Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1858-10-20
INVENTION OF THE STEAM ENGINE.

!
In 1913, it appears that such thing as a
steam vessel was known in Spain. This is a
fact not widely circulated. At that date
Spauiard exhibited in the presence of Charles
V. and all his court, in the harbor of Barcelo-
Ia, vessel Of 200 tons, propelled by an en-
gine, the construction OF which was secret
to all but the inventor. The chronicles of that
day inform us that there great cauldron
OF boiling water within, and two wheels on the
outside, which moved the vessel. The treas
urer of the kingdom objected TO its introduce
ton. 1t seems to have been quite perfect,
since the objections urged against it were that
it WAS too complicated, very expensive, and
the boiler apt to explode. But Spain was not
ripe for il; the world was not ripe for il. The
inventor, disgusted with the waut.of apprecia-
tion displayed by the court, took the engine
ont of the vessel, allowed the ship to rot in
the arsenal, and his secret perished with him
in his grave.
One century later and the same problem was
offered to France. \ celebrated female, e.
qua1ly renowned for her beauty, inlmora!ities,
msfortunes, and longevity also, for she died
at the age of 13i years-the famous Marie dc
fOrme, so well known to the readers of mod
ern fiction-has furnished us, in a letter to
admirer, written in l84l, these most astonish-
ing details. The celebrated Marquis of Wor-
ccstcr was then on visit TO Madame in Paris.
and with her visited mad-house in the cap-
dismal establishment, the lady was almost par
alyZed with terror. and while clinging to her
companion she saw a frightful face looking
through the bars of window of building,
and heard these strange words: s'I am not
mad / am not mad | have made discovery
which shall enrich the kingdom that adopts
t.' The question was asked by one OF the
visitors, what is it that this man has discover
ed ? The answer of the yisiter, with q mock
ing laugh was, SCH, it's not much it's some
thing about the power of steam" And SO the
lady laughed that man should go mad about
SO frivolous thing as that.
This man, it seems, came from Normandy
to bring before the king his discovery of the
fact that steam could be used 70 navigate the
ocean, and in short there nothing that he
did not claim could be done by the power of
steam. Cardinal Richelicu was uppermost
then, and though he was most sagacious and
enlightened worldly wisdom goes. yet he
turned his back on the inventor. The man
followed him from place to place, and the car
dinal, getting tired Of his pertinacity, sent him
to the mad-house. The man even wrote a
book on the subject OF his thoughts, entitled
Moving Powers. The Marquis of Worcester
was much interested in this book, and used
some of its ideas afterward in his works.
So we see that France in 16il, as Spain in
1913, proved her inability to take up and WELD
this mortal thunderbolt.
The problem was reserved for the Anglo
Saxon race to grapple with and conquer. and
thereafter the mechanical skill of England was
turned to this invention with various success,
till IN the middle of the last century, after the
idea had been floating for 200 years in ingeni-
Gus minds, the steam engine. that scarcely in
animate Titan, that living, burning mechan-
ism, was brought TO perfection by James Watt.
Thencetorth the engines of labor. marshalled
by the power which Watt brought forward,
were to make their bloodless triumph, not for
the destruction but for the blessing of man
kind. All hail to thee, mRte, indefatigable a
gent of strength, working in deep mines, mo-
wing along the pathways of trade, toIling in
the service of mani 30 fatigue can palsy thy
herculean ARM No trampled hosts writhc
under thy feet! No widowed hearts bleed at
thy bene1icent victories,
England solved the problem, but it seems
as if it were the will OF Providence that she
should not go so far as to apply steam TO the
navigation of the ocean. This part of the
problem remained for the other branch of the
Anglo Saxon race-the branch of that West
ern Hemisphere whose expanded territories
are traverSed by some of the nOblest rivers,
and separated from England by an almost
worldwide ocean. The thoughts of the men
of the last century after the Revolution were
turned to the development of steam. One of
those men attracted the attention Of him whom
nothing escaped that belonged TO the welfare
of this country-of Washington-and he ex
pressed his satisfaction Of the experiments of
Rumsey. 1t seems almost providential that
steam was not invented in ocean navigation at
the time of the Revolution, for it would have
given her vast resources and powers to bear
more swiftly and directly on the struggling
colonists; with what effect one can tell.
But the Revolutionary period was passed,
and independence established, the hour had
come and the man was there. In the year
1899 the thought became mature in Fulton'S
mind and Chancellor Livingston took deep
interest in the scheme of water navigation by
steam. They applied to the New York Legis-
laturc for an act of incorporation. | am sorry
to say that America at that time did not seem
much wiser than France and Spain had been
before her. Livingston tells US that the young
men of the Legislature, when tired of the
gravsr matters OF the law. would call up the
steam bill, as they called it, and have little
fun. Young America did not on that occasion
show himself much wiser than his seniors.
But, nothing discouraged, Fulton and his CO.
adjutors perseyered, and twenty years had not
passed away before steam was found on our
sounds, lakes, and great rivers, and that at
time when it was known only by hearsay in
Europe. This was all that was needed then.
Twenty years more elapsed before English cap
ital was first applied to the navigation of the
ocean itself by steam-which America little
needed, but which England desired as giving
to her access to the Western world.-EdwGrd
Ereretts late Speech at Danpers.
hara, the camel is watched while the fine hair
a.. 81 l.~1,