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OFFICIAL DESCRIPTIVE AND ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE.
perfect our naval architecture, at that period alike ourbulwark and our strength ? Several of his improvements,among others the paddle-wheel, wedded to the engine ofSymington , laid the foundation of steam navigation. Theexpenses incurred in the several experiments were paidby Mr. Millar. With the year 1789 ended the laboursof Taylor, in connection with the subject. In 179(1 wefind Mr. Millar embarking in a new patent, having alsoreference to it: of the success attending it there is littleif any evidence. Employed by Lord Dundas in 180.9,William Symington produced the “ Charlotte Dundas,”in reality the first practical steam-boat. In it were com-bined the engine of Watt,-working Pickard’s connecting-rod and crank, and uniting the same to the axis of Mil-lar’s paddle-wheel. Thus Symington brought together forthe first time the three important requisites which con-stitute the present system of steam navigation, and isthereby entitled to be considered the true inventor ofsteam navigation.
With a too great amount of liberality our countrymenhave awarded to Fulton, the American, the merit of ori-ginating a system which lie only extended, forgettingthat his first trial was a failure, and that it was only afterhaving inspected, made drawings, and taken notes anddimensions of a boat constructed by Symington , that hesucceeded. Of this Professor Woodcroft, in his “ Practiceof Steam Navigation,” has given excellent and indis-putable evidence.
The Americans themselves admit they are indebted toFulton for the art; anil it can easily be proved that hiscommunications with Bell and Millar, and the morecomplete information gained by the actual inspectionand visit to Symington ’s boat constructed under thepatronage of Lord Dundas, supplied the necessaryinformation for the construction of “ The Claremont,”the first successful steam-vessel which moved on thewaters of the Hudson, which was built by Fulton, andwas identical with that of Symington , including allthe various combinations as given in the description ofthe “ Charlotte Dundas.” “ Beniove these inventionsseparately or in combination says Woodcroft, “ nothingwill be left hut the hull, and that divested of the pecu-liarity of form which is due to Captain lleaufoy’s experi-ments ; but little remains save the hull of a boat ofordinary construction.” All that remains for Fulton issimply the credit of tempting a somewhat more extendedvoyage.
As to the rewards of the three experimenters, Taylor,who evidently did least, secured through iniluence apension of 50/. per annum, which was extended to hisfamily. Symington , who laboured the most successfullyand earnestly, received one sum of 150/., which markedthe value of the services which the Lords of His Majesty’sTreasury (in the year 1825) considered he had rendered.In the decline of life, kind relatives and friends contributedto his support, and, to the honour of Lord Dundas be itspoken, lie was of the number; hut, for the assistance otthese, lie who applied successfully steam to navigationmight have died a beggar, the inmate of a poorhouse inthe country whose mercantile greatness in a measure wasto depend upon the speed and regularity introduced byhis system. The claims of the family of Patrick Millar,of Dalswinton, are up to the present moment unrecog-nised.
Sixty-six years after the date of the experiment recordedabove, we find the Atlantic bridged by steam ships, andthe voyage to Australia accomplished by the same means.Magnificent vessels, propelled by the same power, are
constantly being constructed at Glasgow , Liverpool,Bristol, and London ; and in the Exhibition of 1851, thefirm of Boulton and Watt exhibited a pair of marineengines, thereby proving that “the difficulty in makingengines to work regularly on the open sea ” can he over-come, though this was doubted by an original member ofthe firm. The number of steam vessels in the British empire, in 1851, was estimated at upwards of 2,000, and acurious calculation recently made, shows that “ twelveSteam-ship Companies possess 100 ships, the united valueof which exceeds 3,000,000/.; they are propelled by apower equal to that, of 30,000 horses; 80,000 tons ofmerchandize can be conveyed by them in a year; theytraverse 2,000,000 miles of ocean; and for post-officeservice their proprietors receive 750,000/. per annum.” Aphilosopher of the present, day demonstrated, some fifteenyears ago, the impossibility of ever reaching the shoreseven of America by steam.— W. C. A.
872 Holmes, 11 Author, 7te-5i/—Manufacturers.
Light jiark phaeton ami liichmondcar or sporting buggy.
The park phaeton is remarkable for its workmanship,simplicity of construction, and graceful outline, free fromunnecessary ornament, and is easily cleaned or repaired.The top fore-carriage and the requisite branch stays areformed of one piece of solid wrought-iron work, and thesprings are relieved from vibration by leather braces.
The liichmondcar was designed by Mr. Joseph Harvey,of liichmond, and was exhibited as being a well-adaptedtwo-wheeled open vehicle for ladies’ use. It is light ofdraught, easy of ingress and egress, has comfortable andcommodious seats, and ample space for luggage.—P. 257.— Plate 304.
997 "Ward, John, 5, 0, & 7, Leicester Square—Inventor and Manufacturer.
A four-wheel pleasure-ground Victoria chair, for theuse and comfort of invalids; mounted in a square-framedcarriage, upon C springs and swell-end ellipties, with apair of light elbow or body-springs, with loops all in onepiece to take the braces, open futehel fore-carriage, maybe drawn by hand or animal, noiseless wheels, with patentvulcanized Indian-rubber tires. The body is ail entirelynew design, whereby the common abrupt square cornersare removed, and continuous semicircular lines intro-duced; thus blending with the lines upon the under-carriage, and tending to produce a unique, chaste, andelegant outline.
A newly-invented invalid recumbent chair, by which apatient may be put into any position without effort: it ismounted upon brass wheels; may be easily moved fromroom to room; forms a beautiful and elaborate librarychair, with a shifting reading-desk, sconces, &e.; and isalso adapted for a couch or bed, being stuffed upon theelastic principle. The back maybe adjusted to the six-teenth part of an inch, over which the patient has perfectcontrol; it has also a double-action leg rest, for the adjust-ment of the lower extremities in a similar manner. Theelbows are intended to fold at the side of the chair, or tobe entirely removed at pleasure ; thus giving every facilityfor moving the patient from the bed to the chair, andvice versa.
A Spanish mahogany self-propelling chair, mountedupon engine-cut cog-wheels, with silent tires; a centre’cylindrical brass guide-wheel behind. This chair isworked by means of handles upon 1he tops of the elbowsconnected with the machinery below, and the construc-tion of the whole is so simple, that a child may work itwith ease, it is valuable to persons afflicted in the lowerextremities : for passive exercise, and to sufferers fromabdominal congestion, or other chronic disorders; it j smade portable for travelling, and is so constructed that ttmay be taken to pieces and put together again by an in-experienced person. This chair is now the propel 1y of HerImperial Majesty the Empress of llussia. —1’. 25 1 iand see also Cl. 2(1, No. 279, p. 750.— Plate 353.