New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-13

The Chancellor prior 10 the passage Of the act
had made an agreement with Nicholas Roose-
Welt OF the old New-York family. and Colonel
John Stevens TO build boat on Joint account
the engines Tor which were 90 be constructed by
Roosevelt, al his shop on the Passaic, the pro-
polling agency to be planned by Livingston. with
the co-operation OF Stevens. II was because
OF the promising signs Of success that the pro-
lection OF the legislature was sought How
ever, on october q. 1I9S, the craft was com
pIeted and ready Tor the trial trip. II proved
a failure Later Stevens persuaded the Chan
celIor TO put set Of paddles in the stern. with
the result that the craft on which Livingston
had built HIS hopes was shaken TO pieces and
was abandoned. The Chancellor was not easily
beaten. however few years later he was the
accredited minister plenipotentiary Of the United
states 10 France. and became acquainted with
Robert Fulton Fulton I'm 1875 was known only
as a miniature portrait painter In New-York.
and had gone over to Europe TO study art with
BENJAMIN West. In his trips among the rural
mansions OF the nobility to study. at Vests sug-
gestion the masterpieces possessed by many OF
them he made the acquaintance OK the Earl or
Rridrowater. then Interested I'm Ensland's canal
system During his intercourse with the earl
Fulton found that his tastes lay more toward
civil ensineering than toward art. and adopted
no former profession. his SuN'NcSiui 'Nh'ii-
r,ents began 10 be nooted throughout the Con-
tinent. snd one OF them. with submarine torpe-
does and torpedo boats. created SO much anxiety
In +be minds of the officials OF the English gov
eminent that thcv FASTENED to acquaint them
selves with all his dongs.
When Fulton called upon Chancellor Lying
sion he found him receptive regarding his scheme
70 construct q steamboat. whose trial trip was
70 take place on the Seine. Work was begun
on the craft and It was completed in 1So3. The
first trial resulted In the boat going to- the bot
ton, Of the river because its hull was not able
TO sustain the weight OF the machinery IL was
taken up and reconstructed. and another trlaI
,,rovoi successful. The Chancellor saw AT once
that FuIton's idea model was better than
Fitch's or his own and agreed 70 enter into part
nership Joel Barlow. a man Of means. guaran-
,eaIng Fultou's share OF the finances. In tho
mean time Livingston wrote home and procured
an extension OF the legislative act granted In
1TqS by the State OF New-Y0rk. and thus Sc
cured the monopoly OF the Hudson for a few
wears longer lie was convinced that n boat
could be successfully moved by steam over the
waters OF York, and from his large wealth
was willing to give enough money TO accom-
plish the result Through his aid engine
was ordered built I'm England from plans which
Fulton furnished and in 1906 Fulton returned
IN Nev-York to build the boat to contain it.
The Chancellor could not stay I'm France while
the work was under way, and resigned his
mission I'm 1905. travelling for a few months
on the Continent and reaching New-York about
the time the engine arrived at the shipyard
of Brown Brothers. at the foot OF East Hous-
ton-st.
The building Of the craft created great discus
sion the possibility OF its success was denied.
and those who watched it's construction were
filed with increduity. And it was a strangely
constructed affair. 1870 feet long, Is feet beam
and feet In depth. OF 100 tons burden, with two
masts rugged for the purpose OF carrying sails;
a deckhouse pierced by windows and fitted UP
with twelve berths, the space at both ends of it
open to the sky. When the machinery arrived
IL was put up piece by piece within the boat
the last of the fittings being great iron pipe
which rose from the centre of the boat 20 the