The first American Locomotive; or, the "Oructor Am phibolis" of Evans View of Pawtucket Birth-place of Whitney Cotton Gin, (Plan) Ditto, (Section) View of Whitney's Armory Tomb of Whitney Destruction of a British Tender by a Torpedo Stationary Torpedo Fulton's first American Steamboat Blanchard's Engine for turning irregular forms PAGE 31 77 93 PAOS 434 Longitudina. Section of Thames Tunnel, showing its course under the river Longitudinal Section of Thames Tunnel, with an end view of the Shield Cross Section of Thames Tunnel, showing the arrangement of the masonry The Balsa Chinese Irrigation Wheel Croton Aqueduct . 439 448 AMERICAN MECHANICS. JOHN FITCH, AN EARLY STEAMBOAT INVENTOR "The invention all admired, and each how he Who invented the first steamboat?-Early experimenters in steam-Blasco de Garay-Jonathan Hulls.-Fitch's manuscript.-Birth.-Character of his parents. Loses his mother.-Juvenile heroism.-Mother-in-law.-Schoolboy days-Becomes a great arithmetician.-Father's austerity.-Hears of a won derful book.-Great thirst for knowledge.-Self-denial and industry.-Makes a purchase.-Becomes a great geographer.-Father purchases him scale and dividers. Great joy thereat.-Studies surveying.-Surveys with the governor, and paid in glory.-Leaves school for the farm.-Brother's tyranny.-Desires to study astronomy-Relaxes from studious habits.-Embarks as a cabin-boy in a coaster.-Cruel treatment.-Leaves, and enters another.-Makes a short voyage.-Returns.-Accidental meeting with a clockmaker.-Wishes to enter his service.-Selfish opposition of his parents.-Kindness of his brother-inlaw. Enters the clockmaker's service.-His neglect.-Leaves in ignorance of his profession.-Enters the service of a clockmaker and watch repairer.Gross injustice.-Leaves-New employment, and success.-A change, and misfortune.-Marries.-Unhappy life.-Abandons his wife-Wanders.-Visits the Jerseys.-Sickly appearance a prevention to obtaining employment as a day-laborer.-Turns button-maker-Revolutionary war.-Repairs arms for the continental army.-Employed in Kentucky as a surveyor.-Taken prisoner by the Indians, and carried into captivity.-Release.-Returns to the east.First idea of a steamboat-Curious reflections.-Dr. Thornton's account of his experiments.-Note.-Biographical Sketch of Rumsey.-Description of Fitch's boat.-Goes out to France.-Return.-Misfortunes.-Generosity of a relation.-Visits Kentucky.-Better prospects.-Death. "WHO invented the first steamboat ?" is a question which has excited great controversy,-an achievement of which nations as well as individuals have been covetous. Several of the early experimenters in steam appear to have conceived of the idea. The first account we have on the subject is given in a work recently published in Spain, containing original papers relating to the voyage of Columbus, said to have been pre. served in the royal archives at Samancas, and among the public papers of Catalonia and those of the secretary at war for the year 1543. This narrative states that "Blasco de Garay, a sea cap. tain, exhibited to the emperor and king Charles V., in the year 1543, an engine by which ships and vessels of the largest size could be propelled, even in a calm, without the aid of oars or sails. Notwithstanding the opposition which this project encountered, the emperor resolved that an experiment should be made, as in fact it was, with success, in the harbor of Barcelona, on the 17th of June, 1543. Garay never publicly exposed the construction of his engine, but it was observed at the time of his experiment, that it consisted of a large caldron or vessel of boiling water, and a moveable wheel attached to each side of the ship. The experiment was made on a ship of 209 tons, arrived from Calibre, to discharge a cargo of wheat at Barcelona; it was called the Trinity, and the captain's name was Peter de Scarza. By order of Charles V. and the prince Philip the Second, his son, there were present at the time, Henry de Toledo, the governor, Peter Car. dona, the treasurer, Ravago, the vice-chancellor, Francis Gralla, and many other persons of rank, both Castilians and Catalonians; and among others, several sea captains witnessed the operation, some in the vessel, and others on the shore. The emperor and prince, and others with them, applauded the engine, and especially the expertness with which the ship could be tacked. The treasurer Ravago, an enemy to the project, said it would move two leagues in three hours. It was very complicated and expensive, and exposed to the constant danger of bursting the boiler. The other commissioners affirmed, that the vessel could be tacked twice as quick as a galley served by the common method, and that at its slowest rate it would move a league in an hour. The exhibition being finished, Garay took from the ship his engine, and having deposited the wood work in the arsenal of Barcelona, kept the rest to himself. Notwithstanding the difficulties and opposition thrown in the way by Ravago, the invention was ap proved; and if the expedition in which Charles V. was then engaged had not failed, it would undoubtedly have been favered by him. As it was, he raised Garay to a higher station, gave him a sum of money (200,000 maravedies) as a present, ordered all the expenses of the experiment to be paid out of the general treasury, and conferred upon him other rewards." The editor of the Franklin Journal, from which this extract has been made, observes, "when the Public Records' shall appear in an authentic form, their evidence must be admitted; until then he should not be inclined to commence the history of the inven. |