Part 19 (1/2)
In 1792, Elijah Ormsbee, a Rhode Island mechanic, assisted pecuniarily by David Wilkinson, built a sansett Bay, and made a successful trial-trip on the Seekonk River Orine” and ”duck's-foot” paddles
His boat attained a speed of from three to four miles an hour
In Great Britain, Lord Dundas and Williaton, the forineer, followed by Henry Bell, were the first to ine for the propulsion of shi+ps so completely successful that no interruption subsequently took place in the growth of the new system of water-transportation
Thoreat interest in the experiments of Miller, and had hoped to be able to apply the new e interest
After the failure of the earlier experi with Syaged him to continue the experiments, and furnished all required capital, about 7,000 This was ten years after Miller had abandoned his scheton commenced work in 1801 The first boat built for Lord Dundas, which has been claimed to have been the ”first practical steamboat,” was finished ready for trial early in 1802 The vessel was called the ”Charlotte Dundas,” in honor of a daughter of Lord Dundas, who became Lady Milton
[Illustration: FIG 75--The ”Charlotte Dundas,” 1801]
The vessel (Fig 75) was driven by a Watt double-acting engine, turning a crank on the paddle-wheel shaft The sectional sketch below exhibits the arrange, by -rod, _B C_, a stern-wheel, _E E_
_F_ is the boiler, and _G_ the tall smoke-pipe An air-pump and condenser, _H_, is seen under the steaht to Lock No 20 on the Forth and Clyde Canal, and two vessels of 70 tons burden each taken in tow Lord Dundas, Williauests, were taken on board, and the boat steaainst a strong head-wind, in six hours
The proprietors of the canal were now urged to adopt the new plan of towing; but, fearing injury to the banks of the canal, they declined to do so Lord Dundas then laid the ton an order for eight boats like the Charlotte Dundas, to be used on his canal The death of the Duke, however, prevented the contract froave up the project in despair A quarter of a century later, Syton received from the British Government of his services The Charlotte Dundas was laid up, and we hear nothing more of that vessel
[Illustration: FIG 76--The ”Co those who saw the Charlotte Dundas, and who appreciated the iton, was HENRY BELL, who, 10 years afterward, constructed the Coer-vessel built in Europe This vessel was built in 1811, and completed January 18, 1812 The craft was of 30 tons burden, 40 feet in length, and 10-1/2 feet breadth of beaines rated at three horse-power
Bell had, it is said, been an enthusiastic believer in the advantages to be secured by this application of steaain in 1803, he applied to the British Ades by experi the proper form and proportions of machinery and vessel; but was not able to convince the Ad steaainst winds and tides, and every obstruction on rivers and seas where there was depth of water” He also wrote to the United States Govern his views in a similar strain
Bell's boat hen finished, advertised as a passenger-boat, to leave Greenock, where the vessel was built, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, for Glasgow, 24Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays The fare was s for the best cabin, and three shi+llings for the second” It was some months before the vessel became considered a trustworthy means of conveyance
Bell, on the whole, was at first a heavy loser by his venture, although his boat proved itself a safe, stanch vessel
Bell constructed several other boats in 1815, and with his success steaurated In 1814 there were five stea in British waters; in 1820 there were 34, one-half of which were in England, 14 in Scotland, and the remainder in Ireland Twenty years later, at the close of the period to which this chapter is especially devoted, there were about 1,325 stealish and 250 Scotch
But we must return to America, to witness the first and most complete success, commercially, in the introduction of the steaston, Fulton, and Roosevelt were there the most successful pioneers The latter is said to have built the ”Polacca,” a small steamboat launched on the Passaic River in 1798
The vessel was 60 feet long, and had an engine of 20 inches diameter of cylinder and 2 feet stroke, which drove the boat 8 uests, which included the Spanish Minister Livingston and John Stevens had induced Roosevelt to try their plans still earlier,[74] paying the expense of the experiments
The for a centrifugal pump to force a jet of water fro to France as United States Minister, Barlow carried over the plans of the ”Polacca,” and Roosevelt's friends state that a boat built by them, in conjunction with Fulton, was a ”sister-shi+p” to that vessel In 1798, Roosevelt patented a double engine, having cranks set at right angles As late as 1814 he received a patent for a stea adjustable floats His boat of 1798 is stated by some writers to have been ston, and Stevens
Roosevelt, so hiation of the rivers of the West[75]
[74] ”Encyclopaedia Americana”
[75] ”A Lost Chapter in the History of the Steaislature of New York passed a law giving Chancellor Livingston the exclusive right to steaation in the waters of the State for a period of 20 years, _provided_ that he should succeed, within a twelve- a boat that should steaston did not succeed in co with the terms of the act, but, in 1803, he procured the reenactment of the law in favor of hi in France, after having, in England, watched the progress of steaation there, and then taken a patent in this country
[Illustration: Robert Fulton]
ROBERT FULTON was a native of Little Britain, Lancaster County, Pa, born 1765 He co with paddle-wheels when aon the bank of the Conestoga[76] During his youth he spent hborhood, and learned the trade of a watchmaker; but he adopted, finally, the profession of an artist, and exhibited great skill in portrait-painting While his tastes were at this ti a decided bent, he is said to have visited frequently the house of Willias of Benjae of Mr Henry; and he may probably have seen there the model steamboats which Mr Henry exhibited, in 1783 or 1784, to the German traveler Schopff In later years, Thomas Paine, the author of ”Common Sense,” at one time lived with Mr Henry, and afterward, in 1788, proposed that Congress take up the subject for the benefit of the country
[76] _Vide_ ”Life of Fulton,” Reigart