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[Book IV.
discovery : it was evident however during the experiment that it consistedin a large copper of boiling water, and in moving wheels attached toeither side of the ship. The experiment was tried on a ship of two hun-dred tons, called the Trinity, which came from Colibre to discharge acargo of corn at Barcelona , of which Peter de Scarza was captain. ByOrder of Charles V , Don Henry de Toledo the governor, Don Pedro deCordova, the treasurer Ravago, and the vice chancellor, and intendantof Catalonia witnessed the experiment. In the reports made to the em-peror and to the prince, this ingenious invention was generally approved,particularly on account of the promptness and facility with which theship was made to go about. The treasurer Ravago, an enemy to theproject, said that the vessel could be propelled two leagues in three hours—that the machine was complicated and expensive—and that there wouldbe an exposure to danger in case the boiler should burst. The othercommissioners affirmed that the vessel tacked with the same rapidity asa galley manoeuvred in the ordinary way, and went at least a league anhour. As soon as the experiment was made Garay took the whole ma-chine with which he had furnished the vessel, leaving only the woodenpart in the arsenal at Barcelona , and keeping all the rest for himself. Inspite of Ravago’s Opposition, the invention was approved, and if theexpedition in which Charles the Vth was then engaged had not prevented,he would no doubt have encouraged it. Nevertheless, the emperor pro-moted the inventor one grade, made hiin a present of two hundredthousand maravedis, and ordered the expense to be paid out of the trea-sury, and granted him besides many other favors.”
“ This account is derived from the documents and original registerskept in the Royal Archives of Simuncas, among the commercial papersof Catalonia , and from those of the military and naval departments forthe said year, 1543. Thomas Gonzalez.
“ Simuncas, August 27, 1825.”
From this account it has been inferred that steam vessels were inventedin Spain , being only revived in modern times ; and that Blasco de Garay should be regarded as the inventor of the first steam engine. As long asthe authenticity of the document is admitted and no earlier experimentadduced, it is difficult to perceive how such a conclusiori can be avoided;at least so far as steam vessels are concerned. It may appear singulär thatthis specimen of mechanical skill should have been matured in that coun-try ; but at the time referred to, Spain was probably the most promisingscene for the display of such operations. Every one knows that half aCentury before, Columbus could find a patron no where eise. The greatloss which Charles sustained in his fleet before Algiers the previous year,must have convinced him of the value of an invention by which shipscould be propelled without oars or sails ; and there is nothing improbablein supposing the loss on that occasion (fifteen ships of war and one hun-dred and forty transports, in which eight thousand men perished andCharles himself narrowly escaped) was one principal reason for CaptamGaray to bring forward his project. M. Arago, who advocates with pe-culiar eloquence and zeal the Claims of Decaus and Papin, as inventorsof the steam engine, thinks the document should be set aside for the fol-lowing reasons : Ist. Because it was not printed in 1543. 2d. It doesnot sufficiently prove that steam was the motive agent. 3d. If CaptainGaray really did employ a steam engine, itwas “ according to all appear-ance” the reäcting eolipile of Heron, and therefore nothing new. Tous there does not appear much force in these reasons. M. Arago ob-