The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-03-22
Early Steam Navigation on the Atlantic.

There exists general impression that
steam navigation across the Atlantic is of
quite modern date, and that the enterprise
was not dreamt Of by the frst-builders Of
steamships. 1t is a belief which arose, no
doubt, from the fact that the establish
ment Of regular steam routes between this
country and America, with hours Of de-
parture and arrival as punctual, OF nearly
so, as railway trains, is within the memory
of middle-aged men, and all the more
strongly impressed on account Of the op-
position it encountered, and the ridcule
its predicted success met with on the part
of many persons, even scientific authori-
ties. However, the belief is altogether
erroneous. The idea Of crossing the broad
Atlantic in steam propelled vessels is as
old as the steamers themselves, and the
first inventor entertained it most distinct
ly Poor John Fitch, Of Philadelphia,
already referred to as 'the inventor of
what really was the first practical steamer"
expressed, in the clearest possible manner,
his belief that mercantile, ships, as we'll as
men of-war, propelled by steam power,
could run between Europe and America,
and, in fact, over all the seas Of the globe.
In remarkable letter, addressed to a
friend, one David Rittenhouse, Of whom
he had to beg now and then the loan Of
five pound note to carry on his steamboat ex-
periments, he said on one occasion, "This,
sir, whether | bring it to perfection or not,
will be the mode Of crossing the Atlantic,
in time for packets and armed vessels. "
1t is lamentable to think Of the fate of this
true mechanical genius, falling in the end
into despair through the most abject pow
erty. "0ften have seen him" relates a
Philadelphia acquaintance, Mr.. Thomas
Cope, stalking about like a troubled
spectre, with downcast eyes and lowered
countenanee, his course soiled linen peep
ing through the elbows Of tsttered gar
ment" The way in which his friends
and contemporaries looked upon the dream
er of universal steam communications is
graphically told by the same writer.
Speaking of a visit he once paid to John
Wilson, his boat builder, and Peter
Brown, blacksmith, who forged the rough
engines of the little steamer which actual
ly ran on the Delaware for eighteen
months, at the rate Of eighty miles day,
without being appreciated, Mr.. Cope tells
this story of his friend John Fitch;
"After iudulging himself for some time in
his nOver-failing topic Of deep excitement,
he concluded with the memorable words,
"Well, gentlemen, although | shall not
live to see 1t, you will see the time when
steamboats, will be preferred to all other
means Of conveyance, especially for pas
sengers." He then retired, on which
Brown, turning to Wilson, exclaimed,
in tone Of deep sympathy, "Poor fellow
what a pity he is crazy" Poor John
Fitch fed from contumely and starvation
by midnight jump into the Allegheny
in 1898, just at the time when the first
successful English steamer, the Charlotte
Dundas, was beginning to earn fame and
money on the Fourth and Clyde Canal.
The prediction Of John Fitch that
steamers would one day cross the Atlantic,
received its first fuIfillmeut in 1919. u
was lU OF ltllS wear InNt uD
American vessel, the Savannah, arrived
at Liverpool from Savannah, Georgia,
having traversed the Atlantic Ocean in
thirty days, partly sailing and partly steam
ing. The event created very little a,ten-
tion at the time, the Savannah being a
small boat of 800 tons, and rigred a. a
sailing vessel while her steam power was
regarded as purely auxiliary: 40 much sd.
that the engines and even the naddles
were removable. Her MASSAGE beino ~
the same duration rs that Of tho fne
"linersn which Ind beep built 10 carry On
intercourse between (ireat Britaip anj ,be
growing population Of the United states
It was but natural that sliebt interest
should have been takep in the first VOYAGE
of tho first Atlantic steamer and hay;1o
repeated il once or tvice without proyinS
successful the savanpab was
withdrawn from the ronte 10 seek better
fortune on the Missis.ipri No less ,han