Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1870-01-22

passed OY the iegisl1tule VI 'HS'"'' o.
the Ociober session 1884, similar IN It's
provisions 10 that passed by Msryiand'
granting TO James Rumsey the exclusive
right 10 use hia invention for ten years
within that Common wealth. lSee vol.
ID, Hennings State of large. page 502
That James ROmsey went 10 London, be
lieying he would there 6nd greater lacIb"
lies 10 perfect hIs mschinery, and to put
his plans IN operation, lhsn he could meet
with in Americs ; End that lie died sud
denly. while there. The Letter of John
Besl Howard 10 James johnson, Esq,
dated Sherwood. June l6,h. 1895. aud
hereto appended, furnishes be most sans-
factory account OF The termination OF his
life.
The precise time when Rumsey went
10 Europe doeSDoI appear. IL is PToos-
bic, from certain extracts Ut !est,rs, which
lie wrote to Charles Morrow, that lie
wenl 10 ,hc latter part Of 1897. Under
date OF Jan. lsl 1878 be writes 70 Mr..
Morrrow from Loudoa, and says: The
perfection OF their mechanism here m
suGes NE success, and Wy intention Is TO
gel vessel. il possible. lsrge enough to
90 20 France and Holland, by s'sam
alone.
Under date Of London. Jsn. 25h. 1888,
he saws: IL have jus. returned from
Dover, about seventy miles from Lon.
dom where ! am getting vessel, boh' OF
about one hundred tons burden, 20 Try an
experiment Iwent my lste journey TO
! Dover in Mr.. JefIrI,on's carriage
Under date OF Paris, April 2nd. 1889.
he says: Il have great reason 10 believe
| shall be obliged TO come again, before l
shall get my business completed. Poor
Amercs. | could have lived better IN you
for whole year. for the money the last
twenty days has coat me.
Under dste OF April 23rd, London, lie
says: "hy vessel hiss not yet been tired.
You will think !, strange, bat ihe nu'h I''
cannot get ny machine made perfect
as yet, though have proved It PrlnciPiy,
and have made from twenty to twenty
two strokes in minute. Ny vessel wSs
fast-moored. therefore could not see
what eTtc, II You'd have had. Ii would
not DO to leI her loose as could not de-
pend upon The continuance Of the engine.
have now sgreSt part nearly made ne"
and expecI soon 10 give it another trial.
or success have no doubt, but am DIS
tressed on account OF the delay that takes
place. II | had not made the sale, |
should hsye been IN London jail before
Ibis time. That danger however Is over.
Under date Of July 3rG, 1900. he speaks
Of the return OF his friend Mr.. &. ".
West to America
That be incurred heavy expenses .Iher
can be no doubt, that no was not able to
bear them with ease, is apparent rom his
reference t. a London jail His prema-
lure death fenGers 1t certain that lis m
yepiions never remuneraied hin, for he
time, money and IaboUr IN indeavoHns TO
perfect them. and under them useful.
lie died suddenly, Of apoPlexy. on the
2lsi OF December, 1872.
Your committee will no, affirm, nor do
they believe, from any thing exhibited 10
them, tbs. James Rumsey's SIeaDbo'l.o or
thai bis mschiuery for PropellIDg boats ~
steam, was as perfect. or as capable OF
producing ~ beneficial effects, as sre the
engines which DOW propel boats and re''
sells against wind and current. NO doubt
many inpor,sn, and yslusble improve
ments have been made But your com
mitiee believe that The facts, already 'is-
led clearly, prove lha, james Rum'ey
was among the frs, to move boat by 'he
application Of steam power; and that his
genius and exerlions, to accomplish the
grea, object. and which since his deslh
has been done by others, no matter
whether by adopting his ideas, and IN
proving upon them, or whether their ans
were altogether originsI should be res
cuel from oblivion; and that the country
try, Of which he was q native citizen
should testify its gratitude by some 'ct'
commemorative OF his worth and services.
Your committee have looked into the
history OF the invention Of Steam Engines
sad the invention OF Steamboats,. contain.
ed in Refs CyclopedIs under The head oil
"S.esn Engine" 1t there sppesrs that
Steam Engines were s,ed iD the 10th
century for the purpose oi raising wafer.
! Crest improvements were made IN the
eighteenth century and particularly by
James Waits, whose 6rsl patent. from
lhe British government, besrs date J'nua'
~ 5th 1869. II,PPesrs that the idea ol
propeIling boats or ships by the spPIcs-
lion of the Steam engine, wss entertained
more than one hundred year, ago. JON
sth.n He'll obtained patent in 1886 for
carrying vessels. Ur 'hips into CT out Of
every bsrbor, poEi or river, against wind
or tide, or in calm by the steam engine.
But il does not appear thai his project
wac ever reduced'io practice. ltsppsNs,
from The same article. ,hs, many Unsuc-
! cessiUl efforts have been made TO carry
out this old idea. in ihe accomplishment
Of some useful purpose and that all OF
then failed. until 1907, when RoberI
Fulton, applied steam 10 ProPsl boats.
usefulIy and profIsbly.in tho city Of New
York. Il is stated IN The Cyelopedis.
that Fitch made SD experiment on Ibe
/ Dela ware, 20 The year 1888. II this be
true, his experiment, proceeded that Of
Rumsey on the Potomac. The claims oil
the different nations, as well as individu-
ais, (Runssy amOsg The resl) TO The hon
or Of the first ussiul application Of Steam
10 navigation. sre considered IN The article
in question, and from consideration OF