ADVERTISEMENT.

THE following pages are taken from a pamphlet published in Virginia, to prove the author's prior right of applying Steam to propel boats, &c., as well as to establish the principles on which he has done it, a few copies were then thought sufficient for that purpose, but as Mr. Fitch intends to answer the pamphlet, it is therefore necessary to republish as much of it as respects Mr. Fitch, which is done with no other variation, from the original, than to correct a few of the omissions and mistakes that were introduced into the first publication, from the hurry in which it was done, (as the author at that time could not attend the press) and was circulated with an Apology annexed to the postscript, for the imperfection of the impression; of these Corrections, perhaps, Mr. Fitch may take some notice, if he should, such part of the old pamphlet shall be reprinted (verbatim) to convince the Public that the subject has not been varied; but a little better explained. The sophistry in Mr. Fitch's reply (should it contain what he informs me it does) is evidently Calculated to make impressions unfavorable of me, on the Public Mind, and to wound the reputation of several respectable characters, I must therefore beg the Public's indulgence, to suspend their opinion for a few weeks, when I shall have it in my power to lay before them such an additional statement of facts, supported by such respectable testimony, as will incontestibly prove the unjustifiable Steps Mr. Fitch has taken, to deprive the author of his discoveries, and to injure the reputation of sundry gentlemen.

No. 19 is added to this publication, it is part of a letter wrote by the Editor to his Excellency General Washington, dated the tenth of March 1785 which will shew that the Editor had fixed on a method of applying steam to propel a boat, before Mr. Fitch knew (from his own account of the matter) that steam had ever been made use of for any purpose whatever; how then is it possible he should have the prior right to this discovery? if it is asked who made the most promising experiment? it would be found that my experiments two years since exceed the best he has ever made must I then be deprived of my discoveries which are substantial, because I endeavoured to keep them secret until perfected? justice will never suffer it. I therefore with the greatest confidence look up to my countrymen for their support, according to the Merits of my Cause, and have the honor of most devoted humble servant subscribing myself their JAMES RUMSEY.

Philadelphia, May 7, 1788.

A

SHORT

TREATISE.

ON

THE APPLICATION

OF

STEAM, & C.

To the PUBLIC.

THOSE who have had the good fortune to discover a new machine, or to make any material improvement on such as have been already discovered, must lay their account to encounter innumerable difficulties; they must arm themselves with patience to abide disappointments; to correct a thousand imperfections (which the trying hand of experience alone can point out) to endure the smarting shafts of wit, and, what is perhaps more intolerable than all the rest put together, (on the least failure of any experiments) to bear up against the heavy abuse and bitter scoffs of ill-natured ignorance. These never fail to represent the undertaker as an imposter, and his motives most knavish: Happy for him if he escape with so gentle an appellative as that of a madman.

This is the fate of the unlucky projector, even in the cities of Europe, where every material is at his command, and every artificer at his service. A candid public will then consider my situation, thrown by hard fate beyond the mountains, and deprived of every advantage which, that grand mover, money, produces, they will easily perceive how my difficulties have been multiplied, which is the only reason of my not exhibiting my long promised BOAT before this; and which I hope will be a sufficient apology. Even now, these difficulties render my machinery very incomplete; but Mr Fitch's endeavoring to procure patents for his boat by uncandidly representing to the different Assemblies, that my boat had nothing to do with Steam, although he had been informed that I was before him, both in the idea and application of Steam, and he had actually procured an exclusive right from two respectable Assembles, who had granted me the same in the year 1784, before I was aware what he was about, such treatment obliged me, circumstanced as I was, to make an experiment, in order to secure my own discovery, by shewing my principles, as Mr. Fitch's conduct gave me reason to fear that he would adopt my plan, as soon as he found his abortive. And my machine, with all its misfortunes upon its head, is abundantly sufficient to prove my position; which was, "that a boat might be so constructed, as to be propelled, through the water at the rate of ten miles in an hour, by the force of steam; and that the machinery employed for that purpose, might be so simple & cheap, as to reduce the price of freight at least, one

half in Common navigation; likewise, that it might be forced, by the same machinery, with considerable velocity, against the constant stream of long and rapid rivers."

Such a machine I promised to prepare, and such a boat to exhibit; this I have now so far performed, in the presence of so many witnesses, and to the satisfaction of so many disinterested gentlemen, as to convince the unprejudiced, and deprive even the sceptic of his doubt.

If the reader will please to turn to the annexed certificates, No. 1, 2, 3, he will be convinced that on Monday, the 3d day of December last, my boat was propelled with near half her burthen on board, against the current of Potomac river, at the rate of three miles in an hour, notwithstanding the bad order the machinery was then in; and by the certificates No. 4 and 5, on the Eleventh of the same month, by what little repairs I could give it, in a country where conveniences were not to be had, her progress against the same stream was encreased to four miles in an hour, with more than half her burthen on board. What addition may not be expected, if I am enabled, by the generosity of the different Assemblies to perfect my plan?

In the month of September, 1784, I exhibited the model of a boat before his Excellency General Washington, at Bath, in Berkeley County, calculated for stemming the currents of rapid rivers only, constructed on principles very different from my present one. Satisfied with the experiment of her making way against a rapid stream, by the force of the same stream, the General was pleased to give me a most ample certificate of her efficiency. And though the great utility of such a boat will appear, if ever a fair trial should be given it; and at the time of that exhibition it was fully my intention to complete this boat, yet, in the course of that fall and winter, I made such progress in the improvement of some steam engines, which I had long conceived would become of the greatest consequence in navigation, that I postponed it till experiments should determine whether the steam engines could be reduced to such Simplicity and Cheapness, as to make them of public benefit, not being certain of this, though perfectly convinced of the power, was my only reason for not mentioning this scheme also to the General, at that exhibition; and I flattered myself this invention, if it answered my expectation, (the truth whereof experiments have now established) would render my labours more extensively useful, by being equally applicable to small boats or vessels of the largest size, to shallow and rapid rivers or the deepest and roughest seas, (indeed, in large vessels, compared with the value of freight, the Expence of the machinery proportionably decreases) I applied myself with unremitted attention to perfect my Steam Engines, and made such progress in that fall and the ensuing spring, that my experiments assured me the perfection of such a machine was within my reach. I therefore wrote to General Washington, the 10th of March, 1785 (No. 19) that I intended applying both powers to a boat built after the Model of the one he saw at Bath; but as I was under many disadvantages, arising from my remote situation, and could gain truth only by successive experiments, incredible delays were produced; and though my distresses were greatly increased thereby, I bore the pelting of ignorance and ill-nature with all resignation, until I was informed some dark assassins had endeavoured to wound the reputation of his excellency, and the other gentlemen who saw my exhibition at Bath, for giving me a certificate. The reflections upon these worthy gentlemen gave me inexpressible uneasiness, and I should certainly have quitted my steam engines, though in great forwardness, and have produced the boat for which I obtained the certificate for their justification and my own, although I had actually made several experiments on a boat with steam, but Mr Fitch came out at this minute with his steamboat, asserting, that "he was the first inventor of steam, and that I had gotten what small knowledge I had from him, but that I had not the essentials." (vide No. 18.) There was no time to lose, for had I delayed a moment, all my time which was several years with the closest attention, all my expences, which had been very great, to the most of all I had, would have been irrecoverably lost; besides had I exhibited my first boat, it would have been construed into an acknowledgment of Mr. Fitch's assertion, by producing a

boat with which steam had nothing to do. These considerations compelled me to pursue the perfecting my Steam Engines with encreased ardor, and happy am I to inform the public, they are now so far completed, as to manifest their valuable purposes for the navigations before-mentioned, applicable to vessels of all dimensions, equal to forcing boats by the assistance of poles, worked by the same machine, against any rapid the same boats can with safety come down; and for raising water, for grist or saw mills, watering meadows, or purposes of agriculture, cheaper than races can be dug of any considerable distance, or dams made, No. 9 whilst Mr. Fitch was praying the different Assemblies for four years longer to perfect his machine. The difference there is in weight, machinery and expences, between his Steam Engine and mine is enormous (to be satisfied in this particular, the reader will be pleased to turn to the annexed papers, No. 6 & 7.

Lest it should be suggested that I have borrowed my principles from Mr. Fitch (though I believe the fact to be exactly the reverse) I have been at the pains to prove incontestibly, that my idea of a boat to be worked by Steam was a considerable time before his, and that it had been mentioned at Kentucky (from whence, I am told, he brought his) by a gentleman to whom I communicated it, previous to his departure to that country. For the former, the reader will be pleased to refer to the annexed affidavits No. 8, 10, 11, 12 and to a paragraph from his excellency General Washington's letter, in answer to mine, of the tenth of March, 1785, No 13. and to Governor Johnson's letter, No.14, for the latter (that is my intentions being mentioned at Kentucky) to Capt. Michael Bedinger's affidavit, No. 15.

I have been unavoidably led to mention Mr. Fitch for my own justification, and to prove my prior right to the application of steam for propelling boats, and I should have said no more, but let experience determine whose principles are soundest, had not Mr. Fitch, equally void of decency and truth, asserted "I got what small knowledge I have of steam boats from him." No. 18. By the respectable testimony of his excellency General Washington, No. 13; by Governor Johnson, No. 14, and by certificates and affidavits from many other gentlemen, hereunto annexed, I prove my idea was nearly matured, before steam had ever entered his imagination, by his own confession to Governor Johnson, No. 14. Nor was my priority unknown to Mr. Fitch, for General Washington informed him, "though he thought himself not at liberty to disclose my principles, yet he would assure him his thought was not original, and that I had mentioned the application of steam to him before." (No. 14) and therefore he declined giving Mr Fitch an introductory letter to the Assembly of Virginia. What dependance can the public put in the promises of a man, who has knowingly and unprovokedly (for I never saw Mr. Fitch) treated an individual so unworthily. Now I can, with truth assure the public, that Mr. Fitch's boat so loaded with machinery, complexity and expense, (granting his machine all the properties he ascribed to it in his publication) can never be useful; as his machine, by his own publications, allowing for frictions and the necessary slipping of his paddles through the water, will not propel his boat, at the rate of more than three miles in an hour, where no current opposes.

If Mr. Fitch did not get his first idea of a steamboat from what Capt. Bedinger said respecting mine, at Kentucky (which circumstances leave little room to doubt) and thought himself justified in making an application of it to his own advantage, as it was not delivered to him in confidence, yet surely nothing can be said in his defence, for endeavouring to rob the first inventor of his right, and by changing persons with him, attempting thereby to transfer the odium of plagiarism from himself to the real proprietor.

1. Qu. Charging ?

EXPLANATION

OF THE

STEAM-BOAT.

The following explanation will give a general idea of the principles by which steam acts on my boat; accurate calculations of the particular powers, seem not necessary here to be given.

IN the bottom of the boat, on the Kelson, there is a trunk, the after end of which is open, and terminates at the stern post; the other end is closed, and the whole trunk, according to its dimensions, occupies about three fourth parts of the length of the boat. On the closed end of the trunk stands a cylinder two and a half feet long, from this cylinder, there is a communication by a tube to the river or water under the boat, on the top of this tube and within the cylinder there is a valve to admit the water from the river into the cylinder, and it likewise prevents it from returning again the same way. There is another communication which lets water pass freely from the cylinder to the trunk, through which it is discharged by the stern; on the top of this cylinder there stands another of the same length, which is fixed to the under one by screws; in each of these cylinders there is a piston which moves up and down with very little friction; these pistons are connected together by a smooth bolt, passing through the bottom of the upper cylinder; the lower cylinder acts as a pump, which draws water from the river through the tube and valve, before described. The upper cylinder acts as a steam-engine, and receives its steam from a boiler under its piston, which is then carried up to the top of the cylinder by the steam (at the same time, the piston of the lower cylinder is brought up to its top, from its connection with the upper piston, by the aforesaid bolt,) they then shut the communication from the boiler, and open another to discharge the steam for condensation; by this means the atmosphere acts upon the piston of the upper cylinder, and its force is conveyed to the piston in the lower cylinder, by the aforesaid connecting bolt, which forces the water, then in the lower cylinder, through the trunk, with considerable velocity; the re-action of which, on the other end of the trunk, is the power that propels the boat forward.

To prove the use of the TRUNK.

It is well known that a heavy body falling near the earth will pass through a space of about fifteen feet in the first second of time; if the same body was acted upon in a horizontal direction, by an impulse equal to its weight, it would move in that direction the same distance in an equal time; it follows, then, that the water in the trunk, will have the effect proportionable to its weight, of retarding the water from being discharged from the cylinder in too short a time.

Near the cylinder, on the top of the trunk, there is a valve to admit air, which follows the water that is then in motion, and gives time for the water to rise gradually into the trunk through valves, at its bottom, for that purpose; this water has but little motion with respect to the boat and is therefore capable of resisting the next stroke of the engine.

Thus I have laid the principles of my boat before the public, and can assure them, by the wonderful force of steam, issuing in incredible quantities, from an entirely new constructed boiler, no doubt remains but all the advantages which I before mentioned, both with respect to navigation and the raising of water will be produced. The one I have effectually proved by a loaded boat being propelled against a stream, with the velocity of four miles an hour, in the presence and to the great