The attempted introduction of steam-pumping technology at the Buarcos coal mine, Portugal, in the early 19th century

Abstract

The article focuses on the early years of the Buarcos coal mine, when the Portuguese mineralogist, Bonifácio de Andrada a former Government’s fellow in Paris and also the Freiberg Academy, was appointed the Intendant of Mines (1801). Under the patronage of the influential Minister Sousa Coutinho, he was put in charge of the Buarcos mine. He was knowledgeable on advances made in European mining technology, so to increase coal production he ordered a Boulton and Watt steam engine for mines drainage. This appears to be the first steam engine imported to Portugal for industrial purposes. It was shipped in January 1804 but for the reasons discussed in this article, the engine was never installed. Despite this failed attempt, this less known episode in Portuguese industrial history marks, in a way, the start of the steam era in Portugal.

Keywords:

• Buarcos
• coal mine
• Bonifácio de Andrada
• Boulton and Watt
• steam engine
• Portugal

Acknowledgments

This work is carried out by José M. Brandão (HTC – NOVA FCSH) at the R&D Unit Centre for Functional Ecology – Science for People and the Planet (CFE), with reference UIDB/04004/2020, financed by FCT/MCTES through national funds (PIDDAC). Pedro Callapez is also grateful to CITEUC – Earth and Space Research Centre of the University of Coimbra funded by FCT (project UID/Multi/00611/2019) and COMPETE 2020 (project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006922). Robert Vernon would like to thank the staff in the Archives Department of the Library of Birmingham for access to the Boulton and Watt Collection.

Notes

1 L. T. C. Rolt and J. S. Allen, The Steam Engine of Thomas Newcomen (Ashbourne: Landmark Publishing, 1997), p. 46.

2 Eschwege, 1824, mentioned by P. J. Diniz, Subsídios para a história da montanística II, (Lisboa: Direção-Geral de Minas e Serviços Geológicos, 1941), p. 347.

3 See R. Vernon et al., ‘A Boulton and Watt steam engine for the Buarcos coal mine (Cape Mondego, Figueira da Foz, Portugal) in the early 19th century,’ in El patrimonio Geológico y Minero. Identidad y motor de desarrollo, ed. by L. M. Plaza and J. M. Mata-Perelló (Madrid: Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, 2019), pp. 147–58.

4 J. Bonifácio de Andrada, ‘Mineralogia. Mina de Buarcos e suas pertenças,’ O Patriota, jornal litterario, político, mercantil, &c., do Rio de Janeiro, 2, August 1813, p. 22.

5 C. Ribeiro, ‘Memoria sobre a mina de carvão de pedra do Cabo Mondego,’ in Memorias sobre as minas de carvão dos districtos do Porto e Coimbra e de carvão e ferro do districto de Leiria, ed. by Carlos Ribeiro (Academia Real das Sciencias, 1858), 1, p. 212.

6 See J. S. Pinto et al., ‘A mina de carvão do Cabo Mondego: 200 anos de exploração,’ in Memórias do Carvão, ed. by José M. Brandão and M. Fátima Nunes (Câmara Municipal da Batalha, 2015), pp. 235–58.

7 L. C. Solla, ‘Primeiros tempos da mina do Cabo Mondego,’ Boletim de Minas, 7(1) (1970), 12.

8 Solla, p. 14.

9 H. G. Mendes, ‘As explorações pombalinas da mina do Cabo Mondego numa planta do Instituto Geográfico e Cadastral.’ Boletim de Minas, 7 (4) (1970), 286.

10 Mendes, p. 284.

11 See M. T. Antunes, ‘On a remarkable eighteen-century topographic and geological model in Coimbra (Portugal); the ceramic model of the Buarcos coal mine in its early exploitation stages,’ INHIGEO Newsleter, 40 (2008).

12 A. H. Sobrino and J. F. Aparicio, La bomba de fuego en Almadén (Almadén, Fundación Francisco Xavier Villegas, 2005), pp. 44–5.

13 L. Mansilla Plaza and J. I. Fernández, ‘Aproximación al laboreo de minas y a la metalurgia en las minas de Almadén (Ciudad Real),’ De Re Metallica, 19 (2012), 87.

14 P. Dupré et al., ‘Les industriels du Calvados et la vapeur. 1749–1865,’ Cahier des Annales de Normandie, 25 (1993), 37.

15 Solla, p. 27.

16 Ribeiro, p. 221.

17 Pinto et al., p. 244.

18 Cf. ‘Instruções do ministro Luiz Pinto de Sousa relativas à viagem de aperfeiçoamento técnico através da Europa, May 31, 1890’ in E. C. Falcão, (comp.), Obras científicas, políticas e sociais de José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva. Edição comemorativa do bicentenário de nascimento de José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva (S. Paulo: Emprêsa gráfica de Revista dos Tribunais, 1965), III, pp. 169–70.

19 A. Simões, M. P. Diogo and A. Carneiro, Cidadão do Mundo. Uma Biografia Científica do Abade Correia da Serra (Porto: Porto Editora, 2006), pp. 55–56.

20 L. Coelho, Elogio historico de José Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva (Lisboa: Typographia da Academia, 1877), pp. 40–9.

21 Royal Order of 8 July 1801 [Creation of the post of Intendant of Mines, with emphasis on the Buarcos mine] in A. D. Silva, Coleção da Legislação Portuguesa de 1791 a 1801 (Lisboa: Typografia Maigrense, 1828), pp. 716–7.

22 Co-founder of the Academy of Sciences and a close friend of Sousa Coutinho, Correia da Serra lived in London between 1795 and 1801, establishing relations with various British naturalists, including Joseph Banks. He sent to Lisbon several catalogues of plants, seeds and scientific instruments (A. S. Carvalho, ‘O Abade Correia da Serra,’ Memórias da Academia das Ciências de Lisboa, Classe de Ciências, 6 (1948), 64–7.

23 Letter to S. Coutinho, 20 April 1801, in Carvalho, p. 148.

24 A. G. Varela, ‘Ciência e patronagem na correspondência entre D. Rodrigo de Sousa Coutinho e José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva, 1799–1812,’ in XIII Encontro de História - Identidades (Anpuh-Rio, 2008), 3 <http://encontro2008.rj.anpuh.org/resources/content/anais/1214562031_ARQUIVO_TextoAlexVarelaANPUH.pdf> [accessed 10 July 2017]

25 Royal order from 25 August 1801 [Appointment of Bonifácio de Andrada as Intendant] in E. C. Falcão, pp. 185–6.

26 Royal order from July 8, 1801, ibid.

27 Bonifácio de Andrada, p. 21.

28 D. Vandelli, ‘Memoria sobre o modo de aproveitar o Carvaõ de Pedra, e os Páos Bituminosos deste Reino,’ Memórias Económicas da Academia Real das Ciências, 2 (1790), 434.

29 Letter to Sousa Coutinho, 4 March 1802, in A. G. Varela, ‘Juro-lhe pela honra de bom vassalo e bom português: as cartas de José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva para D. Rodrigo de Sousa Coutinho,’ Revista do Instituto Histórico e Geográfico Brasileiro, 460 (2013), 293.

30 Letter to S. Coutinho, 11 March 1802, in Varela, 2013, p. 295.

31 Solla, p. 9.

32 Order from J. Bonifácio to the Customs judge of Figueira da Foz, 4 March 1802. Arquivo Histórico Geológico e Mineiro, Intendência Geral de Minas e Metais (LNEG/AHGM/IGMM), Livro 2 de Portarias, Ordens e Avisos recebidos de 1801 a 1811, fl. 19.

33 Letter to Martinho de Mello, 28 August 1774, in A. P. Lima, Subsídios para a história das minas de carvão do Cabo Mondego (Porto: Empresa Industrial Gráfica do Porto, 1956), p. 21.

34 Letter to Sousa Coutinho, 4 March 1802, in Varela, 2013, p. 294.

35 Letter to Sousa Coutinho, 31 March 1802, in Carvalho, pp. 153–4.

36 Letter to Sousa Coutinho, 11 March 1802, in Varela, 2013, p. 296.

37 LNEG/AHGM/IGMM, Order from Sousa Coutinho to Bonifácio de Andrada, 15 March 1802, Livro 2, fl 18.

38 Letter to Sousa Coutinho, 11 March 1802, in Varela, 2013, p. 296.

39 Bonifácio de Andrada, p. 23.

40 LNEG/AHGM/IGMM, Order from 11 August 1802, Livro 3 de Portarias, Ordens e Avisos expedidos de 1801 a 1811, fl. 55v.

41 LNEG/AHGM/IGMM, Notice 146, January 24, 1804, Livro 2, fl. 69.

42 W. B. Eschwege, Memoria sobre a historia moderna da administração das minas em Portugal (Lisboa: Academia Real das Sciencias, 1838), p. 11.

43 See transcript in P. J. Diniz, Subsídios para a história da montanística (Lisboa: Direcção Geral de Minas e Serviços Geológicos, 1939), 27.

44 See J. A. Neves, ‘Digressão sobre as maquinas de vapor,’ in Variedades, sobre objectos relativos ás artes, commercio, e manufacturas; consideradas segundo os principios da economia politica https://archive.org/details/variedadessobreo02neve (Lisboa: Impressão Regia, 1817).

45 LNEG/AHGM/IGMM, Livro de Caixa n.º 1 das minas de carvão, 1804, fl. 2.

46 LNEG/AHGM/IGMM, Notice 123, 7 May 1802, Livro 2, fl. 55.

47 Réis (rs): Portuguese monetary unit used until 1911, when it was replaced by the escudo following the Implantation of the Republic in 1910. 1$000 (a thousand réis) = 1$00 (one escudo). By December 1910, the currency peg was c. 5§000 rs to 1 Pound.

48 Eschwege mentioned by Diniz, II, p. 350.

49 LNEG/AHGM/IGMM, Letter to Vila Nova, 17 August 1805, Livro 3, fl. 128v.

50 Bonifácio de Andrada, p. 22.

51 Engineer Carlos Ribeiro, on behalf of the concessionaire, visited the mine in 1853. He reported that the main shaft was opened 10 m above the sea level and a coal seam of regular thickness was being exploited. He also stated that the industrial quality of the coal had improved in depth, thereby corroborating Bonifácio's opinion some 50 years before.

52 Letter from Bonifácio de Andrada to Vila Nova, 30 July 1804.

53 W. Eschwege, 1826, Relação historico-statistica das Minas do Reino in Diniz, II, pp. 353–4.

54 LNEG/AHGM/IGMM, Notice, 18 October 1814. Livro 2, fl. 126v.

55 D. Levy, ‘A cunhagem a vapor para a Casa da Moeda do Rio de janeiro,’ Sociedade Numismática Brasileira, 54 (2004), 34.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

José Manuel Brandão

José Manuel Brandão is a Geologist, with an MSc. in Museum Studies, PhD in History and Philosophy of Science. He has held positions in teaching, as a museum education officer at the National Museum of Natural History, University of Lisbon, and as Chief Curator of the Geological Museum, Lisbon. Currently retired, is a researcher of the History, Territories and Communities/CFE, NOVA FCSH, University of Coimbra. Main interests: History and Museology of Earth Sciences and mining in Portugal. Author and co-author of several publications within the scope of teaching and outstretch of the Earth Sciences, and Geological and Mining Heritage in Portugal.

Robert W. Vernon

Robert W. Vernon worked as a geologist in the UK Coal Mining Industry (Deep Mines) for 24 years before he undertook research in archaeological prospection at Bradford University, UK – awarded MSc and PhD. Interests include archaeological prospection, industrial archaeology, mining landscapes and their history, particularly the spread of mining technology, and its imprint on the mining landscape, and research on the British companies of John Taylor & Sons (London), Mining Consultants, and the Hathorn, Davey Company (Leeds) manufacturers of pumping engines. He is now retired and is a member of the Northern Mine Research Society.

Pedro Miguel Callapez

Pedro Miguel Callapez is an Assistant Professor at the University of Coimbra, Portugal, and PhD in Stratigraphy and Palaeontology. He researches themes on Earth’s Sciences history, including Cretaceous, Quaternary, and zooarchaeology of pre-historical to modern sites. Author and co-author of dozens of publications, including Springer, Science and other peer-reviewed journals. Coordinator of the Mineralogical and Geological Museum (2004–2010), Geophysical Research Centre (2009–2010) and Master on Education of Biology and Geology (2016–2023) at the University of Coimbra. As invited professor, he taught Cartography in Angola (2006–2016), Stratigraphy in East Timor (2019–2020), Invertebrate Palaeontology in the NOVA of Lisbon and Évora universities (2011–2023), and History of Geology in the PhD program of Aveiro and Coimbra universities (2012–2023).

José Manuel Soares Pinto

José Manuel Soares Pinto is a mineralogist and researcher on themes of Geology and Mining History specialized in the Cabo Mondego coalmine and author of several published works about this subject. For many years, he was an invited Lecturer at the Mineralogical and Geological Museum of the University of Coimbra, where he was responsible by the collections, and the rebuilding of the Gallery of Minerals José Bonifácio. He was a senior teacher at the public High School Bernardino Machado, Figueira da Foz, not far away from the old historical mine facilities.