<P> In 1775 Watt formed an engine - building and engineering partnership with manufacturer Matthew Boulton . The partnership of Boulton & Watt became one of the most important businesses of the Industrial Revolution and served as a kind of creative technical centre for much of the British economy . The partners solved technical problems and spread the solutions to other companies . Similar firms did the same thing in other industries and were especially important in the machine tool industry . These interactions between companies were important because they reduced the amount of research time and expense that each business had to spend working with its own resources . The technological advances of the Industrial Revolution happened more quickly because firms often shared information, which they then could use to create new techniques or products . </P> <P> From mines to mills, steam engines found many uses in a variety of industries . The introduction of steam engines improved productivity and technology, and allowed the creation of smaller and better engines . After Richard Trevithick's development of the high - pressure engine, transport - applications became possible, and steam engines found their way into boats, railways, farms and road vehicles . Steam engines are an example of how changes brought by industrialization led to even more changes in other areas . </P> <P> The development of the stationary steam engine was a very important early element of the Industrial Revolution, however it should be remembered that for most of the period of the Industrial Revolution the majority of industries still relied on wind and water power as well as horse and man - power for driving small machines . </P> <P> The industrial use of steam power started with Thomas Savery in 1698 . He constructed and patented in London the first engine, which he called the "Miner's Friend" since he intended it to pump water from mines . Early versions used a soldered copper boiler which burst easily at low steam pressures . Later versions with iron boiler were capable of raising water about 46 meters (150 feet). The Savery engine had no moving parts other than hand - operated valves . The steam once admitted into the cylinder was first condensed by an external cold water spray, thus creating a partial vacuum which drew water up through a pipe from a lower level; then valves were opened and closed and a fresh charge of steam applied directly on to the surface of the water now in the cylinder, forcing it up an outlet pipe discharging at higher level . The engine was used as a low - lift water pump in a few mines and numerous water works, but it was not a success since it was limited in pumping height and prone to boiler explosions . </P>

4. what role did the steam engine play in the industrial revolution