The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-11-25

There is information from Paris 10
the effect that the Ligue Maritime
Franchise is preparing for a centenary
celebration of the birth Of the steam
ship. II is announced that IN COM.
incarceration Of the fact that il was in
the year 1907 that the first steamship.
built by Fulton, commenced running,
an International exhibition Will be held
next year. II is contended that Full
ton was really the Greater of steam
navigation. seeing that he built the
first steamboat. the Claremont. which,
in August, 1907, made a voyage from
New York to Albany. distance cup
stream OF 120 sea miles. in thirty-two
hours. II is certain. however, that he
had numerous predecessors, who at
earlier dates. partly by way of propo-
sitions, and partly by way of practical
experiments, attempted TO carry out
the idea of propelling vessels by steam
power. And these predecessors OF
Fulton win also be thought of on tho
occasion OF the said exhibition. The
memory is still preserved of the French
mathematician and physician Denis
Papin. who just 200 years ago con-
structed a Certainly very imperfect,
steam engine and steamboat as We'll
With this steamboat il is recorded,
Papin made Some trips on the river
FuIda, in Prussia in 1907, he having
had 10 leave France on account of his
Calvinistic opinions. The crews of the
river boats, however were so enraget
at the prospect of their livelihood being
imperilIed by the strange craft, that
they DESTROYED it, Various attempts
We're made in the eighteenth century
ID build steamship, as, for instance,
that of the American, John Fitch, IN
the year 1877, and in the following
year, that of Patrick Miller, whoss
steamboat surpa ssed all expectations
but was never brought into practical
use The French claim that the honor
of being the first inventor of a practi,
cally useful steamship is due to an al
most forgotten compatriot, Jounroy
d'Abbans- Notwit hstanding all these
and other similar earlier endeavors, the
American. Robert Fulton. IS considered
to be the real originator of steam
navigation. seeing that the unbroken
development OF the steamship from the
little river boat to the latest triumphs
in the science of shipbuilding dates
from his invention Already in 1902
and 1903 Fulton had built a steamboat
while residing in Paris, but the hull
proved to be too weak for the weight
Of the machinery. and she sank in the
Seine. She was relocated. however, and
in August. 1903, the little craft success
fully steamed up the river in the pres
ence of a commission Of the French
Academy and a number Of scientific
men. But this did not secure for Full
ton the support of Napoleon. The
State of New York. however, offered
him the monopoly of steam navigation
on the North American rivers, and Full
ton therefore shifted the scene of his
activities To the United States. He
fitted out the CIaremont, vessel Of
$50 tons. with engines of 10 horsepower.
built in England, and with this boat
steam navigation was inaugurated in
August 1907. Fulton also built steam
frigate Of 80 guns. which carried enc
gines OF 120 horsepower. and bore its
builders name. It was a double ship,
200 feet in length. with a paddle wheel
working between the hulls. Her sue
cess induced imitation. and in the fol-
lowing year a large number of steam.
ships were built in England. France
and Germany. It may be added that,
in memory to Fulton. the French Mari
time League intends 10 erect in Paris.