The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1883-03-01
FoR THE HERALD.
who was the Inventor Of the
Sfeamhaaf?

In lately reading "reminiscences by Thomas
Carlyle published since his death, my at
tention was arrested by statement made Dy
him, in relation to the invention Of the ap-
plication Of steam to navigation.
In one Of his walking tours through SCOT
land, in year 1917. he states that he first saw
steamers on the water at Greenock. After
describing the scene in few words, he pro-
ceeds TO say:
can old friend of mine, the late Mr..
Strachey," giving IN note an account OF
who this gentleman was) "has told me that
in his school days he at one time-early in
the nineties should guess, say 1793-used
to see, in crossing Westminster Bridge, q
little model steamship padding to and tro
between him and Blackfriar's Bridge, with
steam funnel, paddle wheels, and the otner
outfit, exhibiting aSd recommending itself 70
London, and whatever scientit1c or oIner
spirits Of marine adventure London might
have. London entirely dead to the pne,
nomenon-wllich had to duck under anu
dive across the Atlantic before London saw
it again, when new generation had risen.
The real inventor Of steamships, have
learned eredibly elsewhere, the maker ana
proprietor of that fruitlesS model on tne
Thames, was Mr. Miller, Laird Of Dalswinter
in Dumfriesshire, (Poet Burns landlord,
who spent his life and his estate IN tnat
adventure, and is not now to be heard OF In
these parts; having had TO sell DalsWlnter
and die bankrupt, (and should tninh
broken-hear.ed), after that completing OF ms
painful invention, aed finding London and
mankind dead to it, Miller's assistant and
work.hand for many years was John Bell, q
Joiner in the ueighboring village of Thorn
hill. Miller being ruined Bel was out OF
work and connection, emigrated 10 new
York, and speaking much of his old master,
and glorious, unheeded invention well kloWn
to Bell In all its outlines and details, az
length found one Fulton to listen to nlm;
stFultou and Bell, iabout 1909 an actual
packet steamer was got launched, and, lucre-
lively plying on the Hudson river. became
the miracle of Yankeeland, and gradually @ OF
an lands. These l believe are essenually
the facts. Old Robert MCQUEEN of Thorn
hill. Strachey of the India House, and many
other bits Of good testimony and indication,
once far apart, curiously coalescing and cor
responding for me. Aud as, possibly enough,
the story IS not now known ic whole to any
body but myself it may go in here as Oh
gression-apropos of these brisk little Green
ock steamers which first saw and stiil SO
wildly remember.
So much for MIR. Car'yle's statement OF
the inventor of the steamboat.
In this country, and suppose throughout
the world, Robert Fulton is regarded as the
real inventor. This has placed him in the
"Nationa, Portrait Gallery Of Distinguishes
Americans. But the facts stated Dy Mr.
Carlyle are curious and significant to one
who has not investigated the subject. BY
reference to sketch Of his life published ID
the Gallery, it win be seen stated that as
early as 1898. Lord Stanhope, whose acqualn.
tanee Mr.. Fulton had formed during visit
to England in 1855, addressed him letter,
| in which it is shown that his attention had
been drawn to the practicability of steam
navigation.
Twas in 1907 that his first steamer wa:
| launched in the Hudson. The coincidence
Of the letter referred to, and Strachey
statement that he saw steamboat in the
river Thames, in 1893, give coloring to the
presumption, that Fulton knew something
about that steamer. If it be true that John
Bell came to New York, and engaged IN
building the steamer which Fulton had
launched in the Hudson, this presumption Is
strengthened. SALuDa.