The Washington herald., 1914-04-26
N3S0LE0N
STTH2L1VG
A5NoRE

his life. Greenough. the sculptor. said to
Emerson: Fulton knocked at the door
. OF Napoleon with steam and was re
jeCted; and Napoleon lived long enough
power than his own" Lord Acton has
even pronounced Napoleon's failure to
seize upon the idea as the most important
event of the nineteenth century.
Nevertheless FultOn's invention was not
Yet OF the least practical value for n
great expedition such as Napoleon was
planning against England. He modestly
offered il only as a means OF towing
freight along rivers and canals. More
over. no steamer succeeded in crossing
the channel in Napoleun's time. and it
was not until lSs2 long after ne had
ceased to trouble his foes. that the first
steam vessel appeared in the British navy.
Still the fact stands that he let slip an
agency which. under his powerful patron
age. possibly might have served him in
his long duel with England and enabled
him to wrest from her the control of the
seas.
II must No borne in mind. however. that
the English made no better Use OF thr
opportunity when Fulton presented il to
them. Their spies having kept their eyes
on him all the while. he was induced to
leave France shortly after his trip on the
Seine and go To London. AlthOuch Will
lam Pitt. the prime minister. welcomed
him cordially. he met with a cold reCep-
ton from the British naval men. The
admiralty had already rejected Bells
steamboat. Endorsed by Nelson. and no
interest whatever appears to have been
taken in Fulton's steamer. while Lord st.
Vincent ridiculed his diving boat as
"Eimcrack." At the same time ST. Vim
cent called Pitt the greatest fool that
ever was to encourage a mode of war
which those who command the sea do not
prive them OF it." Still a test was made.
and there was torpedo attack OF
Boulogne. but Napoleon contemptuously
dismissed il as breaking the windows OF
off of hn
Cufneas."
Napoleon on the Const.
While Fulton wandered between the
two powers that We're struggling for the
mastery OF the waters. all Northern
France rang with the hammers Of the
boat builders, who launched their craft
in the little rivers and steered them
down stream TO the sea The boats were
made shallow to enable them TO naVt-
gate the rivers. and also TO be heached
anywhere on the English shore At the
same time the air was Grimy by day and
ablaze by night from the chlmneys OF
arsenals. where the guns for the eNpe-
ditiOn were in process OF making.
All the while Napoleon went un and
down the long coast line directing the
work OF mounting guns until they lined
the shore like fence posts. With his own
hands he fired the cannon, and found the
range Of some of them inadequate. He
stood by to see the shot weighed. and
proved much of it to be underweight.
An artillery officer in an engagement with
a British ship used cartridges made for
salutes instead of war. and he jumped
at him and tore of the epaulettes of the
offender. IT have seen your reports. he
said to Gen. SeEur, land they are excel |
lent. But you forgot two cannon at Os-
tend. in a road behind the town.
Telegraphic semaphores were erected
everywhere: 5000 men patrolled the
coast, and horse artillery were in readi-
ness to gallop to any threatened point
II the English should emulate their enc !
my and attempt an invasion. Recognize
ing the advantages OF Antwerp, Napo- I
leon started II on its career as great !
port in the North Sea, and armed II
until II was "a loaded pistol held at the |
head of England" He began the work !
which was to make Cherbourg the inn !
portant port II is in our day, and Bou- I
logne. too. owes its present high rank |
as shipping point TO his initiative at
that busy time.
He found the harbor Of Boulogne in |
shallow river mouth. and he set his SOL !
diers to digging and lining an immense |