Jacques-Constantin Périer

Jacques-Constantin Périer (Paris, November 2, 1742 – 1818) was a self-taught French engineer and businessman who, with his brother, founded the Compagnie des eaux de Paris during a period of great stock market speculation under Louis XVI. He is known for having introduced James Watt's steam engine to France in 1779 and for having built the first double-acting engine in 1789, only six years after Watt thanks to the intercession of Agustín de Betancourt during a visit to Watt's Albion Mills.

Early life Périer's father Joseph-Constantin Périer was Receiver general of the domains and woods of the district of Alençon. His first invention was a centrifugal pump, under a patent granted by the Duke of Chartres and the Duke of Orleans.

Paris water supply With his brother Auguste Charles, also a businessman, Périer was granted Royal letters patent to erect steam engines to pump water from the Seine and install a network of pipes for distributing it to customers, as was being done in London.

In 1779, James Watt granted them rights to machines of his invention, providing the plans. Despite obstacles to freighting orders to France given the war-time controls on trade and a growing shortage of shipping, as well as growing distrust of Périer by Watt and his partners, suppliers of iron pipes, brothers William and John Wilkinson, the Chaillot pumps "the Constantine" and "the Augustine" were in operation from 8 August 1781 and included components supplied by Boulton & Watt shipped on the brigantine Mary. For this, in 1786, Watt was compensated with the amount of 51,600 livres. Later, in his defence, Périer wrote in 1810: “I am not the inventor of steam engines. But I am the creator of this branch of industry in France.”

Fired from the company, the Périer brothers sued for the return of 300 shares and obtained financial compensation of 1,200,000 livres. Difficulties in the execution of this judgment arose due to the French Revolution and they addressed a petition to the National Assembly, read in public session of November 24, 1790 and it was returned to committee.

Littry winding engines

In 1802 the Périer brothers manufactured steam winding engines, supplying the Anzin Company with twenty of the machines for winding and drainage at several pits in the Littry coal mines. One of them is kept at the Molay-Littry mine museum and is the oldest steam engine preserved in France.

Legacy Rue des Frères-Périer is located on the site of Périer's original pump, in Chaillot, now the 16th arrondissement.

Publications Périer, Jacques Constantin (1800) Brevet D'invention ... Machine À Vapeur Propre À Monter Le Charbon Des Mines. Certificat De Demande D'un Brevet D'invention Délivré En Vertu De L'arrêté Des Consuls Du 5 Vendémiaire an 9 Au Citoyen J.C. Périer Domicilié Etc.