Final answer:
It is false that the first-known fire pump was invented in England in the 18th century. There were earlier instances of steam-powered devices capable of pumping water, most notably Thomas Savery's pump in the late 17th century and even earlier historical examples like Hero's aeolipile.
Step-by-step explanation:
The assertion that the first-known fire pump was invented in England in the 18th century is false. Earlier steam engines that could move water, and thus could function similar to a fire pump, were developed well before the 18th century. For example, Thomas Savery patented the world's first commercially used steam engine to pump water out of mines in 1698. Furthermore, a Spanish inventor named Jerónimo Beaumont was granted the first steam patent in 1606 for an engine that operated a pump to drain mines. Moreover, Hero of Alexandria created the aeolipile, an early steam engine prototype, around 70 CE.
However, it was James Watt's 18th-century improvements to the steam engine that greatly increased the efficiency and practical applications of steam power, including potential fire pump uses. His design was far more efficient than Thomas Newcomen's earlier steam engine, which was set up in 1712 and could lift water, albeit with a limited height and requiring a significant amount of fuel.