1807,

Born 1765.

62 STEAM NAVIGATION.

continued to run for practical purposes, and for the remunerationof her owners.

Fulton’s difäculties were not over after the vessel was in operation:she was often intentionally run foul of, to produce damage; and tosuch an extent did this spirit of hostility manifest. itself, that theLegislature passed a law to punish, by fine and imprisonment, anyperson who attempted to destroy or injure her.

For the annexed sketch of this vessel, and her machinery, I amindebted to Joseph C. Dyer, Esq. of Burnage, near Manchester, whowas personally acquainted with the late Mr. Fulton, and who hastravelled in the Clermont.

Messrs. Livingstone and Fulton obtained from the Legislature ofNew York the exclusive privilege of navigating that State by steamvessels, for a period of twenty years; and when the Legislature wereconvinced. of the great utility of the invention, they extended theterm five years for all steam boats on this peculiar plan."This mono-poly, however, they were not long permitted to enjoy, for(says Col-den, page 236)“ During the whole time that Fulton had been de-voting his talents to the service of his country, he had been harassedby law-suits and controversies with those who had been violating hispatent rights, or intruding upon his exclusive grants;” and at page238,—“ Mr. Daniel Dod and Mr. John Fitch oppose Messrs. Living-stone and Fulton, and petition to have the grant rescinded which theythen had to exclusively navigate certain waters. A Committee ofthe House of Assembly made a report on this case; and, amongothers, the following statement:‘That the boats built by Livingstoneand Fulton were in substance the invention of Fitch:’”” a most unjustdecision, Fitch’s mode being valueless, and Fulton’s practicable.

Mr. Fulton died on the 24th of February, 1815, having lived tosee steam navigation generally introduced in America and GreatBritain; and although his countrymen are justly proud of his meritsnow that. he. is dead, they suffered him,(says Colden,)to die and leavehis family in embarrassed circumstances.