The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1807-10-22 00:00:00

STEAM-110.17.

The following extra& of a letter, on the ouljelt
of the Steam-boat, dated Sept. 1, HOT, is haul a
reap-gable gentleman of South Carolina re—
" Dealt SlR—Agreeably to my promise to com-
municate to you the particulars of any important
circumstance which mig!it occur in my excursion iu
this part of the State of New York, I have now the
pleasure to state to you the particulars of a late ea‘,
cursion to Albany in the Steam-boat, made and
completed under the diredion of tl.e Hun. Ruben.
It. Livingston anil Mr. Fulton, togrtlier with: my
remarks thereon. The novelty of so important and
useful a produetion of American genius, cannot be
ton generally applauded or publicly known. as it
not only gives to America the first ascendancy in
philosophical experiments of this nature, but proves
that there is secreted in the mind of man, things
yet more mysterious, and perhaps important. which
can only be brought to light by due diligence and
stria research. It will also chew to you. Oat the
baneful and ever-shameful effedis of prejudice, if
suffered to infest the mind of man, ought to be
kept at a distance. and not suffered to interrupt the
harmony of American science. It is eniAl;th for
the old European nations to grow jealous at find-
ing a rival in America, soaring in the fertile chat iot
of success, and extending a pre-eminence over the
whole world—l therefore oust. from the co-red
statement of the following fads, that these deluded
persons who have so industriously endeavoured to
crush the progren of this work, will recoil and
blush at the folly of prjudging. To the well-
wishers of science, I need only appeal to the love
which they have for the improvement of arts ; that
alone will sufficiently testify their approbation of
the success of this laudable invention.

" On the morning of the lads of August, Edward
P. Livingston, Esq. and myself were honoured with
an invitation from the Chancellor and Mr. Fulton,
to proceed with them to Albany in trying the firA
experiment up the river flud.on in the steamboat.
She was then lying off Claremont (the seat of the
Chancellor) where she had arrived, in twenty-f oar '
hours from New-York, bang 110 miles. Pi ecisely
at thirteen minutes past nine o'clock, a. ar. the en-
sine was put in ruotim, when we made a-head
againct the ebb tide and head wind blowing a plea-
sant breese. We continued our course a'aont eight
miles, when we took the !toed, the wind sti!l a-bead.
We arrived at Albany about five o'clock p. sit. be-
ing a distance (torn Claremont, of forty-five miles,
(as agreed arm by those best acquainted with the
trivet) which was performed in eight hours, without
any accident or interruption whatever. This de.
eidedly gave tie boat upwards of five mites an hour,
the tide sometimes against us, neither the sails, nor
any other implement but the steam used. The
tie& morning we let Albany with several passen-
gers, on the return of the boat to New-York, the
tide in favour,- but a head wind. We lest Albany
at twenty-five minutes past nine a a,, end arrived
at Claremont in nine hours precisely, which gave us
five miles an hour. The current on :e a nine se.ts
stronger than when going up. After landing us a'
Claremont, Mr. Fulton 1 roccoded with the passen-
gers to New-York.
It perhaps might not only be atnnsing, but be-
neficial, to give some account tot our exc:.:
and which also may prove the speed of the ;
in so doing. I beg leave to occupy your atientirn
on the subjelt a few moments. The enotnent the
luxurious breath of the See-17 was unfurling
the pendant of vittory in the atmosphere, the snort-
ing from their nostrils began to disperse the vapou, s
of prejudice, which had colleaed in the dusk clouds
of Ignorance. and the whole banks of the river were
put in consternation and eager motion. Supersti.
tints and jealousy began to be chap fallen, and grew
meagre at the approach. Some thought it a Comet
sent to destroy the world, from its long trail of
smoke ; others thought it a violent tornado ascend-
ing the river ; whilst we were constantly interrupted
by boats, fitted on purpose to hoard us, but w-th
little success. One of the boats' crew absolutely
insisted that the d—l was en board, and that we
ought to be hung for witchcraft. But on nearer
approach to the view of the better informed, she
was discovered to be no more than Neptune's cha-
riot, running on wheels, supported by the stmagth
of the Sea-llorses, fed on sulp:tureous Litun.en,
while their hooves, with a velocity only squalled by
the wheels, were trampling the current into submis-
sion. You will readily perceive by this, that su-
perstition is the frontispiece of ignorance and je. -
lousy, a collateral bur rotten pillar. It it from this
cause, that men are apt to condemn in others what
they themselves are not able to perform.
',To men who are deficient either in education or
knowledge, or a knowledge of the arrangement of
ideas, thinking is a trouble; but most assuredly it
must be a pleasure to those who have performed
such wonderful works AS astonish and confound
those who think nothing can be done, but what they
have seen before, and are ever ready to insult merit.
Such people have one sure qualification ; that is,
where they cannot invent any thing themselves
which would be useful to their country, they are
certain of inventing something in opposition, such as
imagining some fault to exist, where there is iii rea-
lity none. To these remarks I niust add a few
lines of a modern writer, which are at prest:nt sea-
suitable :
When fools combine, and with ens-nom'id lute
Decry the worth 111.1 Cilitiotl Imitate,
His was the marlin, to recirse ride,
Though nch—tu him, a fool wa irril a fool:
Thought poor, neglected grams .tiii he so qi,t,
knew to value merit as he isiikbt."

" To 'neared ; the excursion to Albany was vet y
pleasant. and represented a most interesting specta-
cle. As we passel the fat ms on the borders of the
river, every eye was intent. and firm soilage to
village, the heights and censp.cnori* places
were occupied by the centimes of curiosity, not
viewing a thing they could possibly anticip ite any
idea of, but conjefluting about the platrobility of
the motion. As we passed and repassed the towns
of Athens and Hudson, we were politely saluted
by the inhabitants and several vessels, and at Al-
bany we were visited by his Excellency the Gover-
nor and many citizens. Boats must be very cau-
tious how they attempt to bawd her when under
way. as several accidenti lik.A to have happ.ned
when boarding her—to board ahead will endanger
a boat being crush.lsl by the wheels, and on boat
cats board a-stern, as the cl!fizrynce bytwee2 the