The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-04-04
FIRST IRON STEAMSHIP.
Problem as to Who vented the First Ma
rine T. CINE.

". Clark Resell. in Pail Mall Magazine
1t Is scarcely credible that the ernplov-
ment of iron in ship-building should for
years have continued to meet with bieot-
ed oppostion-that is, in the face of The
success, or the promises of enormous fu-
ture success, which had been achieved out
Of this metal For instance the first iron
steamer that ever put to sea was called
the Aaron Mandy, and was built in or
about 1871 from parts which had been
manufactured in Paris and sent TO Lon
don TO be put together IT is honorable to
the memory of Sir Charles Napier. cred
liable 10 his sagacity and foresight, that
he should have fOreseen in some sort the
issues OF a conjunction OF metal with
steam He il was who formed a society
or company jointly with the engineer,
Charles Mandy for the building of this
non steamboat. When she was built Gn
LOndOn) she received a cargo Of i.nseed
and iron castings, and Capt. Napier safely
nayigatsd her from London 10 Havre,
thence to Paris. From 1872 10 1880, tie
hull of the Aaron Manly never required
10 be repaired, though she had often been
aground when full up with cargo. The
country, with the admiralty in the fore
ground. looked on and made no sign. The
Aaron Mandy was certainly no beauty. She
was not like the typical frigate, for eX-
ample-but she was hint OF deepest
significance. And, consistently with the
traditions or red tape departments. the
heads, IN the manner OF Sir Joshua, shift
ed their speaking trumpets and only TOOK
snuff.
ScOtt-Russen. the Mell-knOwn engineer,
in a short treatise, gave an example OF
the character and objections urged
against iron. "A good many years ago,
he SAYS. Il happened TO converse WIN
the chief naval architect or one oi our
backwards on the subject OF building snlps
OF iron The answer was characteristic,
ana the feeling it expressed so strong ana
natural that ] have never forgotten II.
He said. with some indignation: Don 1
talk 10 me about iron ships IL con
trary TO nature.
The invention of the marine steam en-
CINE has a vast number OF claimants CAT
locks around the crowd f~WlldeIeu- II
NAV. with the utmost moCeSty, venture
an Cpinion / should say that the 1irst man
10 give practical and useful form 10 the
idea Of driving a wooden hull by steam
machinery wa Symlngton. VINO. IN 1911.
fitted up a steamboat al the instance OF
Lcrd Duadas for the Forth ana Clyde
canal Company. She tOwed two vessels
OF an aggregate burden OF hundred ana
forty tons. at The rate Of three miles and
a quarter per hour. in the teeth or a
strong breeze, Justice should De done 10
John Fitch, however. an American, who
50 eariy as l7H had obtained rights 20
run steamboats, on the waters OF virginia
and MaFyla nj His partner Was one Rum
sey. AfteFWsrd the States Of Pennsyi-
vznia and New York granted Fitch ex-
elusive rights in the use OF their waters.
His boat was of nine tors. and his engine
drove her I'VE miles AN hour. de failed
for want OF money, and died By MS own
hand in 1875. OLe who knew him says he
could think of nothing but his steam
boat and he fell into rags and broken
boots through wandering sgOut talking
o. her. The same authority says that he
met him at the house OF a bOat-builder.
a man named Wilson. with whom was
associated his blacksmith. Peter Brown.
y here, after INDUCING himself fer some
tine IN his never-failing tonic Of deep eX-
element. he concluded with these memoir
able words. Wei. gentlemen. though ]
shall not live 20 see the time. you viii.
when steamboats, viii BE- preferred 10 all
other means of conveyance. and especially
for passengers; and they will BE- par
tlculariy useful in the navigation OF the
river Mississippi" He then retired: on
vhieh Brown. turning 10 Wilson, exels M
I'd in a tone Of deep sympathy, Poor eI-
loWl what "A pity ne IL crazy