CHAPTER IV.

RIVAL CLAIMS TO THE INVENTION OF STEAM NAVIGATION SET AT REST BY DATES. MILLER, TAYLOR, FULTON, BELL.-SYMINGTON'S LETTER TO TAYLOR EXPLAINED. HIS CLAIM UPON NATIONAL GRATITUDE CONSIDERED. THE PRINCIPLE WHICH SHOULD GOVERN SUCH REWARDS.

HAVING already shortly adverted to the article on Taylor in "Chambers' Journal," a few further observations are necessary to dispose-I hope I may say for ever-of the pretensions of Miller, Taylor, Fulton, and Bell, who have contended, or their injudicious partisans for them, for the honour of the invention of Steam Navigation.

Miller, in the pamphlet of his experiments in propelling boats by mechanical means, published in 1787, says: "I have also reason to believe that the power of the steam engine may be applied to work the wheels." This idea he certainly had from Symington, in a conversation on the occasion of the latter exhibiting his model of a Steam Carriage, in 1786; for Symington was also the first to originate, and the first to prove, by a working model, the application of steam to locomotion. He then pointed out to Miller, how much more continuous and effectual his boat might be propelled by steam, than by horses, manual labour, or other mechanical substitution for wind.

This conversation led to Symington's employment by Miller to prove its practicability. Whoever, therefore, first thought of the scheme, all, at least admit, that Symington was employed to construct and arrange the machinery, to

superintend the application of the engine, and to produce a rotary motion; in fact, to make the steamer effective. This must be considered important evidence in determining, at this distance of time, the rights of contending claimants. It affords the best proof that Symington was, at least, the practical engineer; and that the other claimants, at this period, were wholly incapable of applying the invention. Symington, there can be no reasonable doubt, was the genius, Miller the patron. Had he not, at that time, acquired the fame of being the originator, it is not probable that Lord Dundas would, fifteen years afterwards, have selected him, as before stated, to renew the experiments.

Taylor had been the schoolfellow of Symington, and was then tutor in Miller's family. So circumstanced, it was not difficult for Miller and Taylor to appropriate to themselves, and contend for an honour due to neither of them; whilst the real author, like too many others, was obliged to leave to the slow but irresistible power of time, to return to him the credit of a valuable invention.

The chief evidence upon which the editors of "Chambers' Edinburgh Journal" were content to claim it for Taylor, is the following extract from a letter from Symington to him, dated in 1787:

"I must make some remarks on your summer's invention, which, if made to perform what its author gives it out for, will undoubtedly be one of the greatest wonders hitherto presented to the world, besides being of considerable emolument to the projector. Great success to you, although overturning my schemes; but take care we do not come upon your back, and run away with them by some improvement. Your brother John gives a kind of credit to your report, which, for some reasons, I did not discourage.

"I must conclude," &c. &c.

(Signed) "WM. SYMINGTON,"

Admitting, as they do, that " Mr. Taylor was requested to find out a proper engineer for the purpose, and William Symington, who had invented a new construction of the steam engine, (by throwing off the air-pump,) being at that time in Edinburgh for his education, he recommended and introduced him to Mr. Miller," they have not exercised that. caution and patient investigation of evidence, due to the real author and the public, in awarding an important invention to a person who, by their own account, was incompetent to apply it. The talent of the then youthful inventor of Steam Navigation is sufficiently shown by this extract; for even whilst pursuing his education, Symington "had invented a new construction of the steam engine.'

Mr. Symington, at the period referred to in his letter, had his thoughts occupied with Steam Navigation, and this is the scheme he refers to, that Taylor's invention would overturn, if successful. That invention was nothing more than a pump, by which water was to be powerfully forced in one direction, that the boat might be propelled in another by the reaction. Sometime ago I witnessed, with Mr. Brunel, a similar absurdity, revived on a large scale. The sanguine inventor had covered sheets with abstruse calculations, to show what "pull" it would have, proving to demonstration, on paper, that it could not fail-but it did. He had, unfortunately for himself, dealt somewhat too largely in hypotheses, and would hear of nothing but what squared with them. Thus, when the pump had a barge in tow, which, looming somewhat above the water, presented a fair extent for the wind, and. the wind blew adverse, the barge went backwards, "pulling" the pump, instead of the pump "pulling" the barge.

As regards the claims of Bell and Fulton, it is difficult to conceive by what deduction or calculation, unless by inverse ratio, can be awarded to either, any further merit than having perseveringly availed themselves of Symington's talent.

Dates give accuracy to events, and decide, without appeal, the priority of claimants. Symington's steam boats were in 1788, 1789, and 1803: Bell's in 1811.

Fulton availed himself of Symington's liberal permission, in July, 1801, to take drawings of his steam boat and machinery, and was kindly taken, by Symington, a short trip on board, who had the fires lighted and the steam got up solely for that purpose. This was a fine instance of generosity at that period of the then infant invention. Fulton, however, was some time before he applied this knowledge. His "humane and philanthropic mind" was employed in "the useful and honourable amusement" of devising means quietly to blow up whole ships' companies like lightning. He offered his submarine torpedos to Buonaparte, to destroy the British fleet "at a blow." Buonaparte was in ecstasies with such wholesale murderous prospects; but after an inquiry Buonaparte called him a schemer, and would have nothing to do with him. The Dutch rejected him. He then crossed the Atlantic, with his torpedos in one pocket and Symington's invention in the other; but finding these infernal machines were likely to go to sleep, he started the first steam boat on the Hudson, in 1807, and, with amiable modesty, claimed the invention as his own. Even the engines, however, were made by Boulton and Watt.*

* Mr. Cadwallader Colden's "Life of Fulton" is amusing. A most entertaining gentleman, with a sly but very grave humour, is Mr. Cadwallader Colden. After invoking all bards, past, present, and to come, to sing pæans to Mr. Fulton's praise, as the inventor of Steam Navigation, "whose name,” says Mr. Cadwallader Colden, "dear to fame, shall be engraven on a monument sacred to the benefactors of mankind," Mr. Cadwallader Colden shows what mighty things his "humane and philanthropic friend" could, would, or should have done, in destroying the whole British fleet at a blow, with his "useful and honourable amusements”—if he could have got at it. Mr. Cadwallader Colden makes us

The grand improvements on the steam engine by Mr. Watt, have since led to results so far beyond conception, as completely to overshadow any application of his inventions by others, and thus only his name is left associated with them all. He did so much that it became more difficult, and reflected more credit on his cotemporaries, to do anything in a field of discovery which he had explored and exhausted; still it was a bold, and, with Mr. Symington, a perfectly original idea, the application of this power to overcome the elements.

It is singular that Mr. Watt does not seem to have thought it practicable, otherwise one at least of his many admirers would not have failed to award him this honour; an honour, however, that he alone can afford to be deprived of. It is sufficiently important to be rescued from the uncertainties that time throws over the origin of all things, and to be awarded to him to whom the honour is due. Now it seems unquestionable that it was no other than the neglected Symington, who first gave that impulse to Steam Navigation which others continued only from the momentum it had received from his successful efforts, but which none of them had original talent sufficient to set in motion. A little host of gleaners have, however, sprung up to quarrel for the honour of the invention, and they buzz about, and make more noise with their idle claims, than if they themselves had sown and reaped.

The excellent steam engines patented by Mr. Symington, and erected in England and Scotland, without infringing upon Mr. Watt's improvements, his other ingenious inventions,

feel more grateful to our guardian genius, Britannia, that Fulton never had the opportunity; for, says Mr. Cadwallader Colden, in his sly way— "In one instance he (Fulton) came near a British 74, but she changed her position just in time to save herself from being blown into the air.” "First catch your hare," says Mrs. Glasse.