The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1881-02-04
The First Steamboat.

The AntlquaFy.
The learned writer; NavarTete,
in his valuable collection of the
discoveries made by the Spaniards,
published within the last few years,
has shown by the most authentic
testimonies that the first expert,
ment on record of impelling vessels
by the motive power of steam was
made at Barcelona in 1913 with all
the success which the inventor an
ticipated; period not less than
eighty-tive years before Brancas
published the idea in Italy; more
than a century before the Marquis
OF Worcester, in England, applied
the power OF steam to the purpose
of labor, and nearly 800 years be-
fore Fulton, combining the advant.
ages of all contemporary engines,
succeeded in producing an etfec-
tive steamboat in the United States
of North America. However sing.
ular it may appear to some, it is
completely authenticated by va
riouS records in Spain, particularly
in those in SimancaS, where the
circumstances are so fully detailed
as to place the subject beyond a
doubt.
In 1913, a mechanic of Marina,
named BlascO De Garay, offered
to exhibit in the pres 'uce of the
emperor, Charles v, Il machine by
means Of which vessel might be
impelled without the assistance OF
sails or oars. The proposition in
the first place appeared ridiculous,
but the engineer remained so con.
vinced that the power of the ma
chine would be adequate to the
production of the effect announced,
that he commenced anew his rep.
reservations to the government,
supplicating his majesty TO com
mand the execution OF the project.
The emperor, in consequence, ap-
pointed u commission to proceed
to Barcelona to witness the expert.
ment and to report upon the result.
The engineer, Garay, secure now
of making a proof of his invention,
prepared merchant ship called
La Trinidad, of 200 tons burden,
thus stftes the record, and the
commissioners having arrived, the
experiment was made on the 18th
June, 1913. Immediately upon q
given signal the vessel was put in
motion; proceeding forward it
turned from one sideFto the other
according to the will of the steers
man, aud finally returned to the
place whence it started without the
assistance of sails, oars, or any
visible machinery, except an i'm
mense cauldron OF boiling water,
complicated number of wheels
within, and paddles gyratiug with
out. The multitude assembled OF
the seashore remained filled with
admiration at the sight of this
prodigy, the port of Barcelona re
sounded with appla Use, aud the
commissioners who witnessed thu
performance with the greatest Ell
thusiasm, related to the emperor
that Garay had accomplished Will
his machine as much as he had un
dertaken to do. But the head o
the commission, Ravago, who wal
then chief treasurer of the king
dom, either through Ignorance o
some of those other unseen causes
which influence the conduct o
statesmen, showed himself but lit
tie favorable either to the inventor
or the machine. After confessinl
the success of the experiment, ant
expressing his appreciation of th'
ingenuity of Garay, he endcavore'
to persuade the emperor that th
invention would be of little or n
utility; that its complicated con
struction would require c0nstan
repairs, attended with immense ex
pense; that the vessel would no
proceed at the rate OF much NOR
than a league an hour, and mucl
more slowly when treighted and
finally, that the boiler, unable t
resist the force of the steam TO
any extended period, would fire
quently burst and become produC
tive OF the most dreadful accidents
Such was the substance of th
, opinion given BY this covetous
insidious minister. Though Charlie
r V. remaincdpersuaded by the rel
reservations of his treasurer, h
was not insensible to the merits
the inventor, whom he promoted I
t tue rank of IN officer, aud IN add
3 tion to the expenses OF the exper
, ment, presented him with rewar
of 10000 maravetis from the roy,
treasury, equivalent to G6,OC
7 "reales de vellon,' q very consi'
s cradle sum at that period, and til
= munihcence OF which proves tha
the invention of Caray equalled,
, it did not surpass, the most extra
+ ordinary productions OF that eri
The military expeditions planne
by the emperor at that time, whe
t the profession of arms constitute
!. the glory OF Spain aud the honor
Q the Spaniards, rendered the occ'
Q sion i'll adapted for the introducliO
a into Europe OF the advantage I
}. steam navigation, and the non.
:, ,,hieh ancient Barcelona mlgl