheerness , February 2. 1685. Robert Crawford Lieutenant-Governour .

The Opinion of several Eminent Physicians of the Colledge , and others , concerning Sea-Water made Fresh .

BEsides the Experience of the fore-going Sea-men in great and long Voyages , several Eminent Physicians of the Colledge , and others , have so well approved of this prepared Water , that they have directed the Use thereof in Diet-Drinks , Coffee , Chocolate , and Tea , instead of Fountain-Water . And the Physicians under written are of opinion , that it may be useful to the said purposes . And all agree , That Water prepar'd according to the Patentees way , is undoubtedly good against Scurvys , and other Diseases .

Sir Thomas Witherly , Praeses Collegii . Dr. Peter Barwick Dr. John Betrs . Dr. Humphry Brook Dr. Thomas Burwel Dr. Francis Bernard Dr. Edward Brown Dr. R. Blackbourn Dr. Walter Charleton Dr. Andrew Clinch Dr. Daniel Cox Dr. Theodore Colladon Dr. Andrew Creagh Dr. Edmund Dickinson Med . Reg . Dr. William Denton Dr. John Downes Dr. William Dawkins Dr. David Abercromby Dr. Charles Goodal Dr. Nehemiah Grew Dr. Philip Guide Dr. Edward Hulse Dr. Walter Harris Dr. George How Sir Edmund King , Eq. Aur . Dr. John Lawson Dr. Richard Lower Dr. Martin Lister Sir Thomas Millington Eq. Aur . Dr. Samuel Morris Dr. Richard Morton Dr. Walter Mills Dr. Walter Needham Sir William Petty , Eq. Aur . Dr. Robert Pitt Dr. George Rogers Dr. James Rufine Dr. Richard Robinson Sir Charles Scarburgh Eq. Aur . Med . Reg . prim . Dr. William Stokeham Dr. H. Sampson Dr. Thomas Sydenham Dr. Hans Sloane Dr. Frederick Slare Dr. David Thomas Dr. Edward Tyson Dr. William Waldgrave Dr. John Windebank

These Engines , Ingredients , and Directions for the Operation , are to be had at Mr. William Talbot's House , at the Sign of the Falcon and Scales in Gracious-street . And it is to be observed , that Engines may be made for Brewing , Dying , Hat-making , or other Uses , from ten Gallons to five hundred Gallons .