AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE METHOD OR MODE OF NAVIGATING, FORCING, TOWING, AND HAULING BOATS, BARGES, AND OTHER VESSELS UPON CANALS, RIVERS, AND OTHER NAVIGABLE WATERS, BY MEANS OF MECHANISM OR MACHINERY TO BE WORKED BY STEAM OR ANY OTHER SUITABLE POWER
Year: 1811

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
JAMES, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third did, by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Twenty-sixth day of
March, in the fifty-first year of His reign, give and grant unto me, the
said Henry James, my exors, adññiors, and assigns, His especial licence, full
power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Henry James, my
exors, adiñiors, and assigns, during the term of years therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and
the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and also in all His Majesty's Colonies and
Plantations abroad, my Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE METHOD OR
MODE OF NAVIGATING, FORCING, TOWING, AND HAULING BOATS, BARGES, AND OTHER
VESSELS UPON CANALS, RIVERS, AND OTHER NAVIGABLE WATERS, BY MEANS OF
MECHANISM OR MACHINERY TO BE WORKED BY STEAM OR ANY OTHER SUITABLE
POWER;" in which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso that if the said
Henry James shall particularly describe and ascertain the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, and cause the same to be inrolled in His
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within two calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent, that then the said Letters
Patent, and all liberties and advantages whatsoever thereby granted, should
utterly cease, determine, and become void, as in and by the said Letters Patent,
relation being thereunto had, may more fully and large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Henry James, do hereby declare that my said Invention is described and
ascertained by the annexed plan, drawn in the margin of these presents, and
by the following reference and particulars :-
Figure 1 is a side view shewing the end of the boat or vessel, with a section
of the oars, paddles, or propelling boards; a, a, the end of the boat or vessel;
b, b, b, b, oars, paddles, or propelling boards; c, the beam of the steam engine;
d, the connecting rod; e, e, spur or tooth wheels, by varying the relative pro-
portions of which a greater or less degree of velocity may be given to
the oars or paddles; f, the fin or side rudder. Figure 2 is a ground
plan or bird's-eye view looking down upon the boat or vessel; a, a, the
end of the boat or vessel; b, b, b, b, shews the oars or paddles with the crank,
spur, or tooth wheels, and the framework to secure and protect the same; f. f.
the two fin or side rudders. Figure 3 is another side view shewing the end of
the boat or vessel, with the oars or paddles and the rudder as they will
appear when secured and covered in. The drawings represent the end of a
canal boat, and are made to the scale of half an inch to a foot; the steam
engine may be made to act upon the oars, paddles, or propelling boards in
various ways which are well known to mechanics, and as there are several
sorts of steam engines different kinds may be applied; the engine and
machinery should be made to take up as little room and to fit as compact to the
end of the boat or vessel as its power and proportions will admit; the steam
engine is not shewn in the annexed plan, or the particular manner of securing
it and the machinery to the boat or vessel, these being incidents which an
engineer can supply, and may be varied at pleasure. All that need to be
observed here is that the whole should be secured as firm and made of materials
as little liable to give way on receiving a sudden jerk or shake as possible. Care
should be taken to protect the boat or vessel from any ill effect from the heat of
the fire or boiler by having the seams well calked, and lining it, if necessary, with
sheet iron or any other metal or substance adapted to the purpose. The power
and proportions of the engine and machinery may be varied, and should be
regulated according to the burden of the boat or vessel to be moved or the
velocity required. The way I calculate the power of the engine, estimating it
by the horse power, is, that a one-horse power steam engine applied to the
machinery in navigat or moving boats; barges, or other vessels is fully or
more than equal to that of one horse's power, taking them on an average as now
applied from the towing path, and so in proportion for a greater or less power.
The engine and machinery may be made powerful enough that, if so desired, one
or more boats or vessels may be hauled or towed by that in which the engine

page_text: and machinery is placed, and it is made to work both ways, so that either end
of the boat or vessel can go first, but I prefer to have the engine end the stern
or after part. There are six oars, paddles, or propelling boards drawn to each
wheel; there may be more or less, but I consider that number the best; or
instead of two wheels the oars or paddles may be connected in one; but in
that case, if the boat or vessel is sharp built it must be carried out farther,
and will take up more space from the end of it; and in other respects I do
not like this method so well as the two wheels. Boats, barges, or other vessels
vary much in their form, some being narrower or sharper at the ends than
others, and some square built; the engine and machinery may be varied
according to that of the boat or vessel, but the application to the end in each
instance will be the same when applied to canal boats, which are broad or wide
at the ends, and will require in some cases that they should be a little shorter
than the now are, in order to admit their passing through the locks; but to
some trading boats which are sharp or narrow at the ends the engine and oars
or paddles can be so applied that they will require to be shortened little or
none; and to boats, barges, or vessels on rivers it can be applied without
shortening them, and to require but little alteration. If desired, a stage or
platform may be carried out from the end of the boat or vessel, underneath the
oars or paddles, as wide and far as they extend, and level with the bottom or
keel, in order the better to protect them from injury from the other boats or
vessels running against them, and also to prevent their striking against the
banks or sides of canals or rivers. The draught or depth of the oars or paddles
in the water can be regulated as the cargo is taken in, by loading the boat or
vessel either more forward or aft, and a little experience will easily shew
what depth or hold the oars or paddles should have in the water, to work with
the greatest effect for each particular occasion, or the wheels of oars may be
contrived to be raised or lowered, or the oars or paddles may be shifted up or
down the arms, but I consider the first method to be the simplest and best.
The fin or side rudders, as shewn in the annexed plan, should be placed as near
to the end of the boat or vessel as possible, at the same time to be out of the
way of the cars or paddles, and convenient to the person who attends the
engine, also to steer; or the boat or vessel may be steered by one rudder at the
end, but I consider the two rudders the best and most convenient way, and
being so placed they will be less liable to injury than the common one now is;
or the oars, paddles, or propelling boards, instead of being made as before
described, and revolving or turning in the direction of the lengthways of the
boat or vessel, may be made like to the vanes of a windmill or smoak jack,
pressing obliquely against the water, somewhat upon the principle of what

page_text: watermen or sailors call sculling, but the former method is that which I prefer.
The principle of my Invention consists in the application of the oars, paddles,
or propelling boards to the end of the boat, barge, or other vessel, and to the
working of the same by steam engines, and also to the directing or steering of
the said boat, barge, or other vessel by two side or fin rudders, as herein-before
described. The method is most applicable to inland navigation, as upon canals
and rivers, being adapted to pass through locks, tunnels, and bridges, the chief
object I have in view being to save horse and manual labour; and it will be
found to possess many advantages as to convenience, cheapness, and expedition
over the common methods now in use, and especially for the purpose of navi-
gating boats or vessels through tunnels, which it will do with greater ease and
and facility than any other method ever before invented.
In witness whereof, 1, the said Henry James, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of May, in the year of our
Land One thousand oight hundred and eleven
watermen or sailors call sculling, but the former method is that which I prefer.
The principle of my Invention consists in the application of the oars, paddles,
or propelling boards to the end of the boat, barge, or other vessel, and to the
working of the same by steam engines, and also to the directing or steering of
the said boat, barge, or other vessel by two side or fin rudders, as herein-before
described. The method is most applicable to inland navigation, as upon canals
and rivers, being adapted to pass through locks, tunnels, and bridges, the chief
object I have in view being to save horse and manual labour; and it will be
found to possess many advantages as to convenience, cheapness, and expedition
over the common methods now in use, and especially for the purpose of navi-
gating boats or vessels through tunnels, which it will do with greater ease and
and facility than any other method ever before invented.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry James, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eleven.
HENRY JAMES. (L.s.)
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-fourth day of May, in
the year of our Lord 1811, the aforesaid Henry James came before our said
Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification aforesaid,
and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above written.