The Washington herald., 1909-01-24

17S3 Il was a secret experiment con-
Quoted in the dead of night Rumsey was
assisted by his brother-in-law. Joseph
Barnes. and his business partner in
store az Bath. Nicholas Orrick. They
carried the parts OF the boiler and engine
10 the boat. which was raoored In the P0-
tornac at the mouth Of Sir Johns Run.
The trial trip was not as successful as
the inventor and his companions had
hoped. owing 10 the fact that steam es-
capped from the rough boiler IN such large
quantities as 20 greatly reduce the power
However. IL was sufficient SUCCESS to
demonstrate that boat could be pro-
PEELED - steam. and il was satisfying
enough 10 Rumsey 10 start him IN an
effort % have his discovery protected
and his rights safeguarded- To this end
, he prepared two petitions. one for the
7 legislature OF Maryland. which is given
toward the front of this article. and an
other for the legislature OF Virginia, in
which State he was then a resident
{ There were no patent laws az that time
and the accomplishments OF inventors
could only be protected for them by the
assemblies OF the States The petition 10
/ the Virginia legislature read:
r
( ley County. in the State OF Virginia,
most respectfully showeth that your Pc
titioner has for several years employed
with uuremittng attention and at great
! expense In inventing and bringing 70 per
/ feCtion sundry machines and engines,
namely. one for propeiling boats on the
water By the power Of steam. which has
/ already been accomplished in experiments
on boat OF about six tons burden.
two new invented boilers for generating
/ steam. and also other machines" &c
THE petition sets forth the value 10 be
derived from the invention and asks for
/ the protection OF his rights for a term OF
I years. At the following session Of the
Maryland legislature the following act
was passed:
Prays for Exclusive Rights.
whereas James RumSey by his petit
ton TO this General Assembly hath SET
| forth that he hath invented plan for
navigating boats against The currents OF
rapid rivers at a very small expense
whereby great advantages will rebound
to the citizens OF this state and has
prayed that an act may pass vesting him
a sole and exclusive right. privilege, and
/ benefit in constructing navigating. and
1 EMPLOYING boats constructed after this
new invented model, upon the creeks
rivers and beys within this State be
! granted 10 him, his heirs. executors, ad-
ministrator. and assigns for a limited
time. and it appearing reasonable that
the said James Rumsey should have the
advantage Of said invention.
BE II enacted By the General Assembly
~ a--f-fr- --=H-- rio
privilege. and benefit Of making. con
structing. and selling within this State
the said new invented boats OF improve
ments upon the same plan. shall be. and
is hereby. invested in the said James
! Rumsev. his executors. administrators
and assigns. for and during the space OF
ten years from the end Of this session
Of Assembly.
Rumsev was not satisfied wholly viii
the protection of this act. and similar
one passed in Virginia later, il would
seem. for he set about to procure state
ments and afddavits from men Of note
and distinction. and amonS them is Z
certificate frC-n George Washington. whs
had a summer cottage al Bath Th'
Father Of his Country wrote;
WaShinSton'S Statement.
i have seen the Wouei OF M KUN
sev's boat. constructed 20 work agains
the stream: examined the powers upoI
I p hich it acts. been eyewitness to an ac
tual experiment in running water Of sons
Tapidity. and give it as my opinion cal
though 7 had little faith beforel that h,
mas discovered the art Of working boat:
BY mechanism and small manual assist
ance against rapid currents. that the dis
coverv is o. vast Importance. may be o
! greatest usefuiness in our inland naviga
tion. ard II it succeeds tcf which I have
no doubO that the value Of It is greatly
enhanced by the simplicity Of the works
which. when seen and explained. may be
executed By the most common mechanic
Given under my hand at the town o
Bath. County cf Berkeley. in the State o
Virginia, this 7t5 day o. September. 176i
GEO WASHINGTON"
This statement Of Washington woul,
seem to prove Bumsey's claim to prior
itv over Fulton and Fitch. II and tn
other documents secured 10 establ;sl
Rumsev as the first inventor Of tn
steamboat would indicate fear on Rum
sey's part that he might be cheated o
his rightful place in history, as. indeed
; happened. and that he would fail OF tn
substantial rewards which his discover
would bring. Gen Washington shared
, too, that fear, and in tlie following ex