Bellevue gazette. [volume] (Bellevue City, N.T. [i.e. Neb.]) 1856-1858, 1858-04-01
A letter OF Robert ruItons.


A writer in tie Randolph (Mass.
Traser;p! say::-"I have in my posses
sion volume Of magazines published in
Philadelphia, in the year. 1907, contain
Ing communication from Robert Fulton.
giving an account Of the first voyage Of
the first steamboat up The Hudson. As il,
is old enough 10 be ne,o, at least to most Of
your readers, ,ranscribe /, below for
their benefit, The editor prefaees !, with
the following. .o i'''f's'' .d' ' h'a.
"Mr. Robert Fulton, the ingenious in.
ventor Of the machines called torpedoes,
some account of which was given ia our
last number, has likewise constructed a
steamboat, calculated 10 sail, againt ,Dind
and tide, The. following letter to Mr..
Barlow, containing an account OF lis first
voyage, will be gratifying to'every friend
Of the commerce and agriculture Of this
country y.nn---1u ,iac ssu 81 msli
-5tE4 Nav Yosk. Aug. %, 1904
NY dear Friend my, steamboat yoy-
age TO Albany and back has turned out
rather more favorably than ] had calcnlu.
ted. The distance from New York 10
Albany is $50 miles | ran il up In 81
hours, aud downiin 80 hours. ai U,t
The later is just S miles anhour. !
had a ligh, breeze against me the whole
way going and coming, so that nc use was
made of my sails aud the voyage has
been performed wholly by the power Of
tho steam engine. gsI overlook many
sleoys and schooners beating to the wind
ward, and passed them as If they had
been at anchor. 80, -sgt ...,-
The power Of propelling boats by steam
Is now fully proved. 11The morning left
New York, there were not, pefha pc, thir.
ty persons ia the city who believed ',ha,
the boat would ever move one mile, an
hour, or be of the least utility. And
While we were putting off from the wharf
which was crowded with spectators,
heard number Of sarcastic remarks:g
.'iThis is the way, you know, in which
ignorant men compliment, what they cal
philosophers and projectors"
Having employed much time and money
and zeal ID accomplishing this work, II
gives me, as it will you, great pleasure to
see it 80 fully answer my expectations.
II will give quick and cheap conveyance
TO merchandise on the Mississippi, Mis-
souri,, and olher great rivers, which are
now laying open their treasures TO the
enterprise of our countrymsn. And al
though, the. prospect of personal emolu
ment has been some ipdheement to me
yet feel infinitely more pleasure in re.
fleeing with you on the immense adyan.
tage that my country will derive from the
invention. ..-.., ,..- .,.-..,.,-l ...-.,. q,
|. However, will no, admit that il is hall
so important as the torpedo system Of de.
fence and attack; for oot of this vii
grow the liberty of the seas an object ol
infinite importance TO the welfare o.
America, aud every civilized country
But thousands Of visitors have now seer
the steamboat in rapid movement, ant
they believe: they have not seen a shiI
of war destroyed by torpedo, and the!
do not believe. nor sr -,
We cannot iexpsc, people in genera
will have a knowledge Of physics, or pow
erio of mind sufficient to combine ideas. ans
reason from causes to effects. But il
case we have war, and the enemy's ship
come into our waters, il the government
win give me reasonable means Of action
Twill soon convince the world that VI
hnye sarer and cheaper modes Of defenc'
than they are aware Of, Yours Sc. b..
RoBERr FvLroS.
To Joel Barlow, Philadelphis. p 60
la ur.r 4.F