There was a large gathering on Friday  last at the funeral of the late  Mr.  W.  West, C.E., of Tredenham House, St. Blazey. The funeral procession was formed at the house, and walked to the church.  The coffin, which was a  plain one  bearing  a  silver  plate  inscribed with the name and age of the deceased, was carried by sixteen of the employees at the St. Blazey Foundry.    The mourners were the three sons—Messrs. William and Charles and the  Rev. J. Otho West ;  two  sons-in-law— Mr. Wm. Polkinhorne (Liskeard) and Dr. Pearse (Camel-ford);     the  grandchildren ;    brother,   Mr . C. West;  and Mr.  W. Matthews,   Mr.  Simmons,  Mr.  J.  Polkinghorne, and Mr. Mitchell (St. Austell).       Then followed the servants; and amongst those who came afterwards were the  Rev.   Dr.   Treffry     and    the   Rev.  Henry  Noel Purcell,  Fowey;   the   Rev.  J. Penistan,    vicar  of St. Blazey ;      Mr.   K. W.  Brydges   Willyams     and     Mr. Arthur  Willyams ;     Mr.  Davies,  Fowey ;     Mr. Stephens, St. Austell ; Capt. R. W. Williams,C.E.,  Capt. Holman,. Capt. W. Taylor, Capt. Hoskin, Redruth  ;   Messrs. W. Loam,  C.E.,     S.  W.  Jenkin,    John Venning,   W. G. Nettle, K. Hawke,    A.  C.  L. Glubb,  J. Dymond,   W. Thorne, J. Medland, J. H. Blarney. W. F. Geach, T. J. Stevens, and S. Trevail, Tywardreath ; T. R. Olver and Robert Pearce, Falmouth ;   J.  F.  Bishop, Looe ;    J. and W. Matthews, Tavistock ;   J. Michell and J. H. Bawden, Truro ;  G. and W. Chapman, Roseland ; E. Brokenshire and S. Rundle, Lostwithiel ;  John Lovering,  G. Petherick, T. Stoker,  and Walter Giles,  St. Austell ;    G. Hambly and A.  C.  Sandoe,  Bodmin ;      H.  Bale, Exeter ;     Giles Martin, Wadebridge ;  W. Tremaine, Polsue; Dunstan, Drakewalls ; W. C. Vivian, Camborne ;  Serpell, Polquite ; Lowry Fowey ;  .James Sims, Redruth ;  S. Moss, C. W. Remfry, G. Lias, and  W. Morcom, Par.     The funeral service was said by the Rev.J. Penistan, and the deceased was interred in a brick vault  at  the  south-east corner of the churchyard. Mr. J. Bennett, St. Blazey, was the undertaker.

We  have  authority  for  stating  that  the  death of the late Mr. West,  of  Tredenham  House,  St. Blazey,   will  in no way affect the carrying on of his banking and other undertakings,  as  by the provisions of the will they are all to be continued on the same footing as heretofore for twenty years.

In  our  long and detailed account last week of the career of the late  Mr. William West,   we  mentioned that his great ability an engineer was conspicuously brought before the county hy the trial of engine which he had erected in 1834 at Fowey Consols mine. A detailed account of this trialis  given in  “ Lean’s Historical State-ment  of the  Steam Engines in Cornwall, published in 1839 "  It is considered that the trial and astonishing results of this engine had a great influence in promoting Mr. West’s very successful career.

Mr. Lean states that “in 1834 fifty-two engines were reported,  average duty, 47*8 millions.   The average duty of  the best engines this year was 90*9 millions ; and, like the year 1827,  it  may be regarded as an  important  epoch in the  history  of  the  steam  engine.       Mr.  William  West had erected a new 80-inch cylinder engine at Fowey Consols mine, in constructing which he had availed himself of all the improvements that had been made for some years, and as he had filled the situation of deputy-engineer at Wheal Towan at the time when Capt. Gosse was so successfully carrying to perfection his views on the subject, he was enabled to construct a machine which exceeded any hitherto known.    Austen’s  engine  was  reported for the first time in July this year ;  its average duty for that month was 90 millions, and for the following September 97*836382.    This created great astonishment among the miners and engineers of other mines, accompanied by suspicions, which were openly declared, that some decept- tion had been practised  to cause the appearance of such extraordinary performance,  and the adventurers were called upon to submit the engine to a trial before dis-Interested and unprejudiced men, who should either verify or disprove the statement. Mr. Austen, the principal proprietor of Fowey Consols mine, immediately responded to the call,  and October 22nd  was  fixed for the trial to  begin.    In the meantime letters were addressed to gentle- men of science and influence,  and  to the adventurers, chief managers, agents, and engineers of other mines, inviting them to attend the trial.    On  the appointed day many attended accordingly, and after a patient and scrupulous investigation, through that day and the follow- ing,  they found the duty  performed  by  the  engine to be 125 millions."     Then follows a statement published at the time setting forth the procedure adopted at the trial, the names of the committee of examination, &c.     It is stated that a  public meeting was held at Fowey Consols,  when Mr. J. S. Enys, of Enys, was requested to nominate competent persons totally unconnected  with the mines, and the following were appointed a committee for the purpose:- Messrs. Samuel Lyle, Thomas Petherick, John Budge,   John Bray,  William Renfry,  James Thomas, Joseph Morcom, jun.     The result  was as above stated, and Mr. Lean remarks {-
    " A circumstance of this  nature  was eminently calcu-lated  to excite  the energies of the engineers  throughout the county, and  it appears  that many  exerted themselves to the utmost to raise their engines to level with that at Fowey Consols,  for a rapid advance in the duty of several engines became apparent.    In the month of  September this year the following engines were reported above 60 millions, which now began to be considered the medium duty of a first-rate engine :

Fowey Consols            by W. West                   88'2 millions.
     Wheal Vor                      Richards                      88*9 millions
     Wheal Darlington..      Eustis                           76'5 millions
     Consolidated Mines.  Hocking and Loam    67*7 millions
     United Mines                Ditto                              65'3 millions
     North Roskear             J. West                         63*0 millions
     Wheal Vor                     Richards                      61*7 millions

 In 1835 fifty-one engines reported an average duty of 47*8; average duty of the best engine, 91*6 millions.’’