:i I C G R A P F Y WIL1.1AM SYMINGTON, Inventor of Steam Navigation. J 7' vi' *• , \^'^\ '^ . BIO GR APHY OF WILLIAM SYMINGTON, INVENTOR OF SxEAlM LOCOMOTION BY SEA AND LAND. ALSO, A BEIEF HISTOEY OE STEAM NAYIGATIOX, WITH DRAWINGS. DEDICATED, BY PERMISSION, TO DAVID NAPIER, ESQ., By J. & W. H. EANKINE, Engineers. PUBLISBED BY A. JOHNSTON, Bookseller, Falkirk. 1862. r^.:^ . DEDICATION. TO DAVID NAPIER, ESQ, ENGINEER, &c., WOECESTER, ENGLAND. Sir, To have lived abstracted in their pursuits, and to have died in obscurity is, alas ! too often the lot of the ardent and enthusiastic sods of science. In announcing JVIr Symington as the father of the Steam Navigation of the j)resent day, we hope at the same time to give just praise to his talents, and due honour to his memory. And, it will^ be ac- knowledged as matter of public regret, that whilst neither he nor his family have reaped the advantage of his discovery, that even of the honour of it too many have succeeded in depriving him. So connected is the application of Steam to Loco- motive Engines with the interests of Navigation at large, the extension of commerce, and the increase of haj)piness to the whole human race, that to you. Sir, as one of the most zealous and active promoters of Steam Navigation in this country, the present Dedi- cation would be due ; but beyond this, private esteem induced us to request permission thus to subscribe ourselves, Your ever grateful, affectionate, and sincere friends, J. & W. H. EANKINE. Pleasance, Falkirk. PREFACE Among the many important inventions and im- provements of the present age, none has proved of greater utility than the adaptation of steam to the purposes of navigation. It is, therefore, much to be regretted that he who accomplished so arduous an undertaking, was rewarded, except by a few intelli- gent and spirited individuals, with treachery, in- gratitude, and neglect. In the prosecution of his plans, the best of his days were spent ; lucrative engagements abandoned ; and his j^rivate means, and even those of his family, expended. He lived to see that realised which, before he showed its practicability, was generally reckoned chimerical: and to observe others reaping the fruits of his labours, without the honesty to acknowledge to whom they were indebted. The following narrative is drawn up from a memo- rial presented to the Lords of His Majesty's Trea- sury, in behalf of WiUiam Symington; and from documents in the possession of his family. DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS. Fig. I. A. — Drum, fixed upon the hind axle, B, — Tooth and ratchet wheels. C. — Hack rods, one on each side of the drum; the al- ternate action of which, upon the tooth and ratchet wheels, produce the rotatory motion. D.— Cylinder. E.— Boiler. F F.— Direction Pulleys. G. — Water tank. H. — Steam pipe. Fig. II. A A. — Cylinders. B. — Boiler. C. — Steam pipe. D D. — Air pump rods. E E. — Connecting chains. F F. — Direction pulleys. G G. — Paddle wheels, situated and wrought in a trough, extending from stem to stern of the boat, and allowing free ingress and egress to the water. I I. — Flotation line. Fig. Ill— (Charlotte Dunbas.) A.— Air pump. B. — Boiler, C, — Condenser. D. — Cylinder. E. —Connecting rod. F. — Steer wheel. LT IN 1786. Allan & F9r^sou,lafliograf(hais, Glasftov LATERAL SECTION OF STEAM CARRIAGE MODEL, BUILT IN 1786. LT IN 1788. LATERAL SECTION OF THE ORIGINAL STEAM BOAT, BUILT IN 1788. LT IN 1801 -Allan &. Ferj^son, Lithographers. Gla3|:!;ow LATERAL SECTION OF THE CHARLOTTE DUNDAS, BUILT IN 1801, BIOGEAPHY OF WILLIAM SYMINGTON. William Symington, tlie real inventor of Efficient Steam Navigation, was a native of Leadhills, Lanark- shire, Scotland. Intended for the Church, he received an excellent education, but his predilection for me- chanics defeated that intention. Before completing his twentieth year he conceived the idea that the steam engine could be rendered available for the propulsion of land carriages, an idea he afterwards embodied in a working model, which — by the advice of Mr Meason, manager and part pro- prietor of theWanlockhead Lead Mines — he exhibited to the Professors of the University of Edinburgh and other scientific gentlemen in that metropolis, who were so much pleased, both with Symington and his invention, that they strongly recommended Mr Mea- son not to lose sight of so promising a genius— a re- commendation so much in accordance with that gen- tleman's own inclination, thjit he sent Symington to the University of Edinburgh the succeeding winter, where, it appears by certificates Xos. 15 and 16, he was matriculated as a student. 4 BIOGRAPHY OP WILLIALI SYMINGTON. Among those "who examined the model in Edin- burgh was Mr Miller, of Dalswinton, who had spent much time and no little money in experimenting on ordnance and naval architecture. Among his other schemes he attempted to propel double -keeled vessels by turning paddle-wheels ^\-itha capstan, but up to the time he saw the steam-carriage model he had used no other propelling power than that of men. After ex- pressing his admiration of the model, he told Syming- ton that he, too, was an inventor, and described his boats, and the disappointment he felt in the power he employed not being sufficiently effective. Symington then said, " Why do you not use the steam-engine ;'' and proceeded to show how it could be connected with the wheels of the boat, using the model of the steam- carriage to explain his meaning. Convinced by this explanation, Mr Miller expressed a wish that as soon as he could devote attention to the subject, Mr Sym- ington should construct a steam-engine of a similar kind to that which he had invented, and fit it into a double- keeled boat with which Mr Miller was expe- rimenting. It was not until the autumn of 1788 that he could get everything in readiness, being engaged in constructing and erecting machinery for the Wanlock Lead Mining Company. When the steamboat was tried, it proved most successful, which induced Mr Miller to give orders that one of his larger experimental boats, and a steam- engine of greater magnitude and power, should be got ready. This was done, and in 1789, amidst the cheers of assembled miiltitudes, she was propelled on the Forth and Clyde Canal, at the speed of nearly six miles an hoiu- ; but here, vrhen success had so signally cro^^^led his efforts, Symington had the misfortune of losing the co-operation of Mr Miller, who, most un- accountably, at once and for ever abandoned experi- HIS EARLY LIFE. 5 From that time, until the year 1800, this invaluable nautical auxiliary was allowed to lie dormant, the state of its inventor's pe- cuniary resoiuxes being such as to prevent his at- tempting to carry it fiuiiher unaided. One day, how- ever, while going to examine a field of coal he intended to rent or piurchase, he heard some one calling to him, and, on looking round, saw Lord Dundas beckoning to him from the window of his carriage, which had just passed. On going to the carriage, his lordship told him that, having seen his former steamboat ex- periment, he had come down from London principally for the purpose of seeing him, in order to learn whether steamboats coidd not be substituted for the horses used in dragging vessels on the Forth and Clyde canal, of which his lordship was a large proprie- tor and governor. Mr Symington, fortimately for his country and the world, although most unfortunately for himself and family, gave up all thoughts of the colliery, and returned home, elated with the thought of being able to re- embark in his favourite project under such promising auspices. On subsequently waiting on his lordship by aijpointment, an arrange- ment was speedily effected, and, in 1801, the first boat, named the " Charlotte Dundas" (in honour of his lordship's daughter, afterwards Lady Milton), was, built for the express pm^pose of being propelled by a steam engine. After making a trip to Glas- gow, she was set to work, and towed on various occasions vessels in the canal, besides running down into the river Forth and dragging thence at one time up the river Carron into the canal at Grangemouth, four or five sloops, detained by a contraiy wind. Al- though thus far successful, the proprietors of the canal, with the exception of Lord Dundas, fearing its banks might be injured by the undulations caused by the 6 BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM SYMINGTON. paddle-wheels, ordered it to be discontinued. His Lordship, however, who was not so easily prejudiced or discouraged, advised Mr Symington to get a model of his })oat constructed, and take it to London — an advice which was followed by Mr Symington himself taldng the model to Arlington Street (No. 17), and presenting it to his Lordship, who was so much pleased with it that he introduced him to his Grace the Duke of Bridgewater, who not only expressed his admiration of the plan, but immediately gave orders that eight boa.ts of similar construction should be got ready as speedily as possible for his canal. Soon after his interview with the Duke of Bridgewater, Mr Symington retmmed to Scotland, and completed his second and largest steamboat, hkewise named the Charlotte Dundas, for Lord Dundas. This boat was tried in March 1803, when she towed two laden sloops, the Active and Euphemia, of seventy tons burthen each, from Lock No. 20 to Port Dundas, Glasgow, 19i miles in six hours, notwithstanding that during the whole time so strong an adverse gale prevailed that no other vessel in the canal could that day move to windward. But even this farther proof of the efficiency of the invention did not remove the objec- tions of the managers of the Canal Company, and they peremptorily ordered all further trials to be dis- continued. The boat was therefore laid up in a creek of the canaJ now occupied by one of the public works at Bainsford, and Mr Symington had to sus- pend his attempts to introduce steam navigation in that quarter— especially, as on the very day he made his successful experiment in towing the "Active" and " Euphemia," he was informed by Lord Dundas of the decision of the canal manager, and also of the death of the Duke of Bridgewater. The experiments made under the patronage of Lord HIS EARLY LIFE. 7 Dimdas were far more perfect than those he made under him for Mr Miller, as a direct acting engine and crank, for procuring a rotary motion, were sub- stituted for the engine and ratchet wheels used in the first boats ; indeed, it may be said, that here com- menced the present system of steam navigation. For several years from this time, IMr Symington resumed his usual engineering avocations, and would soon have become independent but for the difficulties in which his steamboat experiments had involved him, having cost him not only several thousand pounds of his own money, but also considerable sums belonging to his family. In 1824 he endeavoured to bring his claims under the notice of Government, and through the kind interest of Sir George Clerk and Sir Ronald Ferguson obtained £100 from the pri^-y purse of his late Majesty King George the Fourth, and a further sum of £50 a year or two afterAvards. Sir Ronald Ferguson told Mr Symington there was no doubt the £50 woxdd be continued annually ; but no additional allowance was ever granted, although the expense in- curred in collecting e\adence and going to London exceeded all he ever received for his trouble. For the last two or three years of his life he was, \\dth Mrs Symington, totally dependant for supjwrt on the members of his family, resident in London. He went to London for the last time in 1829, labour- ing under a painful and dangerous disease; but by medical care, and other attentions he received, he so far recovered as to be able to resume his mechanical pursuits, and soon afterwards to endea- vour to procuie a Parliament investigation of his claims. The latter object, however, he could not attain, a circumstance which preyed so much upon his mind that his malady made rapid progress, and he died on the 22d of March, 1831, wounded in 8 BIOGEAPHY OF WILLIAM SYMINGTON. spirits and broken down by misfortunes. His mortal remains rest in the churchyard of St Botolph, Aid- gate, London, so that he owes not even a grave to the land of his nativity. The merit of having invented steam navigation has been claimed by several individuals, or by their sup- porters for them. Three of these, Messrs Miller, Fulton, and Bell, certainly aided in its introduction ; but the fourth, Mr Taylor, a native of Cumnock, Ayrshire, there is no doubt did more to retard than facilitate its progress. It does not appear that Mr Miller himself ever claimed the honour of invention, but his representatives attempted to do so for him. He certainly contributed to Mr Symington's exx)eriments, supplied him with boats, and, to a considerable ex- tent, with money, but he did nothing more, as double- keeled boats, with paddle wheels, were well known and described long before his day. Mr Fulton, it is proved beyond the possibility of dispute, was on board of Mr Symington's first "Char- lotte Dundas," and in the month of July, 1801, was carried in her eight miles on the Forth & Clyde Canal in an hour and twenty minutes, receiving ex- planations, and taking sketches both of the boat and her machinery, prior to his being able to succeed in propelling a steam vessel on the Hudson river in America, in 1807. Mr Bell was also often on board of Mr Symington's boats. He even intruded himself offensively among the patternmakers and constructors of Mr Syming- ton's steamboat machinery in the Carrou Ironworks, and had many opportujiities — of which he repeatedly availed himself — of examining the steamboat laid up in Bainsford Creek, before he succeeded in producing the "Comet" in August 5, 1812, which was at first a very imperfect boat, and far inferior, both in power HIS EARLY LIFE. U and performance, to any of Mr Symington's boats on the canal. Mr Taylor contribnted nothing whatever to the in- vention. He was a tutor in the family of Mr Miller when that gentleman was experimenting with his double-keeled vessels (being paddles turned with the hand). He was intimately acquainted with Mr Sym- ington, and on the most friendly terms with him — indeed, they were fellow- students and fellow-lodgers while attending the College classes in Edin- burgh during the session of 1756-7, after Mr Symington had exhibited his steam- carriage model the preceding summer. Trusting to the want of suspicion on the part of Mr Symington, and to the secrecy of his own proceedings, he at- tempted to make it appear that he suggested the idea of steam navigation to ]Mr Miller, after a certain boat race, which took place at Leith in February 17S7, although, as already stated, it was in the summer of 1786 that Mr Miller inspected Mr Symington's steam carriage model. In a cunningly- devised memorial (which he addressed to Sir Henry Parnell, in 1824, then chairman of a select committee on the subject of steam vessels), Mr Taylor advanced his pretensions to the invention, but that enlightened statesman declared that he saw nothing entitling him to remuneration. He afterwards made application to MrHuskisson,who likewise rejected it ; but, after Mr Taylor's death, through misrepresentation, ' ' the grand national mis- take " was made of awarding £50 to his widow for his supx)osed services as the inventor and introducer of steam navigation, although all that he ever did to forward it was the bringing together of Messrs Miller and Symington. To afford a ready means of judging of the respec- 10 BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM SYJIINGTON. tive claims of the parties interested, the following summary has been drawn up : — It was in the year 1786 that !Mr Symington patented his working model of a steam carriage in Edinburgh, and suggested steam navigation. In 1788 he superintended the construction of steam engines of his own invention, and the fitting of them into one of ISIr Miller's i^leasure boats, which boat was successfully propelled that year on Dalswinton Lake by steam power. The engines are now de- posited in the museum at Kensington, alongside the models of the Great Eastern's steam-engines. In 1789, a larger boat, with more powerful engines of the same kind, was successfully propelled by steam on the Forth & Clyde Canal. In 1800 he was engaged by Lord Dundas to con- struct steam tugs on the Forth & Clyde Canal. In 1801 the "Charlotte Dundas" steam tug, was repeatedly on the canal. She towed vessels there, and up the rivers Forth and Carron into Grange- mouth ; and it was then that Mr Fulton, the Ameri- can engineer, was conveyed eight miles on the canal in an horn- and twenty minutes. In the same year, he patented his direct- acting steam-engine, already referred to, for propelling vessels. In 1802 and 1803, the second "Charlotte Dundas," a larger and more powerful boat, towed vessels on the canal ; and, on one particular occasion before noticed, dragged two laden sloops of 70 tons burthen each — the Actual and the Euphemia — a distance of 19 J miles in six hours against a strong adverse gale. His experiments were here ended, through the fear of the managers of the canal that its banks might be injured by the undulation caused by the wheels. It was not till 1807 Mr Fulton first succeeded in HIS EARLY LIFE. 11 propelling a vessel by steam on the Hudson. And it was not till 1812 that Mr Bell's first boat, the "Comet," was tried and set to work on the Clyde, Mr Bell, as well as Mr Fulton, having both been on board of Mr Symington's boats, and satisfied them- selves of their efficiency. Those dates show that Symington's boats were work- ing 19 years before Mr Fulton's, and 24 years before Mr Bell's first boat. We will now prove the above, beginning with poetry, who has sent her aid to do justice to Mr Symington. The subjoined poem is extracted from a volume written by Mr Muir, of Kirkintilloch. "March, 1802. — The Steam Barge, or Nautical Novelty." "On seeing the New Steam Boat, invented by William Symington, pass through the Great Canal, dragging two vessels fully loaded :" Whan first, by labour, Forth and Clyde, Were taught o'er Scotia's hills to ride In a canal, deep, lang, and wide ; Naebody thought Sic wonners, without win' or tide. Wad e'er be wrought. To gar them trow that boats wad sail. Thro' fields o' com, or beds o' kail. An turn o'er glens their rudder tail. Like weathercocks. Was doctrin' that wad needed bail Wi' common folks. They ca'd it nonsense, — till at last, They saw boats travel east an' wast, Wi' sails an' streamers at their mast ; Syne, without jeerin'. 12 BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM SYTVIINGTON. They were convinced, the blust'rin blast Was worth the hearin'. For mony a year, — wi' little clatter, An' naething said about the matter, The horses harl'd them through' the water, Frae Forth to Clyde ; Or, the reverse, wi' weary splatter, An' sweaty hide. Then we believ'd, puir sUly bodies, Wha naething ken o' learn'd studies. That horses' hoofs and hemi)en woodies, Boot still to draw them An' cursin' callants clad in duddies. To swear and ca' them. But little think we what's in noddles, Whar science sits, an' grapes and guddles. Syne darklins forth frae drumly puddles, Brings things to view, That the weak penetration fuddles, 0' me an' you. For lately we hae seen a lighter. An' at her end a fanner's flighter, May bid boat haulers a' gae dight her Black sooty vent ; Than half a dizzen horse she's wighter, By ten per cent. Wi' something that the learned ca' steam, That drives at heughs the waukin beam 0' huge engines to drain coal seam, Or carry hutches ; She in her breast swalls sic a feam. As has few matches. By it she thro' the water plashes, An' out the stream ahint her splashes, HIS EARLY LIFE. 13 At sic a rate, baith frogs an' fishes Are forced to scud, Like ducks an' drakes, amang the rashes, To shun the mud. When first I saw her in a tether, Draw twa sloops after ane anither, Regardless o' the win' an' weather Athwart her bearin', T thought frae she had come hither, A privateerin'. An' that the pair she had in tow War prizes, struck me sae I vow, I cry'd, when fixet to their prow, I saw her cable, In Satan's furnace now they'll low, Amang the rabble. It was sae odd to see her pullin'. An' win' an' wather baith unwillin', Yet deil ma' care, she, onward swellin', Defied them baith, A s constant as a mill that's fidlin' Gude English claith. Can e'er, thought I, a flame o' reek, Or boilin' water's caudron smeek, Tho' it war keepit for a week, Perform sic wuuners, As quite surprise amaist the feck, 0' gazin' hunners. But facts we canna' weel dispute them, Altho' we little ken about them, When prejudice inclines to doubt them, Wi' a' her might. Plain demonstration deep can root them, An' set us right. 14 BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM SYMINGTON. Ere lang gae now wi' whirligigs An' steam engines we'll plough our riggs, An' gang about on easy legs, Wi' nought to pain us, An' fit in tethers useless naigs, That used to hain us. Braw news indeed for man and beast. They'll then hae nought to do but rest. An' on their former labours feast Wi' cheerfu' heart, When thus they see warm steam insist To play their part. Of the many subjects upon which there has been almost endless discussion, possibly there has not been one on which there has been so much diversity of opinion and ignorance as on this. Many have claimed the merit of ha\'ing invented efficient steam naviga- tion, and for equally as many has the merit been demanded, but to William Symington, the subject of this biography, the real merit is alone due. This as- sertion vnil be very clearly proved by the following : — COPIES OF AFFIDAVITS EESPECTING THE IITVENTION OF STEAM NAVIGATION. We merely premise by saying that Sjrmington's patent was taken in 1786. 1. William Symington, Civil Engineer, now re- siding at Falkirk, in the county of Stirling, in that part of the United Kingdom called Scotland : pro- duces herewith and refers to a memorial containing a narrative of his connection with the invention of Steam-boat Navigation ; each page of which memorial COPIES OF AFnDA^^TS. 15 is subscribed by the deponent as relative hereto ; and he maketh oath and sayeth, that the said memorial contains a true narrative of facts, as connected with the said invention. And he further sweareth, that he did not receive any aid or assistance of any kind to enable him to invent and apply a steam engine to the propelling of boats. Sworn at Woodburn, in the county of Stirling, upon the first day of December, in the year one thou- sand eight hundred and twenty- four, before me, one of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the county of Stirling. (Signed) William Symington. John Callander, J. P. 2. Alexander Carlaw, formerly residing at Wan- lockhead in the county of Dumfries, now farmer of Powf oulis in the county of Stirling, in that part of the United Kingdom called Scotland, maketh oath, and sayeth : That he knew William Symington, engineer, at present residing in Falkirk in the said county of Stirling. That he has access to know that the said William Symington made certain experiments in the autimm of the year 1788, by a^^plying a small steam engine to propel a boat on a piece of water near the house of Dalswinton in the county of Dumfries. That, in the summer j)receding, he was instructed by the said William Symington to forge various pieces of iron- work which were employed in the above- mentioned experiment. He further sweareth that the application of a steam-engine to the propelling of a boat upon water, was generally said and universally believed the invention of the said William Symington, and who was at that time patronised l)y Patrick Miller, Esq. of Dalswinton, now deceased ; and the deponent understands, and it consists viith his know- 16 BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM SYlillNGTOX. ledge, that the said experiments were further prose- cuted upon a larger scale by the said WiUiam SjTiiington in the following year, being 1789, upon the Great Canal, near Carron Iron Works, also under the patronage of the said Patrick Miller, Esq. Sworn at Falkirk, in the county of Stirling, upon the Fourth Day of November, one thousand eight hundi-ed and twenty-four, before me, one of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the county of Stirling. (Signed) Alexander Carlaw. WiLLIAJM COUBROUGH, J. P. 3. Eichard Yoimg, residing in Edinburgh, in that part of the United Kingdom called Scotland, grocer, maketh oath, sayeth : That he was gardener to Patrick Miller of Dalswinton, in the county of Diunfries, in Scotland aforesaid, for several years prior and pos- terior to the year 1788. That some time in the course of the said year, William Syming-ton, engineer, pre- sently residing at Falkirk, then at Waulockhead, in Dujnfriesshire aforesaid, did occupy one of the rooms in the house of the deponent as a workshop, where the said William Symington constructed a piece of machinery worked by steam, which he fitted into a boat then lying on a small lake near Dalswinton House. That the deponent was present, along with several other persons, when the said boat was propelled by means of the said engine, apparently to the satisfac- tion of the said Patrick Miller, and the other per- sons present ; and it consists with the knowledge of the deponent that the said Patrick Miller never did propel any boat by means of steam till it -^vas done, as above described, by the said William Symington ; and he also knows that several other experiments were COPIES OF AFFrDA\^TS. 17 afterwards made by the said William Symington upon the Forth and Clyde Canal, when he understood the said William Symington completely succeeded in applying the power of the steam engine to the propelling of boats. That the deponent does not remember to have seen Mr Miller or Mr Taylor — who was then tutor in Mr Miller's family — aiding or assisting the said William Symington in the construction of the said steam engine, other^^ise than under the immediate direction of the said William Symington ; and in the construction thereof, and in erecting it on board of the said boat. The deponent believes the whole to have been done by Mr Symington, as engineer, and the workmen under his direction. Sworn at Edinburgh, the seventh day of September, in the year one thousand eight hundred and twenty-five, before me, one of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the City of Edinburgh. (Signed.) Eichaud Young. jAaiES Spittal, J. p. 4. Joseph Stainton, Esq. of Biggarshiels, manager for Carron Company at Carron, in the county of Stirling, in that part of the United Kingdom called Scotland, maketh oath, and sayeth : That he knows William Symington, engineer at Falkirk ; that he has access to know that the said William Symington made certain experiments in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine, by appljdng a steam- engine to propel a boat along the Forth and ClytJe Canal. That the machinery for said experiment was made at Carron, under the direction of the said William Symington, and the expense thereof, amount- ing to three hundred and sixty-three pounds ten shillings and tenpence, was paid to Carron Company by the now deceased Patrick Miller, Esq. of Dal- 18 BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM SYnUNGTON. s\\-iuton. That the deponent has seen the boat in which the said experiments were made, and has fre- quently heard the experiments mentioned. That, in the year one thousand eight hundred and one, or about that time, the said William Symington was employed by the now deceased Thomas Lord Dundas, to erect a boat and construct a steam- engine to propel it along the said Canal. That the deponent saw the said boat when com- pleted, and had access to know that it was em- ployed in the way of experiment to drag vessels along the canal. That it consists ^^^th the deponent's knowledge, Robert Weir was employed by the said William Symington about the said boat. That he knew the said Robert Weir, who now resides at Kin- cardine, to be a man of respectable character and of veracity. That the said William Sjnnington after- wards constructed a larger boat, aad the deponent had access to see both the boats, and to know that they were propelled hj steam. Sworn at Carron, in the county of Stirling, upon the 30th day of Xovember, one thousand eight hundred and twenty- foiu', before me, one of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the county of Stirling. (Signed) J. Stainton. John Callander, J. P. 5. Henry Stainton, Esq., formerly residing at Car- ron Ironworks, in the county of Stirling, in that part of the United Kingdom called Scotland, x^resently re- siding^ at Carron Company's Warehouse, London, maketh oath and sayeth. That he knew William Symington, civil engineer, at Falkirk, in the county of Stirling, aforesaid. That he had access to know that the said William Sj'^mington made certain ex- periments in the year one thousand seven hundred COPIES OP AFPIDAVITS. 19 and eighty nine, by applying a steam-engine to pro- pel a boat along the Forth and Clyde Canal. That the machinery for the said experiment was made at Carrou, agreeably to the direction of the said William Symington, then under the patronage of Patrick Miller, Esq. of Dalswinton. That the deponent has seen the boat in which the experiments were made, and has frequently heard the experiments mentioned. That, in the year cue thousand eight hundred and one, or about that time, the said William Symington was employed by the now deceased Thomas, Lord Dundas, to build a boat, and construct a steam-engine to propel it along the said canal. That the deponent saw the said boat when complete, and had access to know that it was employed, in the way of experiment, to drag vessels along the said Canal, which, he be- lieves, came fully up to the exx)ectations of all par- ties concerned. Sworn at London upon the twenty-seventh day of January, in the year eighteen hundred and twenty- five, before me. (Signed) Hexey Stainton". John Garret, Mayor. 6. William Blackie, residing at Edinburgh, in that part of the United Kingdom called Scotland, pattern- maker at the Carron L'on Foundry, in Edinburgh, aforesaid, maketh oath and sayeth, — That about the year 1789 he was patt&rn-maker at the Carron L'on Foundry, in the county of Stirlmg, in Scotland, afore- said, when William Symington, Civil Engineer, pre- sently residing at Falkirk, in the county of StMing, aforesaid, then residing at Carron, aforesaid, gave the deponent directions for the modelling of various pieces of machinery, to be used, as the deponent understood, in a steam engine. That he remembers witnessing the experiment made by the said William Syming^ton B 20 BIOGEAPHY OF TVILLIAM SY:NnXGTOX. ■with a boat propelled by the said engine with paddle- wheels, ui)ou the Forth and Clyde Canal, in the year 1789. That he deponent thought at the time, and still has reason to believe, that the exi^eriment which he then witnessed was successful, and produced the experiments made by the said William Symington in the years 1801, 1802, 1803. That some time in the year 1801, the said William Symington gave the de- ponent directions for modelling various other pieces of machinery, for propelling a boat. That the depon- ent witnessed the experiments made by the said William Symington with the said boat, upon the Forth and Clyde Canal aforesaid, in the years 1801, 1802, and 1803. That the deponent believed at the time, and still believes, that the motion produced in the said boats, by means of the engine aforesaid, was equal or similar to the motion produced by the en- gines now in common use in steamboat navigation. Sworn at Edinburgh, the twenty-ninth day of Oc- tober one thousand eight hundred and twenty- four, before me, one of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the city of Edinburgh. (Signed) William Blackie. Alexander Berwick, J.P. 7. James Blackie, residing at Edinburgh, in that part of the United Kingdom called Scotland, manager of the Calton Iron Foundry, at Edinburgh, aforesaid, maketh oath and sayeth, — That sometime in the year 1801, he was one of the pattern-makers at the CaiTon Iron Works, in the coimty of Stirling, in Scotland, aforesaid, when William S}nning-ton, Civil Engineer, presently residing at Falkirk, in the aforesaid county, then residing at Kinnaird, coimty aforesaid, gave the deponent directions for the modelling of various pieces of machinery. That the deponent, after adapting the said pieces of machinery to a steam engine placed in COPIES OF AFPIDAVITS. 21 a boat then Ijing in the Forth and Clj^de Canal, in the county of Stirling, aforesaid, did ■v\dtnes3 an ex- periment made with the said boat, propelled by the said engine, under the direction of the said' William vSymington. That it consists with the knowledge of the deponent that the said boat was moved upon the canal, by means of the said engine, a considerable number of miles, but the deponent cannot charge his memory with the precise number. That the deponent believes the motion produced in the said boat, by means of the said engine, was equal or similar to that produced by the engines of a like power now in com- mon use in steam na\agation. That, some time there- after, the deponent made a complete model of the said boat and steam engine, all under the direction of the said William Symington. That the dei^onent thereafter witnessed various experiments made by the said William Symington in the years 1802 and 1803, which the deponent knows to have had an equal or greater success than the preceding experiments. Sworn at Edinburgh, the twenty-seventh day of October, one thousand eight himdred andtAventy- four, before me, one of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the city of Edinbiirgh. (Signed) James Blackte. Alexander Hexdersox, J, P. 8. David Drysdale, residing in Bainsford, in the county of Stirling, in that part of the United Kingdom called Scotland, mariner, maketh oath and sa.yeth, — That in the month of October 1789, he acted as helms- man on board of a boat then lying in the Foi-th and Clyde Canal, in Stirlingshire, aforesaid. That this boat had been built upon a particular construction, and was propelled upon the water by means of a steam engine. That the deponent understood that Wilham Symington, Civil Engineer, now residing at Falkirk, 22 BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM SYIMIXGTON. in tlie county of Stiiiing, constructed the said steam engine. That the deponent remembers while he acted as helmsman the said WiUiam Syming-fcon suj^erin- tended the whole ox)erations performed in the course of the experiment; and it consists with the know- ledge of the deponent that the boat so propelled moved at the rate at which boats are generally dragged on canals, or, as near as the deponent can re- member, at the rate of 4 J or 5 miles an hour. Sworn at Bainsford, the thirteenth day of October, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-four, be- fore me, one of iiis Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the county of Stirling. (Signed) David Drysdale. John Callander, J. P. 9. Alexander Hart, residing at Grangemouth, in the county of Stirhno;, in that j^art of the United Kingdom caUed Scotland, ship-builder, maketh oath and sayeth, — That sometime in the year ISOl, William Symington, Civil Engineer, now residing at Falkirk, instructed the deponent to build a boat of a peculiar construction, ada[jted for the reception of a steam engine. That the deponent accordingly did proceed to build such a boat, iinder the direction of the said William Symington. That lie adapted a boat for the reception of a steam engine, and thereafter he assisted to place the steam engine into the boat, previous to its removal to the Forth and Clyde Canal. Sworn at Grangemouth, the nineteenth day of Oc- tober, one thousand eight hundred and twenty- four, before me, one of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the county of Stirling. (Signed) Alexander Hart. John Morehead, J. P. 10. Eobert Weir, residing at Kincardine, in the COPIES OF APFrDAVITS. 23 coimty of Perth, in that part of the United KingcToin called Scotland, maketh oath and sayeth, — That he is acquainted with WiUiani Symington, engineer, at Falkirk. That he was employed by him for several years. That, in the year 1801, he remembers of Mr Sj-mington erecting a boat, and fitting a steam engine into it, and dragging two vessels along the Forth and Clyde Canal by means of the said steamboat. That the deponent was employed as engine-fireman on board of the said boat. Depones that the following persons, now li\'iug, were also on board — viz., Alex. Hart and John Allen, ship-bnilders, Grangemouth, and John EspUn and William Gow, shipmasters, there. That, some time after the first experiment? while the boat was lying upon the canal at Lock 16, it was -s-isited by a stranger, who requested to see the boat worked. That the said William Symington de- sired the deponent to light the furnace, which was done, and the stranger was carried about four miles along the canal, and brought back. That this stranger made inquiries both as to the mode of constructing and of working the boat, and took notes of the infor- mation given him by the said William Symington. That the deponent heard the stranger say his name was Fulton, and that he was a native of the United States of America. That the deponent remembers !Mr Symington remarking that the progress of the boat was much impeded by the narrowness of the canal, to which ISlr Fulton answered that the objec- tion wordd not apply to the large rivers of Xorth America, where he thought the boat might be used to great advantage. Sworn at Blair Castle, in the Coimty of Perth, upon the twenty-third day of October, one thousand eight hundred and twentj'-four, before me, one of 2i BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM SYMINGTON. Ms Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the county of Perth. (Signed) Egbert Weie. Egbert Dundas, J. P. 11. John Allan, residing at Grangemouth, in the county of Stirling, in that ]3art of the United King- dom called Scotland, maketh oath and sayeth, that sometime in the year 1802, William Symington, civil engineer, now residing at Falkirk, instructed the de- ponent to build a boat of a peculiar construction, adapted to the reception of a steam engine : that the deponent did proceed to build such a boat under the direction of the said William Symington, and that he adapted the boat for the reception of a steam engine, and thereafter he assisted to place the steam engine into the boat, previous to its removal to the Forth and Clyde Canal. Sworn at Grangemouth, the nineteenth day of Oc- tober, one thousand eight hundred and twenty- four, before me, one of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the county of Stirling. (Signed) John Allan. John Morehead, J. P. 12. John Espline, residing at Grangemouth, in the county of Stirling, in that part of the United King- dom called Scotland, shipmaster, maketh oath and sayeth — That sometime in the year 1803, he was mas- ter of the sloop Euphemia, of Grangemouth, aforesaid. That he was in the way of proceeding fi'om thence, upon the Forth and Ctyde Canal, to Port Dimdas with the said vessel, having on board a full cargo. That the vessel, along with the sloop Active, of the said Port, being also deeply loaded, were taken in drag at Lock No. 20 by a steamboat, on board of which William Symington, civil engineer, now resid- ing at Falkirk, superintended all the ojjerations dur- LIST OF AFFIDAVITS. 25 ing the time the vessels were in drag. That, so far as the deponent remembers, the vessels arrived at Port Diindas in the space of six hours, or thereby, from the time of their being taken in drag at Lock Xo. 20, a distance of 191 miles. Sworn at Grangemouth, in the county of Stirling, the nineteenth day of October, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-four, before me, one of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the county of Stirling. (Signed) John Espllnt:. JOHX MOREHEAD, J. P. 13. Alexander Sclanders, boat-builder, residing at Lock Xo. 16 on the Forth and Clyde Canal, in the county of Stirling, in that part of the United King- dom called Scotland, maketh oath and sayeth — That in the month of March, 1803, he was employed by "William Symington, ci%'il engineer, to be helmsman on board the Charlotte Dundas steam-boat, in a trip made from Windford (Lock Xo. 20), along the siunmit level of the Canal to Port Dundas, the dis- tance being nineteen miles and a half, and which was performed in six hours, dragging two laden vessels, the Active and Euphemia, of Grangemouth (Messrs Gow and Espline masters, although it blew a strong breeze right ahead while on the passage ; so much so, that no other vessels of any description could move to the windward iu the Canal that day. Sworn at Falkirk, in the county of Stirling, upon the twentieth day of October, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-seven, before me, one of his jSIajesty's Justices of the Peace for the county of Stirling. (Signed) Alex. Sclandees. W. COUEROUGH, J. P. 26 BIOGRAPnY OF WILLIA^M SYMIXOTOX. Mr Gow, master of the sloop Active also expressed his ■willingness to make afficla^'it as to the experiments in which he was concerned, but died before it could be done. The following evidence has since been collected : — 1. Mr James Flint, James Watt Steamboat, Edin- burgh, 20th April, 1833. Dear Sir, — I have examined the College AJbum, and find that William Sjnniugton is registered as a student in Dr Black's Class, for the year 1786. — I am, dear Sir, yours truly, (Signed) CoLix Cajvierois'". Edinburgh, 26fch Oct., 1833, 10 Hill Square. 2. From Sir James Eyre to Robert Bo"\\de, Esq. My Dear Sir, — True to my promise, I searched the College Books for the name which you desired me to look for. AVilliam Symington I find, in 1786, as a student in anatomy, chemistiy, and chirurgery ; and James Taylor (the only one there) is entered as a scholar in the above branches also in 1784, 1785, and 1786 — the last is the same j^ear as Mr Symington. There is a J. Taylor, also medical, but whether John or James does not appear — ^in 1786 only. These are all the persons of the name I could see. Mr Snod- grass, an engineer, of York Street, Glasgow, saw your pamphlet in my hands, and, after perusing it, said he was so satisfied of your father-in-law's claim that he should keep the book and take it with him to Ame- rica, and read it to the peojjle of the country. His remark was, and his judgment is much esteemed — "What a pity but this matter had been brought for- ward sooner. ****** ^i-^^ believe me to be, my dear Sir, yours very truly, (Signed) James Eyee. LETTERS, &C. 27 Tlie portion of the letter uueopied refers altogether to professional matters, and is perfectly unconnected with steam navigation. Leith & Glasgow Wharf, 25th June, 1833. 3. Mr Robert Bowie, Bishopsgate Street. Dear Sir, — In answer to your application, I can- not have the least hesitation in stating that I re- member perfectly well accompanying the late Mr Wm. Symington when he presented the model of his steam-boat to the Right Hon. Lord Dundas, at his house in Arlington Street. This circumstance took place sometime between the year 1801 and 1803 ; and during the examination, and Mr Syming-ton's explana- tion of the ajiplication of various jarts of the machi- nery, his Lordship expressed himself highly satisfied, and con^dnced that steam would speedily be brought into use afloat. At the same time stated to Air Sym- ington that he had a conversation with his Grace, al- luding to the Duke of Bridgewater, and that if he (Mr S.) would wait upon his Grace he would get an order for two or more boats immediately. — I am, dear Sir, yours truly, (Signed) Joseph Adams. 4. I remember having seen Mr "William Syming- ton's steam-boat, built for Lord Dundas in the year 1801 or 1802, and called the Charlotte Dundas, tow into the harbour of Grangemouth, from the Water- mouth, a distance of at least three miles, four or five sloops attached to each other ; and also drag from Grangemouth to No. 16, three sloops, a distance of four miles— both of which operations were performed with the greatest ease. At any time I am willing to make oath to the truth of this statement. (Signed) Alexajsder Frasek. London, 15th May, 1833. 28 BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM SYinXGTON. Carron Warehouse, London, ISthMay, 1833. 5. Mr Bowie. Sir, — I liere certify, and, if it be necessary, am wil- ling to declare, upon oatb, that I remember Messrs William Symington and James Taylor being at Carron Works during tbe construction of macbinerj'- for a steam-boat, in tbe year 1789. That all instructions and drawings given, respecting tbe said macbinery, were by Mr Symington ; and that I considered Mr Taylor as a spy placed upon Mr Symington's conduct by ]Slr ]SIiller — an opinion v.-bicb was very generally entertained. (Signed) Hexry Staintox. 15 Ujiper Thames Street. 50 Broad Street, 31st Jan., 1834. 6. Dear Sir, — I have perused, with great interest and attention, the statement and afSda\dts left with me, and have great pleasure in saying that my view of the question corresponds f ally with your own. The purity of Mr Symington's attention to the subject is firmly established; and the claims of Bell, Miller, Ful- ton, and Taylor, are completely set at rest by the clear and decisive affidavits which you have produced. That steam navigation was attempted by Jonathan Hulls, cannot be denied ; but that it was first brought into effectual application by the excellent experiments of Mr Sjmiington, appears to me to be indisputable. That he has consequently large claims upon the sub- stantial gratification of his coimtry will be readily ad- mitted by every one who casts his eyes over all the rivers and seas which have ever yet been navigated. With every good wish for the success of your efforts in behalf of the family of this very ingenious mecha- nic, I remain, very faithfully yours, (Signed) George Birkbeck. Robert Bowie, Esq. LETTEES, &C. 29 21 Great Corum Street, 15th Feb., 1834. 7. Dear Sir, — In answer to yours of the 5th inst. , I can only say that so much time has elapsed since any conversation passed between Mr Fulton and myself on the subject to which you allude, that I have but an indistinct recollection of what occtuTed between that gentleman and myself respecting his first idea as to the practicability of steam navigation. The impres- sion, however, is on my mind, that he received his first hints from some experiments that he had witnes- sed in Scotland. I do not remember of his ever hav- ing mentioned any one being concerned in making these experiments in that country but Mr Symington. — I remain yours, very truly, (Signed) Jacob Parkixs. The following letters were only lately discovered, and they prove that neither Mr Miller nor Lord Dun- das considered Mr Taylor the proper party to whom to apply for information concerning the origin of steam na^^gation : — 8. Edinburgh, 3d February, 1824. Letter from Mr P. Miller to Mr W. Symington. Sir, — As I was not at home when you were em- ployed by my father to erect a small steam-engine for him in a pleasure boat of his, at Dalswinton, with which the first steam experiment now on record was made, in the year 1788 ; nor had I an opportimity of being present at the second experiment made the subsequent year on the Forth and Clyde Canal, like- wise under your management, may I, therefore ask you to inform me if you were acquainted with any practical system of steam navigation that existed prior to that period, from which you could have de- rived any assistance in carrying my father's project 30 BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM SYMINGTON. into effect ; or, if you considered tlie speculations yon were tlien engaged in as original in themselves at tlie time, for I never heard of any of the individu- als who were engaged in the matter that had either ever seen or ever heard of Mr Jonathan Hull's pam^Dhlet. Being credibly informed that a ISIr Henry Bell, of Helensburgh, near Glasgow, has publicly stated that my father's experiments failed, might I also request you to be so obliging as mention what could have given him a handle for so groundless and unfounded a mistake, for at least such did not haj^pen at Dal- swinton, as I can show by abundance of li^dng testi- mony at this very day. I also know that there are many still alive who witnessed the experiment both days, after the wheels were repaired, who are ready to bear evidence that everything the reverse of failure took place on that occasion, and that these two days' exx)eriments were as complete in success as any that have hitherto been made ; and I would, at the same time, thank you to say, if you know whether this Mr Bell was ever amongst the spectators upon that occasion. I have learned, however, that some years there- after he applied to you to see the vessel you con- structed for the Canal Company, and that you showed and explained everything particularly to him, from whence he derived the skill he possesses in this mat- ter ; and likewise understood that Mr Fulton, the American engineer, was also at Carron, and had the benefit of seeing the vessel, and receiving instructions from you on the steam system, which he so promptly and successfully carried into effect. I hope it mil be convenient for you, on receipt of this, to give me the iufurmation of which I, at pre- sent, request the favour ; and be so good as to ad- LETTERS, &C. 31 dress to me at the Albyn Club, Princes Street, where 1 shall be for a few days, previous to my return to Dalswinton. — I am, Sir, your most obedient servant, (Signed) Pateick Miller. To Mr William Symington. 9. From the Right Honourable Thomas Dimdas to Mr Symington, Civil Engineer. Dear Ser, — I was extremely sorry to hear that you had been at the house while I was from home ; I beg to explain the cause of my absence, and the stej) I had taken to meet the chance of your arrival ; and I must first state that, not having heard from you, I hardly thought you were able to accept the appoint- ment I had made. Having accepted an invitation to sleep at Dunmore, on Friday, I came over here dur- ing that day, and requested my son's tutor to receive you in the event of your coming to breakfast. Mr Simpson, however, was not aware that you had been at Carsehall, or he woidd have done all in his power to make up for my absence, and, if possible, would have induced you to remain till my return. It was well known to me that you were the first person who propelled boats by steam ; and I well re- collect the trial-boat lying near the Drawbridge ; the present model is a different one fi'om that possessed l>y joxi ; but I do not know if Mr Bell used at first the " eccentric" now in common use. The " Auletic Wheel " I do not understand, but I will have the pleasure of calling upon you on Wednes- day, when I shall be hapi^y to receive your lectvure, how much or how little of it may be ^\^thin my sphere of comprehension. — I am, dear Sir, your obedient servant, (Signed) Thomas Duxdas. 32 BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM SYMINGTON. EXTEACTS FROM SCIENTIFIC WORKS, MAGAZINES, LETTERS, &c. 1. "Several attempts have been made to apply the force of steam to tlie i)urpose of propelling boats in canals ; and there seems to be no reason to think the imdertaking by any means liable to insuperable difiEiciilties. Mr Symington appears to have had con- siderable success ; and the method that he has em- ployed for making a communication between the piston and the water wheel is attended with many advantages."— /oirrnaZ of the Royal Institution of Great Britain. Vol. L, 1802: p. 195. 2. "It is indisputable, therefore, that Mr Syming- ton was the first person who had the merit of success- fully applying the power of the steam engine to the propulsion of vessels. The boat v/hich he constructed was like that pro])osed by Hidls, really a tug. * " It is much to be regretted that there existed not enterprise enough at that time, in Scotland, to en courage the ingenious artizan to repeat his experi- ments on the Clyde. All the subsequent improve- ments, however, in steam navigation, may be fairly traced to Mr Symington's attempt ; and we cannot help thinking that he has a strong claim on the na- tional gratitude. He is still alive, and we fear not in the most flourishing circumstances. Should the State decline rewarding such meritorious services, the * It may be noticed that null's proposition never reached the shape of an experiuient. It was only a theo- retical idea, which, like ujaoy others of its tribe, might never have been capable of a practical realisation, from more causes than inability to form component parts, so that each would lit the place and suit the purpose pro- posed. And that there was some doubt as to this in the mind of Hull himself, is evident from the fact that he never even made a model. EXTEACTS FROM SCIEXTiriC WOEKS, &C. 33 opulent proprietors of steamboats might well evince their liberality and discernment by bestowing on him some recompense." — Article on " Steam Navigation." Supplement to the Encydopcedia Briiannica. 3. "It is remarkable also that the unfortunate Symington, who has such claims to the original in- vention of the steamboat, had previously contrived a similar apphcation for the propelling of carriages; and actually exhibited, in the year 1786-7, in the house of Mr Gilbert Meason, in Edinburgh — the first model of a steam-carriage that was, perhaps, ever seen." — Article on "Locomotive Carriages," in the Quarterly Bevieiv. March, 1830 ; p. 380. 4. " Mr Symington took out a patent for steam- boats in the same year, 1801, and he has the un- doubted merit of being the first i)erson who applied the power of the steam-engine to produce motion in vessels." — Captain Basil Hall's Travels in North America. Vol. 2; p. 387. 5. " The] earliest successful application of steam appears to have been made on the Forth and Clyde Inland Navigation." — Elijah Galloway on "The Steam-Engine. " 6. "This was the first public trial (1802), of steam for a useful purpose in navigation. " — Report of the Proceedings of the Managers of the Forth and Clyde Canal Company, with respect to Steam Navi- gation. Mechanics' Magazine, Jidy 9, 1831. 7. " ]SIr Taylor (who is now also dead) has left the grounds for his pretensions on record in a letter which he addressed to Sir Henry Parnell, the chairman of the House of Commons' Committee. He there states that it was he who suggested to Mr Miller the application of steam power to the working of his paddle-wheels, a considerable time before he introduced Mr Syming- 34 BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM SYSHNGTOX. ton to Mr Miller; that being acquainted witli Mr Sym- ington, and knowing he had invented a new construc- tion of the steam-engine, a model of which he had seen at work, he asked him if he could undertake to apply his engine to Mr JMiller's vessels ; that Mr Symington answered in the affirmative ; and, from friendship, he recommended both himself and engine, and afterwards introduced him to Mr IVIiller; that " after the classes of the College broke up," he (Taylor) superintended the castings of the engine with which the first expe- riment on Dalswinton Lake was made, and took Sym- ing-ton -with him ' ' to -put the parts together ;" that in 1789 he "repaired to Carron with Mr Symington," and constructed (that is he, Tajdor, constructed) the engine employed in the second experiment, and that on returning to Dalswinton and "producing the ac- count of the expense at Carron," Mr Miller became irritated and disgusted at the conduct of the engineer, who had more than doubled both the time and ex- pense — " swore he was a vain, extravagant fool, and did not care how much of his money he wasted, but he should never have that in his power again, for he would have nothing more to do with him or his en- gine." All Vvhich is, according to Mr Taylor, ' a true, faithful, and correct account of the origin and rise of the present system of steam- boats.' " The whole of this statement, it is important to ob- serve, rests on Mr Taylor's own bare assertion. He was constantly contradicted on all the material points by SjTning-ton, and had not the scrape of a pen to show in corroboration of his pretensions from Mr Mil- ler, thoiigh he continued on intimate terms "udth that gentleman to the period of death, which was long after Sjmiington had been publicly taken by the hand by Lord Dundas as the real author of steam navigation. We have, therefore, to inquire what there is about EXTRACTS FR03I SCIENTIFIC WORKS, ScC. 35 the statement itself to entitle it to credit? Does it bear tlie impress of trutli or of fiction? Let us see. Mr Taylor says he was ' acquainted ' with Mr Sym- ington ; knew he had ' invented a new construction of the steam-engine, ' and had seen a model of it at work. Tha,t he was acquainted with Symington is admitted — they came from the same part of the country, and were fellow- students at college ; we have heard that they even lodged together in the same house while in Edinburgh. Being so well acquainted vnth Syming- ton, he must, of course, have heard of the steam-car- riage which Symington exhibited at the College* full two years before his introduction to Mr Miller. So surprising a thing (at that time of day) must have been talked of by everj^body, and not least frequently, we may be sure, by the inventor himself. But, strange to say, Mr Taylor makes no allusion to his steam- car- riage whatever in his narrative; unless 'the model,' which he says he saw at work, was the model of that carriage, which we think most likely. How is this studious sui)pression of so important a fact to be ex- plained? Was Mr Taylor apprehensive that if he made mention of Symingiion's steam- carriage, people would have said at once — ' Oh, then, there coidd be but little merit in your suggesting to Mr Miller that the same power M-hich tui-ned the wheel of a carriage on land would turn the wheel of a vessel on water. Can there, indeed, be any reasonable doubt that ic must have been something of this sort which passed between Taylor and Miller? We are the more incliue'l to adopt this conclusion from the palpable want v: fairness which distinguishes the remainder of MrTay- * It was during the same summer, 1786, when Mr Sym- ington was exhibiting his steam-carriage model, that he was introduced to Mr Miller. 36 BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM SYMINGTON'. lor's statement. Wherever there is any merit to be gleaned, in regard to the construction of machinery, Taylor arrogates the whole to himself; wherever any blame is incurred, it is thrown on poor Symington. It was Taylor who superintended the castings of the first engine ; Symington was merely employed to 'put them tegether.' It was Taylor who 'constructed' the se- cond and larger engine ; Symington was merely 'with' ■ Taylor on the occasion, and, for anj'thing that ajjpears on the face of Taylor's narrative, might as well have stayed at home. It was Taylor, in short, who, accord- ing to Taylor, was the actual ' engineer' — the pei-son who directed and superintended everything. But when some person is wanted to bear the burden of Mr Mil- ler's reproaches, on account of the ' time and expense' incurred, it is again poor Symington who is made the scapegoat ; he who had never been dignified l^y Taylor with the name of ' engineer' before, is created for the nonce ' the engineer,' and has a great deal of abuse heaped upon him in that character, which, if there had been any truth in Taylor's previous narrative, ought to have been borne by him alone. Observe, further, the respective qualifications of Taylor and Symington for the parts thus assigned to them. Tay- lor, who was a stu.dent of divinity,* and confessedly no mechanic or engineer, superintends castings and con- structs engines; and Symington, who was really a j)ractical mechanic and engineer, and imrticularly ac- quainted with steam machinery, is merely a passive instrument in the hands of this inspired son of the Church ! What likelil..ood is there in all this ? Clearly none w^hatever. Besides, if Mr Taylor really played the part he pretends to have done in the construction * He was a medical sturient, and does not appear ever to have attended a divinity cla;*s. EXTEACTS FROM SCIENTIFIC WORKS, &C. 37 of the macliinery in question — if specially, he ' con- structed,' as he saj's he did, the second and largest engine, he must have been known in the capacity of constructor at the Carron works, where it was built, and there could hare been no lack of testimonials of his having been so regarded. Mr Stainton, who was then manager of these works, is still alive. As usual, however, the only authority for ^Mr Taylor's engineer- ing pretensions is Mr Taylor himseli !Many other ob- jections suggest themselves to the claim set up by this person ; but it seems to us it would be a waste of words to dwell further on pretensions wholly unsup- ported and so void of probability." — Mechanics' Ma- gazine, May 25Lh, 1833. 17. The late William Symington and the Invention of Steam-boats and Steam-carriages. — "Sir, — I have no- ticed, with pleasure, the assistance you have given, from time to time, in your valuable publication, to the friends of Mr Symington in their laudable endeavours to show that he was not only the inventor of steam locomotion, but the first person who apphed steam to move a carriage as well as to prox^el a boat. What- ever other pjersons may have talked about it, or pre- tended to do, I know not ; but I knew Mr Symington for more than thirty years successively ; and I am sure, if a James Taylor, or any other person, had had any pretension to tbe invention, I must -have heard of it. I also knew ilessrs Stainton, Carlaw, Yf eir, and others mentioned in the business, and 1 never heard them speak of Taylor as the inventor. Mr S\Tiiington was very clever and intelligent, and fully capable of doing what has been said of him. His father was a practical mechanic, and superintendent of the Mining Company at Leadhdls, where Mr "Watt erected a pumping-engine. Here was an excellent oppoitunity for an ingenious j-outh from college to improve bis 38 BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM SYillNGTOX. ideas; and certain it is young Symington was not slow in availing himself of it. It is well established that, almost before he was a man, he produced one of the greatest improvements on the steam-engine which had at that time been proposed, and which placed him the very next to Watt. Had be only met with a Boulton, &c., he might probably have numbered engines with this great rival. It appears that his genius was not only displayed in inventing an useful engine, but that that engine was totally different from Mr Watt's ; that no infringement could be proved, ' wide as the circle was that Mr Watt, in his specifi- cation, had drawn roimd his invention.' The 'sketch,' however, which you have given of Mr Symington's engine, in yoar Journal of the 24th of July last, is ra- ther imperfect, as there is one valve awanting, and other things reversed. It, nevertheless, exhibits suf- ficiently that beautiful idea of a medium piston with which Mr Symington could produce a finer vacuum in the cylinder than Mr Watt could do by his sepjar- ate condenser and air-pump, and also without cooling the cylinder at every stroke by the injection water, as the common engine atthat time did ; and I can as- sure you that Mr Symington's engine could do any given quantity of labour with as little fuel as 'Mr Watt's; and that Mr Symington's could lift more on each square in the area of the piston than Mr Watt's engine. I have also to inform you, that Mr Symington's engine was not confined to pumping only, but that it was successfully ajjplied to drive machinery in differ- ent parts of the United Kingdom ; some were also seat to the Indies, and several were erected about London. After Mr Symington's first patent, as well as that of Mr Watt, had expired (for they both ended about the same t^me), Mr Symington was amongst the first (1801) to alter the shape of steam-engines, so that they should EXTRACTS FROM SCIENTIFIC WORKS, &C. 39 occupy less room, and be applicable to vessels in ge- neral. This may justly be called the real commence- ment of steam na\dgatiou. Here I must observe that Mr Symington was then called almost a madman, be- cause he employed about a ten-horse power engine to propel a boat — viz,, the Charlotte Dundas, although now it is common to have more than ten times that power on board. I can also assure you that I\Ir Ful- ton got his first knowledge about steam-boats from Mr Symington, and this I had occasion to assert publicly sometimes. Mr Bell, and all the others about Glas- gow, had also their first steam- boat knowledge from the same source. May [add that I also learnt my- self the rudiments of mechanism under Mr Syming- ton ; and I believe you know that I have added a few items to the useful art. — I remain, Sir, "J. Dickson, Engineer. " 60 Holland Street, Southwark, Sept. 14, 1833." 18. The late Wm. Symington's claim to the inven- tion of steam navigation : — "When noticing in our nineteenth volume, p. 121, the Memoir of the late Mr Sjnnington, by his son-in-law, Mr Bowie, we investi- gated very fully his claims to the invention of steam navigation ; and the result of this investigation was a perfect conviction that to him and no other this great honour belongs. We have reason to know that the view which we took of the evidence on the subject — of that part of it more particularly which concerns the rival claims of James Taylor — has made converts of many who had previously a very difi'erent impression of Mr Symington's merits. We are entitled also to conclude that we made out a case in favour' of this ill- requited individual, which, if not unanswerable, it is at least not very easy to answer — since up to this time no answer to it has appeared. But there are those who, 40 BIOGRAPHY OF WTLLIAil SYJ-nNGTOX. though thej'' cannot refute a claim, will persist in re- fusing to acknowledge its validity ; some from unwil- lingness to confess a previous delusion ; others from an imperfect j)erceptiou of what is due to truth ; and a few, perhaps, because some interest which they pre- fer to truth forbids. Among this class — though not certainly in the last section of it — we regret to have to rank, on this occasion, the editors of journals, in general so well and uprightly conducted, as "Cham- bers's Edinburgh Journal," and "Chambers's Infor- mation for the People." In an early number of the former periodical, a memoir of Taylor v/as given, in which the whole merit of originating steam navigation was assigned to him, and the claims of the real origi- nator, Mr Symington, treated with singular levity; but though the evidence which disj^roves Taylor's pre- tensions has been since (aswe are informed) communi- cated to ]\Iessrs Chambers, they have never thought fit to amend their award, and in giving, more recently in the " Information for the People," a history of the ' ' Steam Engine and Locomotive Machines," they have omitted all reference to the matter in dispute. They have not, it is true, renewed the claim on the behalf of Taylor, and that is something ; but they have failed to do that full justice to Symington which, we think, truth and candour require at their hands. " The document chiefly relied upon in the memoir of Taylor, as establishing his claims to the invention of steam navigation, was a letter addressed to him by Mr Symington in the following terms : — " 'Glasgow, Feb. 9, 1821. " 'Sir, — In terms of my former agreement, when making experiments of sailing by the steam engine, I hereby bind and oblige myself to convey to you, by a regular assignation, the one-halfof the interest and pro- ceeds of the patent taken by me upon that invention, EXTRACTS FROHL SCIENTIFIC V/OKKS, &C. 41 when an opportunity occurs of executing the deed, and when required. — I am, sir, your obedient servant, (Signed) "' Wm. Symington. " ' To Mr James Taylor, Cumnock.' " We were not aware of the existence of this letter at the time we penned our former remarks. We think it right, therefore, to take the present opportunity of stating that it does not alter our view of the case in the least, but, on the contrary, confirms it in the strongest possible manner. Why should Mr Syming- ton bind himself to assign a share in the patent for the invention to Taylor if the whole right to it rested with Taylor—which is what Taylor's friends maintain ? It could not have been because Symington acquired, by any pecuniary means, an interest in the invention that the patent for it was taken out in his name ; for Sym- ington was notoriously and confessedly a person with- out money. It must have been the invention of the thing, and that alone, which constituted Symington's title. The monied person in the business — or at least the person who procured from others the money to take out the patent — was Taylor ; he also was the per- son who introduced Syming-ton to the influential pa- tronage of Mr Miller of Dalswinton ; and it seems to have been on these grounds — partly pecuniary consi- derations and partly gratitude — that Symington cove- nanted to assign to Taylor one-half of the fruits of his invention. If Taylor had been the principal in the affair he would have been the assigning party, and Symington the yaxtj to receive the assigrunent. As it is, Symington appears as the principal, and Taylor as a mere auxihary — which, no doubt, was the rela- tion in which the parties actually stood towards each other.'" — MtcUaaics' Magazine, April 26th, 1834. " The truth that when Mr Symington took out the patent for his steam engine— the same which he used 42 BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM SYMl^JGTON. in his steamboat exi^eriments in 1788 — ^Mr Gilbert Meason, the manager of the Wanlockhead Mining Company, in whose employment Symington was, sujj- plied the necessary funds. Mr S jTnington afterwards constructed an engine for that gentleman ; for which engine, through motives of gratitude, he neither would nor did receive any premimn during the whole term of years for which his invention was protected. So far, too, from Mr Symington being 'notoriously,' 'confessedly,' a person without money, he was, as may be seen by the following extract of a letter which he addressed to the Editor of the Caledonian Mercury in Sei^tember 1827, a person in easy circumstances — comparatively with Taylor, at least : — 'It is not true,' he says, ' that 1 had pecuniary dilficidties to struggle with while making the experiments on Mr Miller's boat ; for during all that time I was in service of the opulent Wanlockhead Mining Comi)any. ' In another passage of the same letter he says : — ' I admit that Mr Miller furnished the boat and defrayed the price of the machinery at this time, 1788, and also of the second experiment at Carron in 1789; but 1 decidedly and pointedly refuse that Mr Miller ever remunerated me in any way for my x>er3onal trouble and expense ; in fact, the experiments cost me more expense than they did Mr Millar, to say nothing of my anxiety and devotion to carry them into full effect.' "Instead of Taylor being a monied person, he was notoriously and confessedly poor. It is allowed, even by the accui'ate Chambers, as Mr AUan Cunningham calls him, that he accepted the humble situation of preceptor in the family of the late Patrick Miller, Esq. of Dalswinton, ' because he had made the important discovery that the ardour of enthusiasm, however it may sustain the mind, will not support the body.' Neither did Taylor procure any other person who had EXTRACTS FROM SCIENTIFIC WORKS, &C. 43 money to take out the patent ; for, as already stated, the gentleman who actually advanced the money was Mr Meason, Symington's employer and patron." — ' Mechanics' Magazine, May 10th, 1834. Remarks on the rival claims to the introduction of steam navigation :—" Sir, — It must be evident to every one that not only England, but the whole civi- lised world, is under immense obligation to the indivi- dual who first rendered steam available to the purposes of navigation. Public oj)inion, however, seems still to vibrate between the conflicting claims to this honour put forward by the late WiUiam Symington, Mr Mil- ler of Dalswinton (or rather by his representatives), and Mr James Taylor. As to those of Fulton and BeU, they seem, according to common consent, to be wholly untenable. " We will, if you please, begin ' wi' the laird' first. Mr Miller was a man of property, possessed of an active mind, which was constantly requiring excite- ment. He was, therefore, always ready to enter into any experiments which promised to afford him that mental stimulus congenial to his feehngs. He was consequently very ready to assist with his patronage voung men who possessed inventive genius, or sup- posed that they were so blessed, and, of course, was very commonly disappointed. Ashe was easily induced to begin eiperimentalising, he was just as apt to quit it without carrying it on to a successful result ; for, although not deficient in wealth, he lacked that spirit of perseverance from which alone success can emanate. ' ' Taylor was a tutor in this Mr Miller" s family. He had been on terms of intimacy with William Sjrming- ton when at the University of Edinburgh, and had seen a model of an improvement which Symington (though then still a very young man) had just perfected in the steam engine. In consequence, it would seem. 44 BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM SYMIX&TON. of some mention made to Mr Miller of Symington (very probably by Taylor), Mr Miller, early in 1786, called upon Symington, who was then in the employ- ment of, and residing with, Mr Gilbert Meason, the manager of the Wanlockhead Mining Company, and after conversing with him for some time, engaged him to make some experiments, for the purpose of ascer- taining the practicability of propelling boats by steam. Miller himseK had, previously to this, attempted to move boats by meaus of wheels set in action by treddles — a plan which he was compelled to abandon from the excessive fatigue it occasioned to the men employed. This scheme, by the way, had not even the charm of novelty to recommend it, for it had been practised by the Romans, who used oxen to woik machinery, and also by Savary, who had, like Mr Miller, exerted human force for that purpose."* The biographer of Taylor, in Chamhers's Journal, states that he ' ' attended the University of Edinburgh for several years ; that the classes selected by him were anatomy, surgery, and chemistry ; and that he prosecuted his studies with much assiduity and suc- cess; for at the end of his course he was prepared to enter either upon the profession of medicine or di- vinity." Kow, if the College Album be an authority to be confided in, Taylor matriculated for one season only, and attended the classes above mentioned for one course each. " One swallow," says the adage, * Mr Miller seems to have had a predilection for ap- propriating other persons' inventions to himself— or, if he had not, his friends have endeavoured to do so for him ; as they would willingly have us believe that the piece of sea ordinance known as the " carronade" was the fruit of Mr Miller's genius, when, in truth, it was invented by Mr Gascoigne, one of the proprietors and managers of the Car ou"iruii Works, from which circumstances it derived its name. EXTEACTS FROM SCIENTinC V.'ORKS, &C. 45 " does not make a summer ;" but, according to Tay- lor's biographer, one course of lectures fully qualified him to be either a physician or divine ! I make no doubt that he was just as well qualified for the one as the other — that is, not at all. 1 agree with the writer in Chambers's Journal that his genius was excursive, and that to a very considerable extent, but I have yet to learn that its excursions were ever attended by any beneficial result. He is said to have had a pre- dilection for mineralogy, geology, and mechanics; but if this were true, how comes it that Taylor, being at the University where those subjects were treated upon scientifically, never availed himself of so excellent an opportunity of attending the classes in which they were taught. " The improvement in the steam-engine, devised by Mr Symington, was accomplished in 17S5-17S6; and it was in the spring of 1786 that ^Mr Miller, as already mentioned, engaged him to carry on some experiments upon steam navigation. These were made upon the lake at Dals'^'inton, Mr ]\Iiller's property, in 1788. It is asserted that Mr Taylor remained in Edinburgh, after Mr Miller had left to superintend castings of the parts of the engine intended to be employed in mov- ing the boat. But if this were necessary, why did not Taylor afterwards put the engine together? If he were capable of furnishing the drawings and models by which the various parts were to be constructed, surely there could be no necessity for sending for Mr Symington from the Leadhills, to put the different pieces properly 'insetee.' ]Mr Miller would have been little less than mad to employ Symington in these ex- periments, when he had such a brilliant and inventive genius as Taylor residing under his own roof. If (as has been asserted) Taylor was the author of these ex- 46 BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM SYinXGTON. periments, where are the drawings and documents to substantiate his claims ? Have they ever been seen by any person? or, indeed, have they ever existed, ex- cept in the imagination of his partisans ? ' ' There is an account of these experiments to be found in the Scots Magazine for 1788, which, it has been allowed, was drawn up by Taylor himself. He acknowledges, in this statement, that the merit of the expense of trying the experiment was due to Mr Mil- ler, but that the engine used upon the occasion was the sole invention of Mr Symington ; and throughout the whole account he never introduces his own name, either directly or by implication. The notice alluded to was as follows : — " * On October 14, a boat was put in motion by a steam-engine, upon Mr Miller's, of Dalsmnton, piece of water at that place. That gentleman's improve- ments in naval afifairs are well known to the public. For some time past his attention has been turned to the application of the steam-engine to the purposes of navigation. He has now accomplished, and evidently shown to the world, the practicability of this by exe- cuting it upon a small scale. A vessel, twenty-five feet long and seven broad, was, on the above date, driven with two wheels by a small engine. It an- swered Mr Miller's expectations fully, and afforded great pleasure to the spectators. The success of this experiment is no small accession to the public. Its utility in canals, and all inland navigation, points it out to be of the greatest advantage, not only to this island, but to many other nations of the world. The engine used is Mr Syming-ton's new patent engine. ' — Scots Magazine, Nov. 1788, p. 566. " In 1789, Taylor is represented as being located at the Carron Ironworks, for the purpose of superin- EXTRACTS FROM LITERARY WORKS, &C, 47 tending the castings of an engine of increased size, the cylinders being 18 inches in diameter. But, in oppo- sition to this, we have the affida^dt of Mr Stainton, one of the managers of these works, who states that — (See affidavits Nos. 4 and 5.) " ' He (Taylor) was never considered capable of su- perintending the work ; that he never furnished a sin- gle drawing or model by which the work might be forwarded ; but that, on the contrary, Mr Symington was looked up to as being the person to whom all the necessary inquiries, for the completion of the engine, were to be addressed ; and that so far from consider- ing Taylor as a principal, he was rather looked upon as a spy appointed by Miller to watch Symington's conduct, that he did not waste too much of his time upon some experiments he was conducting at the same moment for the Wanlockhead Company. ' " The experiments with the new engine succeeded entirely ; but when it had arrived at that point, that by a little more exertion it might have been perfect- ed, Mr Miller's excitement was over. He had been bitten by an agricultural mania, dismantled the steam- boat, and left steam navigation to be promoted by other hands. We will now close this part of our history of steam navigation, by informing our readers where they may see the first steam engine that moved a boat on the 14th Oct., 1788:— "The maker of the engine was William Sjonington, a name well known and much respected to this day. He had just invented a new kind of steam engine, for which he had taken letters patent, as '* his new in- vented steam-engine on principles entirely new." Of this Mr Taylor saw a model, with which he was much 48 BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM SYMINGTON. pleased, and lie accordingly introduced botli Syming- ton and his model to Mr Miller, who at once engaged him to plan an engine for his double boat. This he shortly accomplished, and an engine was constructed (the castings being made by George Watt, founder, Edinburgh), and was mounted in a frame and placed on the deck of the boat. And now, after months of anxiety, the moment of triumph had arrived. The ves- sel moved delightfully, and although the cylinders were but four inches in diameter (those of the paddle- engines of the Great Eastern are 74), it was propelled at the rate of five miles an hour. That engine is the one now in the Museum of Patents. Its identity has been proved beyond the shadow of a doubt. It has been traced from the possession of ilr Miller to that of his eldest son, who received it at his father's death In 1828 it was packed by him in a deal case, and sent to Messrs Coutts & Co., bankers. Here it was kept till 1837, v/hen it was removed to the warehouse of Messrs Tilbury, High Street, Marylebone. Thence it was sent to Mr Kenneth Mackenzie, of Queen Street, Edinburgh, who kept it for some time, and finally in- structed his agent, Mr Eraser, to sell it, It was ac- cordingly sold by Mr Eraser to the late Mr William Kirkwood, of Edinburgh, who removed it from its framing, and threw it on one side, intending to melt it up for the sake of the metal. The death of Mr Kirk- wood, however, rescued this most interesting relic from its untimely fate, and it came into possession of the succeeding firm, Messrs Kirkwood & Sons, from whom it was purchased for a small sum, and trans- ferred to the Great Seal Patent Office in 1853. Being, however, in a somewhat dilapidated state, it was re- instated in a frame by Messrs John Penn & Sons, and in January 1857 was finally removed to its present OEIGINAL DOCUMENTS. 49 home in the South Kensington Museum There it stands in its integrity, a monument of anxiety re- warded and difficulties overcome. It has found a resting-place worthy of its great origin, and will doubtless prove an object of even greater interest to the generations which succeed us than it does to our- selves. All honour to those who have preserved it to the nation. — 0;ice a- Week'" RECENT DISCOVEEY OF MORE ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS, ESTABLISHING THE CLAIM OF THE LATE WILLIAM SYMINGTON. ' ' There have been many claimants to the honour of the invention of steam navigation ; but that the iate William Symington was the first person who ap- plied the power of the steam-engine to the propulsion of vessels, we think there can now be no reasonable doubt. Blasco de Garay in 1543, the Marquis of Worcester in 16C3, and Jonathan Halls in 1737, may all have thought of applying steam to navigation, but their ideas led to nothing. In 1786, however, Mr Sym'flgton, then residing at Wanlockhead, Dumfries- shire, conceived the bold idea that the steam-engine might be rendered available for the propulsion of • land carriages, as also that vessels might be propelled by the same power. He and his brother George were at that time joint-engineers to the Warlockhead ]Mining Company, and Mr John Taylor was manager of the mines, to whom they were much indebted for the facilities afforded them in having the idea soon embodied in a working model, which an old man, named John Black, still li\'ing there, remembers hav- 50 BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM SYMINGTON. ing seen. It was constructed on four wheels, moved in any direction by the power of a small steam-engine (patented by Mr Symington), and designed so as to carry 16 cwt., besides coals, water, &c." In the Edinburgh Evening Courant of July 12, 1786, it is described as being "one of the most capital discoveries of the age." It was shortly afterwards taken to Edinburgh, and exhibited by Mr Meason (one of the Mining Company) to the professors of the University, and other gentlemen there, who were all highly pleased with the invention. Amongst others, Mr Miller of Dalswinton, who had been experimenting a good deal amongst vessels, examined the model, and expressed his high admiration of it. Speaking of the disappointment he had felt in endeavouring to propel vessels by turning paddle-wheels by manual power, Mr Symington suggested the application of the steam-engine, and explained how it could be connected with the wheels of the boat, show- ing its practicability by reference to the model. Mr Miller accordingly desired Mr S. to construct a steam- engine similar to his own, and have it fitted into a boat with which he had been experimenting at Dals^Aonton. Mr Symington did so, and, as is known to the world, the experiment was crowned with suc- cess on Dalswinton Loch in 1788. We have thus glanced at the preliminaries to the first successful application of steam to navigation, and now submit to the public the important documents lately discovered by Mr Stewart, present manager of the Wanlockhead mines. Unfortunately, two of the letters are incom- plete — (they seem to have been torn from some old letter book) — but we give them all as they appear to ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS. 51 US, and it is our opinion that tliey are sufficient to esta- blish Symington's claim. They prove that the idea of propelling both vessels and land carriages had been sug- gested to other parties than Mr Miller inl7S6, and show the hoUowness of the claim to the honour of the inven- tion by Mr James Taylor. He and his friends have tried to make it appear that after a certain boat race which took place at Leith in February, 1787, he suggested the idea of steam navisration to Mr Miller, but, after a careful perusal of the following letters by any im- partial reader-, such a suggestion must go for nothing, more especially as the documents can be proved to be the handwriting of Mr John Taylor, the then manager at Wanlockhead, and brother of the said James, whose name is not so much as once mentioned relative to the matter ; besides, James knew very well what was done at Wanlockhead in 17S6, and hence, no doubt, the suggestion in 1787, some eight or ten months too late ; but he did not expect that such manuscripts wordd ever come to light, viz. : — "Mr John Henry Pottgaisser, of Cobientz, Holland. '• And, if a less burden is laid upon it, the motion may be increased in proportion. The conaumpt of coals is very inconsiderable. The carriage runs on four wheels ; it is easily turned or stopped ; it will not run back on ascending roads, as other carriages do. These are, in general terms, the properties of it. With regard to the freight, you will probably be a better judge of that than we are. The machine will weigh about 1 ton. If you have any thoughts of hav- ing one, you vrill be so good as advise us what sort of country it is — where you would use it — whether water is scarce in it, and what sort of roads. We have 52 BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM SYMINGTON. above given you an account of part of its properties, and now it is but rigbt to inform you of tbe only in- conveniency attending it, whicli is — it requires a quantity of water at certain distances ; and, there- fore, it will be necessary you mention, if you write, at how many miles' distance water can be got. A small quantity will do, and the machine will take it in itself in a very short space. We would likewise be happy to know what encouragement you think we might meet with if one of us came over to Holland and erected some of them there — whether the States would give us any security that we might for a time reap the benefit of our invention in a moderate way. If you would take the trouble to inform us what en- couragement you think we might expect, it will be very obliging. Where roads are so situated that a little water can be got at the end of every few miles' travel, there is not a doubt of the carriage answering to very great purpose, and will be an immense saving ; but, from what I have informed you of its properties, you will be able to judge partly of its utility in your country, so that we need not say anything in recom- mendation of it. We are just about beginning to build one, as the model has got the approbation of the best mathematicians in Scotland, and, from repeated experiments we have made, there is not the smallest ground to doubt of its succeeding. There are three of us in company — viz. , George and William Syming- ton, and John Taylor. If you write us, direct to Messrs Sjmiington and Taylor, engineers, at Wanlock- head Mines, county of Dumfries, North Britain. " Wanlockhead, 8th Sept., 1786." " Mr Beaumont — Sir,— We received your favour of the 4th Sept., and are very much obliged for the ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS. 53 trouble yon have taken of writing us concerning our steam carriage. We see by your letter that Mr Douglas is of opinion it will not answer when going up hill. We do not at present imagine his objection will turn out any hindrance to our carriage travelling on roads such as other carriages travel, though there Is no doubt some pieces of road where carts may be taken up that it would not answer for our carriages to go, but these are places where any loading of conse- quence could not be taken. However, if any objection should arise from that circumstance, your advice upon it will be very acceptable, and thankfully received* being sensible, from your knowledge of machinery, your advice must be very serviceable to us ; and we are inexpressibly obliged to you for the kind offer roperied by Watt's engine ; the boat was tried on 64 BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM SYMINGTON. the Hudson Kiver, and only attained the speed oFS miles i>ev hour. This was the first steamboat used in America, and Fulton and Livingstone then took out patents for introducing steamboats in various places of America, and built several others, upon a larger scale, for carrying goods and passengers, employing Messrs Bolton and Watt to make the steam-engines, which were sent from England, each succeeding engine being larger than its predecessor. Although it was generally known that the steamboats had succeeded perfectly in America, and that their employment was daily in- creasing, yet little or no attention was paid to the subject in England. The idea of employing steam- boats on the ocean, had never been conceived, and the objections raised to the agitation of the water by the paddle wheels on the Forth and Clyde canal, were considered so strong, that doubts were generally en- tertained as to the success of the system anywhere but in large rivers, such as those of America. In 1812, however, Henry Bell, of Glasgow, who was well acquainted mth, and had deeply considered all that had been done by Symington, determined to try once more whether the invention could not be applied on the Clyde ; he accordingly caused a small boat of 25 tons burthen to be built at Port-Glasgow, by John Wood, who has since become so well known as a ship-builder ; it was 40 feet long, with 10 feet beam, and in it was placed a steam-engine of 4 H. p., on what was termed the bell- crank principle, intro- duced by Watt ; the boiler was placed on one side of the vessel and the engine on the other, with four- paddle-wheels worked by the intervention of spur gear ; the wheels consisted of detached arms, with paddles or floats at the end, which, however, did not answer, and the complete wheel, according to Mr Symington's plan, was subsequently adopted. This EXTRACTS FROM SCIEXTIFIC WORKS, &C. 65 boat, whicli was called the "Comet," began to ply for goods and passengers on the Clyde, between Glas- gow and Helensburgh (Bell's native place), in Jan., 1812, and attained the speed of 5 miles an hour.* The " Comet" succeeded so well, that Bell determined to build another vessel of larger dimensions and power. Numerous other parties, seeing the success which had attended Bell's exertions, determined to fol- low his example, and several other boats were built dur- ing the succeeding years of 1813 and 1814 ; they were, however, still very imperfect, until Cook, of Glasgow, * In the collection of the Institution of Civil Engin- eers is the i'ollowing handbill : — "STEAM PASSAGE BOAT, THE 'COMET,'" Between Glasgow, Greenock, & Helensburgh, fob Passengers onlt. The subscriber, having at much expense fitted up a handsome vessel to ply upon the River Clyde, bet?feen Glasgow and Greenock— to sail by the power of wind, air, and steam, he intends that the vessel shall leave the Broomielaw on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, about mid-day, or at such hour thereafter as may answer from the state of the tide ; and to leave Greenock on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, in the morning to suit the tide. The elegance, comfort, safety, and speed of this vessel require only to be proved to meet the approbition of the public; and the proprietor is determined to do every- thing in his power to merit public encouragement. The terms are, for the present, fixed at 4.s fur the best cabin, and 3s the second ; but beyond these rates, nothing is to be allowed to servants, or any other person em- ployed about the vessel. The subscriber continues his establishment at Helens- burgh Baths the same as for years past, and a vessel will be in readiness to convey passengers in the "Comet" from Greenock to Helensburgh. Passengers by the " Comet" will receive information of the hours of sailing by applying at Mr Housten's oflBce, Broomielaw ; or Mr Thomas Blackney's, East Quay Head, Greenock. Heney Bell. Helensburgh Baths, August 5, 1812, 66 BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM SYMINGTON. in 1814, constructed the fourth vessel, the *' Glasgow," with au eugine of 16 h. p. The machinery of thi:- vessel was so much more perfect and powerful than any w^hich had been previousl}?- coustructed, that it served as a model for many others ; and from this period steam-boats for river na^'igation were com- pletely established. Many of the engiues employed for the above-men- tioned vessels were upon the bell- crank principle, which, from their simplicity and portability, standing upon an independent frame, with the condenser form- ing part of it, were well adapted for steamboats, and were consequently generally used. The bell-crar.k levers, receiving the motion direct from the piston, communicated it by means of a connecting-rod and crank to the main shaft, turning the paddle-wheels on Mr Bell presented this new method of navigation to the British Government at three different times — viz., in 1802, 1803, and 1813, when, after all his exertions, it was thought to be of no utility to Government. Alter it was denied him in 1803, he thouaht it very hard that such a discovery should lie dormant; and, on that account, he sent a description of the metl>od of applying steam in propelling vessels against wind and tide, to all the em- perors and crowned heads in Europe, and also to America, which last government put it in practice in the year 1806. [The above note is taken from a Glasgow Magazine apparently written on Mr Bell's^behalf as to his claim to Steam Navigation as the inventor. It is rather amusing to find Bell writing, at the above dates, to all the crowned heads in Europe asking them to adopt his discovery of the Steam-boat, endeavouring to gull them that it was his own, as be had done some of the generous bodies in the West, to the extent of their erecting a monument to him. It shows Bell was not slovr to do the flt people in the West. At that time he could not but know it was another man's invention, secured by patent, and was at work on the Forth and Clyde Canal. There is living wit- nesses, and numerous affidavits, to prove he inspected Symington's Sieam-boat at work.— J.R,] EXTRACTS FROM SCIE^rriFIC WORKS, &C. 67 each side of the vessel ; the engine was placed on one side of the vessel and the boiler on the other. The boilers generally used, were upon the principle pro- posed by Allen in 1730, and Smeaton in 1765, haAdng an internal furnace and flue, surrounded by the water. This form of boiler was first brought into use by Trevithick in 1803, for high-pressure engines, and for low-pressure engines, also, in one of the earliest steam - dredging boats, employed at Portsmouth Dockyard, under Bentham ; but the exterior shell of the boiler was of wood, as proposed by Briudley in 1758 ; in steam- vessels the external shell of the boiler was made of wrought iron. All the steam- vessels above men- tioned were worked by one engine only. In 1814, Boultonand Watt first applied two engines, connected together, for working a small boat on the Clyde. In 1815, a small vessel, with a side-lever engine of 14 H.P., by Cook of Glasgow, made a voyage from Glasgow to Dublin, and round the Land's End to London ; it then ran between London and Margate with passengers with considerable success, and this led to others being estabhshed in various places : the Scotch boat serving as a model. In 1816, Maudslay made a pair of combined en- gines, each 14 h.p., api)lying the power to the paddle- wheel shaft by the crank, instead of by cog-wheels, according to the pre"sdous mode. In the same year, the late Mr Baird constructed a steamboat at St Petersburgh, with a boiler set in brickwork; this boat worked for some time on the xseva. A drawing of it exists in the archives of (jur Institution. In 1817, Boulfcon and Watt purchased a small steamboat called the " Caledonia," which had been 68 BIOGKAPHY OF WILLIAM SYMINGTON. built in the Clyde, with very defective engines. James Watt, jun., having constructed a new pair of combined engines on the side-lever principle, of 14 h.p. each, made a great number of experiments with the ' ' Cale- donia," and went with it to the Scheldt and other places. The arrangement of the engines, as improved by Watt, served as a model for several other vessels. In 1818, David Napier caused the "Rob Eoy," of 90 tons burthen, to be built by Denny at Dumbarton, with an engine of 30 h.p. , with which he successfully established a regoilar communication between Green- ock and Belfast. This may be said to be the first time that a regular communication by steamboats, between two distant sea- ports, was established, and it set the example to every other place. Boulton and Watt, after the success of the ' ' Caledonia, " made a great number of marine engines of increased power, and with various new improvements, such as intro- ducing wrought iron instead of cast iron for several of the moving parts; and in 1821, a great step was made, by establishing steamboats between London and Leith. Two of these vessels, the "James Watt" and the " Soho," with engines of 120 h.p., by Boulton and Watt, were the largest which had been made, and answered very well. In 1819, the " Eob Roy" left the Belfast station, and was transferred to the English CTiannel, to run be- tween Dover and Calais. About this time, Napier built the "Talbot" of 150 tons, with two engines of 30 H.p. each, which ran regularly between Dublin and Holyhead. In this year also, the late Mr Rennie, who had for some time previous watched the progress of this great invention with considerable interest, fore- seeing that it would ultimately supersede all others, proposed to the Admiralty to use steam-vessels for EXTRACTS FROM SCIENTIFIC WORKS, &C. 69 towing vessels of war into and out of harbour against wind and tide ; being perfectly satisfied, that if once introduced into the navy, it could not be long before steam- vessels of Avar would follow; great doubts, how- ever, as to its success were entertained by many of the official subordinates. Lord Melville and Sir George Cockburn, however, overruled all objections, and, as a first experiment, they consented to allow the " Hast- ings," a 74 hne-of-battle ship, to be towed from Wool- wich by the "Eclipse," a Margate steam-boat of 60 H.P. The "Eclipse," however, proved too weak, and after towing the " Hastings" a few miles, it returned, and the " Hastings" went to Chatham with h'er sails alone ; the experiment was thus not quite so success- ful as could have been desired ; nevertheless Eennie still determined to persevere. Oliver Lang, the mas- ter-shipwright of Woolwich Dockyard, entered fully into Eennie's views, and warmly assisted by every means in his power the introduction of steam- vessels into the navy, contrary to the opinions of many of his superiors. At length the Admiralty, at their recom- mendation, ordered the " Comet" to be built accord- ing to the draft and plan, and under the sujierintend- ence of Mr Lang; she was 115 feet lon» and 21 feet wide, drawing 9 feet of water, and a pair of engines, of 40 H. p. each, were ordered for her from Messrs Boulton and Watt : this was the first steam- vessel in the nsbvy, and it is still in use. By degrees several others were" built. In 1820, a steam- tug was built by Manby, for Messrs Smith, for the purpose of towing their barges upon the Humber ; and, in the same year, Maudslay and Field applied the expansive action of steam in the cy- linder, which was a great improvement ; also escape valves for the water, which might boil over into the cyHnders. In that year also, steam-packets were in- 70 BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM SYMINGTON. troduced on the j)ost-office station between Holyliead and Howth; and the "Britannia," with oscillating engines, and several other steam-packets, were built by Manby for the Dover and Calais station. In 1825, the general Steam Navigation Company was established by William Jolliffe, who built two of the largest vessels which had yet been tried, called the " George the Fourth" and the " Duke of York ;" they were between 500 and 600 tons burthen, and had engines 130 H.p., furnished by Messrs Jessop of the Butterley Iron Works ; these two vessels were in- tended to establish a regidar communication between London and Cadiz, and London and St Petersburg ; they accordingly started in September, 1827, and an- swered extremely well, notwithstanding the heavy storms which they encountered in the Bay of Biscay, and in the Baltic. The General Steam Navigation Company, considering the ideas of Jolliffe too extended, parted with the two vessels (which were afterwards purchased by the Government), and limited their views to the British Channel and the German Ocean. About this period, the "Enterprise," of 500 tons burthen, which was built by Gordon, and had a pair of combined engines of 120 h.p. constructed by Maudslay and Field, made the voyage from London to Calcutta, by the Cape of Good Hope. The advan- tage and superiority of steam vessels, in every respect, for both river and sea navigation, having been now thoroughly established, their em[tloyment became universal ; and the size, power, and number of the vessels increased daily in every part of the empire. From this period nothing remarkable appears to have occurred, until the construction of the " United Kingdom," which was by far the largest in size, and the most powerful that had been made. She was 160 feet louo;, 26* beam, and 200 h.p.: the vessel EXTRACTS FROM SCIENTIFIC WORKS, &C. 71 was built by Steele, of Greenock, and the engines by- David Napier. A-s deep sex na^^gation by steam ad- vanced, it became an object of considerable importance to save fuel ; and to obviate the inconvenience of the incrustation of the bolero by the deposit of salt and other sediments occasioned by the use of sea water, David Xapier therefore introduced the system of sur- face condensation, the condenser being made of a series of small copper tubes, through which the steam, after being used, passed from the cylinder to the air- pumps, the pipes being surrounded by a constant supply of cold water, so that the steam wa3 con- densed, and the water was returned directly back into the boiler, to be again converted into steam, without the admixture of salt water according to the usual plan, thus employing the same fresh water over again, whereby the above-mentioned incrustation of the boilers was in a great measure avoided. Hall afterwards tried the same system with certain modifi- cations, and it was employed in several vessels ; but like Watt, Cartwright, and others who had tried it, he found the condensation was not so complete, and the weight, and cost, and the difficulty of keeping the apparatus in order, have hitherto prevented it from being generally used ; for, although it possesses ad- vantages in many respects, stiU, upon the whole, they do not counterbalance the disadvantages, and the old system of condensation by jet, with the aid of the brine pumps, is more generally employed. The brine pumps and refrigerators were invented and patented by Maudslay and Field in 1825, and were used on board the " Enterprise." After the " United King- dom," numerous vessels of similar and even greater size were constructed, to ply between London and Leith, Glasgow and Liverpool, and elsewhere. The next great step in advance was the crossing 72 BIOGRAPHY OF ^VILLIAM SYIvnXGTOy. the Atlantic. This had long been in agitation, and was freely discnssed Idj numerous enterprising minds, anxiously bent upon working out the fulfilment of such a desirable and important object ; but the great practical difficulties involved in the execution were not so easily overcome. To construct a vessel of sufi&cient size, with engines of adequate j^ower to propel her through the storms of the Atlantic, and carrying with her sufficient fuel to keep the engines in motion, was considered by many (and among them were very competent authorities) to be extremely doubtful, but by the world in general the task was considered to be wholly impracticable. To Bristol the origin of this great undertaking is due, and a company of enterprising individuals, with Bru- nei as their consulting engineer, was formed for that object ; it was, however, with difficulty that they found engineers to carry it into effect, some of the first constructors of the day having declined to undertake it. Messrs Maudslay and Field, however, who had already taken such a prominent part in the prosecu- tion of steam navigation, saw their way, and boldly engaged to construct engines of the requisite power, well adapted for the purjiose. Accordingly a vessel, called the " Great Western,'' was designed by Pater- son, and built by him at Bristol ; and the engines were completed and fitted on board in March, 1838. The vessel was 210 feet long and 38 feet beam, draw- ing 15 feet when laden, being 1240 tons burthen, and capable of carrying 500 tons of coals, which it was calculated would last twelve days. The engines were upon the side-lever principle, each of 210 h.p., with cylinders 73 inches diameter and 7 feet stroke, making 15 strokes per minute ; they were fitted in cast-iron frames, with the latest improvements. The boilers were constructed with the flues over the fires ; they EXTRACTS FROM SCIENTIFIC WORKS, &C. 73 were called double-storey boilers, and have been since much used ; they had brine pumps, and were worked under a pressure of 5 lbs. per square inch ; the total weight of the engine and boilers, including the water and paddle-wheels, was 420 tons. The vessel was completed with her engines, and made her first trial on the Thames in March, 1838, realising 12 miles per hour. On Sunday, 8th April, she started on her first voyage from Bristol, under the command of Captain Hosken, with seven passengers, and a cargo of 50 tons of goods, besides 500 tons of coals, and reached Xew York on Monday, 23d April, a distance of 3000 miles in 13 days and 10 hours. Her arrival created the greatest interest — the quays were crowded with spec- tators, anxiously waiting to give a hearty welcome to the enterprising and successful adventurers, who had thus so triumphantly solved the grand problem, and had brought the New World within a few^ days' sail of the Old. On her return she left New York on the 7th May, and reached Bristol on the 23d, with 70 pas- sengers ; performing the voyage in 15 days. The suc- cess of this voyage across the Atlantic having exceed- ed the most sanguine expectations of its promoters, and indeed of the whole world, there seemed no bounds to the extension of steam na^-igation ; other companies were projected, and numerous larger and more powerful vessels were designed, ia equal confi- dence and success ; then followed the "British Queen" by Napier, of 500 h.p., the " Liverpool," of 500 h.p., and the " President," of 600 H. p., whose melancholy fate served for a time to damp the ardour of specula- tion. The practicability of steam communication across the Atlantic having thus been established, and its superiority over the old sailing system being clearly proved, time only was necessary to render it perfect. 7-1: BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM SYMINGTON. The line from Liverpool to Boston was tlien designed, and carried into effect by Cunard, for conveying the mails ; it consisted of four fast vessels, the " Acadia," "Caledonia," " Hibernia," and "Cambria," of about 1000 tons and 450 h.p. each. This was followed by the gigantic project of the Eoyal Mail Company, for carrying the mails between England and the West Indies, consisting of twelve vessels, each of about 1200 to 1300 tons burthen, and 420 h. p. The engines of these vessels resembled very much those of the " Great Western," whose complete success induced their being taken as models by others. The great weight and space occupiedby these engines, being upon the average of about a ton for every horse-power, ren- dered it difficult for them to carry any great amount of cargo beyond the passengers, and thus the profits as a mercantile speculation were materially lessened ; it became extremely desirable, therefore, to ascertain whether engines, equally efficient, could not be made of less weight, and to occupy considerably less space. In order to effect this object, engines were invent- ed, by which the power was applied directly from the piston to turn the paddle-wheel shaft, without the in- tervention of side levers. These were called direct act- ing engines, and at first great objections were made to them in consequence, as was asserted, of the loss of power arising from the obliquity of the action of the piston-rod upon the crank on the paddle-wheel shaft. Messrs Seawards were among the first to introduce this system into the " Gorgon," and notwithstanding the objections above stated, it has been improved bythem and by other engineers, and has materially gained ground. The obliquity of action of this system, com- pared with that of the side-lever system can only be considered in the light of a little extra friction, which EXTRACTS FROM SCIENTIFIC -WORKS, &C. 75 is fully, if not more than compensated for, by the re- duction of weight and space. The modifications of the system by Miller, have been very successful, and combined wiih the forms of vessels adopted by him, have enabled great speed to be attained both by sea- going vessels, and bis boats on the Ehine and other rivers. Even the objection of extra friction, however, if tenable, is obviated by the vibrating cylinders de- scribed in Tre^-ithick and Vivian's patent in 1802 ; patented by Witty in 1813, and by Manby in 1821, by whom the first engines of the kind were construct- ed ; subsequently improved by Maudslay & Field, and Spiller; and now extensively manufactured by Penn, Miller, and others; Maudslay & Field's double cy- linder engines, so arranged that a long connecting- roJ is obtained by its being enabled to descend between the cylinders ; the trunk engine by Humphery ; and the modification of the concentric cylinders by Joseph Maudslay ; as well as other varieties of this system by diflferent makers. The substitution of wrought iron for cast, in a large portion of the frame and con- densers ; the tubular instead of the common flue boiler, first proposed by Blakley in 1764, and after- wards improved in the locomotive boiler, and intro- duced into steam vessels by Maudslay, Spiller, Bra- mah, and others about the year 1829, as well as the use of steam of higher temperature and increased ex- pansive action, have combined materially to increase the efi'ect of the engines, and reduce the consumption of fuel ; so that the space and weight occupied by them is now reduced to nearly one-half what it was originally, or in other words, engines of double the power now only occupy the same space and tonnage in the vessel ; thus a material advantage has been gained in enabling vessels to carry a larger quantity 76 BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM SYMINGTON. of fuel ; by which they can extend their voyage ; and greater power is rendered disposable for propelling the vessel tlirough the water. As economy of time becomes daily more important, every means which can eJBFect it are brought into operation; and thus the power of the engines has been continually augmented, in order to produce greater speed and shorten the duration of the voyages. Referring to the navy, we find, that in 1822, 80 h.p. was the largest ; in 1827, 160 H.p. ; in 1828, 200 h.p. ; in 1830, 220 h.p.; in 1838, 440 h.p. ; and in 1845 we have the " Retri- bution" and "Terrible," with nearly 1000 h.p. in each,* and it is not improbable that ere long greater power will be employed. Whilst the royal steam navy has been making such rapid progress, the mer- cantile steam navy has not only kept pace with it but has even led the way ; for the enterprising commercial spirit of this country is ever on the alert ; every im- provement is seized upon with avidity, and the great- est inducements are held out to make new discoveries; in fact, nothing but constant progress can satisfy the restless spirit of improvement. In the infancy of the art, we were satisfied mth 5 or 6 miles per hour, now, when we have attained about 17 miles per hour, we are confidently looking to a still greater result. Whilst the improvements, above described, have been making in the engines and in the mode of apply- ing them, various attempts have been made to obviate the inconveniences and loss of power occasioned by the concussion of the floats of the ordinary paddle- wheel entering the water, as well as the heavy drag or back action of the water when the floats leave it ; * The total amount of steam power employed at that time in the Roval Navy was about 35,000 hp. EXTRACTS FROM SCIENTIFIC WORKS, &C. 77 numerous experiments and inventions liave been tried for constructing a wheel of such a form that the floats shall always enter the water in the most advantageous manner, and having effected the object, shall leave it again with the least resistance. To describe the numerous inventions of this kind would be foreign to my purpose, and would occupy too much of your time ; it will suflSce to mention that of Buchanan, by which the floats always enter and depart from the water perpendicularly; those of Cave, Oldham, Morgan, Perkins, Seaward, and Barnes, which are modifications of it, difi'ering chiefly in the angle at which the floats enter and leave the water, and the mechanism attached to the wheel by which the motion is communicated to the float-boards ; the principle of this invention is extremely good, but in practice it has unfortunately been found, that the wheels of this construction, after a little use, are lia- ble to get out of order ; it is not therefore generally adopted, although, w^hilst they are in order, consider- able advantage is doubtless gained. To obviate this inconvenience, as well as that of the common wheel, Field invented what is technically termed the Cyclo- idal Wheel ; this consists in dividing each float board into several parts or narrower boards, and arranging them as nearly in cycloidal curves that they shall all enter the water at the same place in immediate suc- cession ; as the active force of each is radiating, it pro- pels whilst passing under the water in the ordinary way, and when it emerges, the water escapes simul- taneously from each narrow board ; this principle was not followed up by its inventor, and was afterwards patented by Galloway, since which it has been very generally adopted. The- principle of reefing the pad- dle-wheels is also used, so that when the vessel is /5 BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM SYMINGTON. deeply immersed, the leverage of the paddles can be shortened, and when light, it can be lengthened, and can thus be always adjusted to the power of the en- gines. As economy of fuel is an object of the greatest im- portance, so in long voyages it is advisable to employ the wind as a moving power, as much as possible, when favourable ; it became therefore desirable to contrive a simple means of detaching the paddle-wheels from the engines so as to allow them to turn round with the motion of the vessel through the water, and thus to prevent them from impeding her way ; various con- trivances of this kind have been invented, but one of the most simple, and which is now much employed, was invented by Braithwaite and Milner ; it consists of a friction clutch attached to the paddle-shaft, which, by means of keys and screws, can be tightened or slackened with facility, and thus the paddle-wheel is attached or released at pleasure. Numerous at- tempts have been made to introduce the rotative en- gine without pistons, but they have hitherto not been successful. The great results rendered by steam navigation in- duced the mechanical world to turn their attention towards the extension and improvement of it ; Boul- ton and Watt, Maudslay, Field, Robert and David Napier, Jessop, Glynn, Barnes, Miller, Eavenhill, Girdwood, Manby, Spiller, Scott, Sinclair, Caird, Todd, Fawcett, Bury, Forester, Seaward, Penn, Fair- bairn, Hall, Rennie, and numerous other able men devoted their minds to it, and have produced some splendid examples of engines and mechanism in that department. When we look back to Symington's ori- ginal engine, in 1788, it appears to have been so changed as scarcely to be recognisable as the same. EXTRACTS FROM SCIENTIFIC WORKS, &C. 79 and from a speed of 5 to 6 miles an hour in smooth water, we now find that a speed of 8 and 9 miles an hour against a heavy gale and head wind in the At- lantic, and above 17 miles in still water, has been ob- tained, whilst improvements are in progress which lead us to anticipate at no very distant period far greater results. These high speeds have not been obtained by the improvements made on the engines alone. They have been obtained by giving more power to vessels, which at the same time have been much improved from being built with finer lines— thereby forming less re- sistance in passing through the water. It will be seen by a reference to the drawing of Symington's steam- boat of 1801 (his last patent), that the engine and paddle-wheels were equally as perfect as those used in any steamer of the present day; and any fault or ob- jection to the steam-boat of 1801 was, that she was too fast, which caused the then directors of the Forth and Clyde Canal to prohibit her from work- ing, as they thought she would injure the canal banks. She was, therefore, laid aside in 1803, and there were no steam-boats used on the canal, their birthplace, until 1826, when various plans of propul- sion were tried. But none seemed to give any hope of success until the year lSo6, when the screw pro- peller was adopted, the use of which is now extremely common. No less than 34 screw steamers since that year have been launched in the Canal. This will be better illustrated by the following communication, furnished by the Engineer and Suptrintendent of the Forth and Clyde Canal Company: — "CA^^iL Office, " Glasgow, 8th Feb., 1862. "Dear Sir, — In reply to your letter of the 7th 80 BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM SYMINGTON. iust., I beg to send you the following statement of the steam craft now employed on the Fortli and Clyde and Monkland Canals, and propelled by steam power : — 1 Passenger Boat. 1 Ice Breaker. 2 Goods Boats, carrying from 30 to 40 tons. 12 Mineral Scows, ,, 55 to 65 ,, 11 Lighters, ,, 70 to 85 ,, 7 bo. „ 100 to 120 „ " The first of tlie above craft (tlie ' Thomas'), was put to work with engine-power iu September, 1856 — has worked satisfactorily since tliat time, and conti- nues to do so.— I am, &c., Jas. Milne." These show that inland steam navigation is in- creasing very fast, as well as oceanic steam naviga- tion — ^the numerous vessels employed in which have arrived at a trAnendous size and speed. "VYe have the Great Eastern, the commercial monarch of the seas, measuring 692 feet long, 58 feet deep, 83 feet in breadth, 120 feet from the extreme of the one paddle- box to the other, paddle-wheels 56 feet in diameter, a screw 24 feeb in diameter, and 3000 horse-power. The following are the principal proportions of this leviathan : — DIMENSIONS. Length over all 692 feet Breadth 83 — Do. across paddle-boxes 120 — Dejjth from deck to keel 60 — Number of small transverse bulkheads or water-tight compartments 19 Ditto, partial 7 Lougitudiual bulkheads runoint; fore aud aft at a distance of 36 feet apart for a leugth of 35(Jfeet 2 DESCRIPTION OF THE GEE AT EASTERN. 81 Width of space between the two skios of ship 2 ft. 10 in. Length of forecastle 140 feet Do. of poop 140 — Height of ditto 8 — Height of saloons on lower deck 13 ft. 8 in. Number of saloons 5 Height of saloons on upper deck 12 feet Number of ditto 5 Length of upper saloons 70 feet Ditto lower 120 — Thickness of iron plates in keel IJ inch Ditto inner and outer skins i - — bulkheads i — — iron deck I - POWER. PADDLE ENGINES. Number of cylinders 4 Diameter of ditto 74 inches Weight of ditto (each) 26 tons Length of stroke 14 feet Number of boilers 4 Furnaces for ditto 40 Horse-power 1000 Diameter of paddle-wheels 56 feet SCREW ENGINES. Number of cylinders 4 Weight of ditto (each) 30 tons Diameter of ditto 84 inches Length of stroke 4 feet Number of boilers 6 Furnaces for ditto .« 72 Diameter of screw ... 24 feet Number of blades to ditto 4 Length of screw shaft 160 feet Horse-power 1600 Weight of ditto (about) 130 tons Weight of ship, engines, &c., as at its lauiichiug, 12,000 tons Immersion of this weight 15 ft. 6 in. Ordinary light draught 22 feet Probable maximum immersion, when fully laden 30 — Quantity of coal which can be carried for voyages 11,379 tons Anchors 10 Weight of ditto, cables, &c 253 tons 82 BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM SYMINGTON. Let US conclude with a reference to the progress which Steam Navigation is making in the Royal Navy. Re- ferring to the year 1819 — only forty-two years ago — Rennie, the engineer, with the assistance of Lord Mel- ville and Sir George Cockburn, had such difficulty to get our Admiralty to consent to let them have the "Hastings," a 74 line-of-battle ship, to be towed, as an experiment, from Woolwich to Chatham by the "Eclipse," a Margate steamer. The Govern- ment at last did consent, and during the same year agreed to build a boat about 100 feet long and 80-horse power. This was the first steam- vessel in the Royal Navy, named the "Comet." Now there are the "Warrior" and the "Black Prince," which are 400 feet long and 1250 horse-power ; also, above a thousand more smaller fry afloat. The Go- vernment are, at present, building the "Achilles," the greatest of them all. She is to bid defiance to the waves and all enemies. She will be clad with iron plates of great thickness, and will be supplied with steam power, and have a high speed. Forty years ago our navy was composed of wood, rope, and can- vass, and were only useful when the wind was favour- able; now it is composed of iron, coal, and steam, which are serviceable either in calm or storms. All honour to the name of Symington, who gave this great invention of Steam Navigation to the world — who died unrewarded, and lies buried without a stone on his grave. PRISTED AT THi-. FALKIBK HEBALD OFFICB. THE LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Santa Barbara THIS BOOK IS DUE ON THE LAST DATE STAMPED BELOW. PN REGIONAL LIBRARY FAClLiTY 000 590 357