▁Leon ardo ▁da ▁V inci , ▁carrying ▁back ▁a ▁knowledge ▁of ▁the ▁steam - engine ▁to ▁at ▁least ▁as ▁far ▁back ▁as ▁the ▁ 1 5 th ▁century . ▁He ▁has ▁published ▁in ▁the ▁Art iste ▁a ▁notice ▁on ▁the ▁life ▁of ▁Leon ardo ▁da ▁V inci , ▁to ▁which ▁he ▁adds ▁a ▁fac - sim ile ▁of ▁a ▁page ▁from ▁one ▁of ▁his ▁manuscript s , ▁and ▁on ▁which ▁are ▁five ▁sketch es ▁with ▁the ▁pen , ▁representing ▁the ▁details ▁of ▁the ▁appar atus ▁of ▁a ▁steam - gun , ▁with ▁an ▁explan atory ▁note ▁upon ▁what ▁he ▁design ates ▁under ▁the ▁name ▁of ▁the ▁" ▁Arch it on ner re ," ▁and ▁of ▁which ▁note ▁the ▁following ▁is ▁a ▁translation ▁: ▁– ▁" ▁In vention ▁of ▁Arch im edes . ▁– ▁The ▁Arch it on ner re ▁is ▁a ▁machine ▁of ▁fine ▁co pper , ▁which ▁throws ▁balls ▁with ▁a ▁loud ▁report ▁and ▁great ▁force . ▁It ▁is ▁used ▁in ▁the ▁following ▁manner ▁: ▁– ▁One ▁third ▁of ▁this ▁instrument ▁contains ▁a ▁large ▁quantity ▁of ▁char co al ▁fire . ▁When ▁the ▁water ▁is ▁well ▁he ated , ▁a ▁sc rew ▁at ▁the ▁top ▁of ▁the ▁vessel ▁which ▁contains ▁the ▁water ▁must ▁be ▁made ▁quite ▁tight . ▁On ▁closing ▁the ▁sc rew ▁above , ▁all ▁the ▁water ▁will ▁escape ▁below , ▁will ▁descend ▁into ▁the ▁he ated ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁instrument , ▁and ▁be ▁immediately ▁converted ▁into ▁a ▁v ap our ▁so ▁abund ant ▁and ▁powerful , ▁that ▁it ▁is ▁wonderful